Japan Hiking Ideas

[tmartenst]

Hey all, any experience with hiking in Japan? My wife and I are going next week for 8 days. A bit too short but that is all we could get out of work. The climbing season on Mt. Fuji is officially over on August 27 and we will be in the area around September 3. This means if we hike Fujisan we won't be hiking with the 1000 people a day that hike it during the summer, it also means that many buses and services are discontinued for the season. Fuji looks like kind of a circus since you typically start the climb at midnight to see the sunrise from the top (although, a very unique experience). Basically it would alter at least 2 days of our trip and throw our sleep off even more than it will be from jetlag. Instead of going for the obvious achievement mountain, we were thinking of hiking the mountains to the north of Mt. Fuji to get good views looking back at it or spending more time in the Japan Alps instead of the Fuji area. Anyone have any experience and/or advice?

[Mtnman1830]

Gee, any one that you mentioned sounds fantastic. Sounds like you can't lose.