We departed there, a parking spot in a busy parking area, at eleven o’clock in the midnight. The sky was not perfectly clear, covered by clouds in some places, but we could see shinning asterisms, even a few falling stars through a break in the clouds. After we passed an old small Shinto shrine, our team leader entered into a narrow forest trail. It was a completely dark world, and only four small head lights we had on our heads showed the way we were going.

The leader suggested to us not to walk too rapidly, but rather take short strides and walk slowly to prevent altitude sickness. Although followed her suggestion, and took short breaks at every climbing point, where small mountain lodges were open, we were getting tired by the time we reached the 8th point before 4:30 a.m. We were waiting for the sunrise taking a longer break watching the eastern sky and the blank of cloud, while the sky gradually changed to golden.

The last two points, from the 8th point to the summit, was not an easy one even though we could see a national flag billowing at the summit as if it was right in front of us. Most people need several breaks between the last points, the 9th to the10th, although it takes only 30 minutes. The narrow road was crowded with climbers and those taking breaks, so we made a line. And then after several stone steps, we went through a shrine gate - it was our final goal!

As we were eating breakfast at the summit, small rice balls, grapefruits, and a cup of hot coffee from a thermos, other parties reached the summit full of life, such as a large party named International Friendship Organization, or seven or eight guys holding the Star Spangled Banner with backpack. After getting refreshed, we decided to go around the rim of the crater, where we could see other climbing routes, a small post office open only for the special summer time, and the local meteorological station. This was a one and half hour walk with 4 K meters, 2.5 miles. The volcano rim was rather wider than I expected.

I had the good fortune, in the middle of the rainy season in July, to be able to see the rising sun above the sea of clouds and really enjoyed the fine weather at the summit of the mountain. Someone said before that there is something that can change the way your perceive things. Surely, I saw that everyone who could come to the peak of Mt. Fuji, 3,776 meters of elevation, the highest point in Japan, had a great smile, and yes, there was something that changed their way of thinking.