Yamanashi Prefecture will begin charging climbers who require helicopter rescues after attempting Mount Fuji outside the official season, citing a rise in unprepared off‑season ascents. The prefecture will reference Saitama's existing rate of 8,000 yen per five minutes and will require detailed itineraries for off‑season attempts. Neighbouring Shizuoka plans penalties for unregistered climbs but has not set a rescue fee. Officials note most huts and facilities are closed off‑season and conditions are harsher.
Mount Fuji Off‑Season Climbers To Be Charged For Helicopter Rescues
Mount Fuji's official climbing season runs from July to early September [Getty Images]
From next year, Yamanashi Prefecture will charge climbers who attempt Mount Fuji outside the official season and then require helicopter rescue, officials responsible for the mountain's northern slopes said. The new measure is part of a broader effort to discourage ill-prepared and risky off‑season ascents.
What The Rule Means
Yamanashi said it will use a comparable Saitama Prefecture fee — currently set at 8,000 yen (about $51; £38) for every five minutes of helicopter use in other mountain areas — as a reference when setting its own rate. In addition, anyone planning an off‑season climb (defined by Yamanashi as early September through July of the following year) must submit a detailed climbing itinerary in advance.
Regional Responses And Enforcement
Authorities in neighbouring Shizuoka Prefecture, which manages Fuji's southern slopes, reported a rise in unplanned and off‑season ascents that have left climbers stranded. Shizuoka said it will impose penalties on people who fail to register off‑season climbs and step up efforts to block access to restricted areas, although it has not announced a helicopter rescue fee.
'We ask the general public to refrain from climbing during the off-season. We hope that these measures will cause people to rethink what climbing Mount Fuji during the winter is like,' Yamanashi Governor Kotaro Nagasaki said.
Practical Advice For Climbers
Mount Fuji's official climbing season runs from July to early September, when roughly 200,000 hikers attempt the summit each year. Climbing outside those months is permitted only up to the fifth station on the established routes, but most mountain huts and toilet facilities are closed in the off‑season and weather and trail conditions are typically more severe. Officials warn that rescues in winter conditions are more dangerous and costly — the rationale behind the planned charges and stricter registration requirements.
Bottom line: The new rules aim to reduce risky off‑season climbs by increasing accountability and recovering some rescue costs when climbers need helicopter assistance.
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