This series features interviews with guides who know the wonders of Mount Fuji inside and out. This time, we spoke with Kenji Fujimoto, a mountain guide from JIN. Through his climbing experience and memorable tour episodes, we’ll dive deeper into the charm of Mount Fuji!

1: What kind of experience do you want to provide through your tours? Is there anything you keep in mind?

It’s all about making sure our guests have a great time.

Facing the mountain and nature is important, but meeting the guests is also a once-in-a-lifetime experience. For us guides, it’s part of our daily job, but for our guests, it’s a special moment they might experience only once in their life.

That’s why I always keep this in mind and value every Mt. Fuji climb.

2：Which is the most memorable tour you have climbed so far?

Mt. Fuji:

Honestly, there are so many memories that it’s hard to pick just one. But if I had to choose, I’d say the time I climbed Mt. Fuji with my college friends.

We planned the trip ourselves and gathered a group, even though many of them had never hiked before. We started by running, strength training, and hiking smaller mountains in Kyoto to prepare. We thought we were fully ready, but on our first attempt, the weather was terrible—it rained the whole time, and even though we made it to the top, we couldn’t see anything.

I really wanted my friends to experience the breathtaking views and sunrise from Mt. Fuji, so we decided to try again the following year with the same group. The second time, we had perfect weather and got to see an incredible view. I still remember that moment clearly. One of the members on that trip is now my wife.

Life:

When I was in high school, I planned and did a solo climb of Rishiri Fuji. That experience gave me a huge boost of confidence and made me fall in love with hiking even more.

3：What is the happiest moment for you as a guide?

It’s also hard to pick just one.

But one of my favorite moments is when I share the joy of reaching the summit with my guests—shaking hands, hugging, and celebrating together. It’s a completely different feeling from climbing alone, and it always reminds me why I love being a guide.

4：What has been your most difficult experience?

When I was younger, there was a time when we were short on staff, and I ended up guiding 14 climbs in a row.

As soon as I came down to the fifth station, I would head back up again about an hour later—basically spending all my time on Mt. Fuji. By the time I finally finished the streak and came back down to the city, summer was already over.

I definitely couldn’t handle that many climbs in a row now!

5：What do you look forward to while climbing other than the scenery?

I love enjoying Mt. Fuji’s local food. Each mountain hut has its own specialty—udon, red bean buns, rice balls, pudding, and more. I usually make try something during breaks.

If you’re climbing with me, let’s enjoy some Mt. Fuji gourmet together!

Another thing I look forward to is reconnecting with my Mt Fuji friends who work in Mt Fuji every summer. It’s always great to catch up with the people I’ve worked with for so long.

6：If you had no time or constraints, what would you like to do on a mountain tour?

Before the climb, I like to walk around the town at the base of Mt. Fuji, taking in the view and building up excitement for the hike.

During the climb, I prefer to take it slow and really enjoy the mountain, staying at the huts for at least two nights.

After coming down, the first stop is always the hot springs. Then, it’s time to eat, drink, and celebrate!

7: Is there anything you always do or have a routine after the climb is over?

I love soaking in a hot bath to relax and then enjoying Yoshida’s famous udon at the base of Mt. Fuji.

One of the things I also look forward to is driving around with my fellow guides to discover new restaurants!

8: What have you learned or changed through your work as a mountaineering guide? 

I started working as a Mt. Fuji guide when I was a university student and ended up climbing the mountain about 90 times over five years. That experience became a defining moment for me, and after graduating, I jumped into the travel industry.

I’ve now been working in this industry for nearly 20 years. Even after all this time, I still feel a deep sense of joy being involved with Mt. Fuji.

One thing I’ve realized as a guide is how rewarding and fulfilling this job is. It’s amazing to see how the climb impacts guests—watching them grow and change through the sense of accomplishment they gain from the experience.

9：What is the appeal of Mt.Fuji for you? 

My house is in Osaka, but Mt. Fuji has become a place I always return to. I can’t imagine a summer without climbing Mt Fuji.

10：Is there any project or challenge you would like to take on in the future? Why?

Climbing Mt. Fuji with my kids is something I really look forward to. However, I don’t want to force them—I hope that one day, they’ll naturally feel motivated to climb, and we can reach the summit together. For now, they’ve only made it to the sixth station.