2008 Fuji Tozan Climbing Race – REPORT

Six Nambanners scaled Mount Fuji in last Friday’s 61st annual Fuji Tozan Climbing Race, one of Japan’s most popular and most difficult endurance events.  The Summit Race is 21 km with an elevation gain of 3,000 meters, and the 5th station race is 15km with an elevation gain of 1,480 meters. The cutoff times are absurdly strict – for the Summit Race you must reach the 8th station within 4 hours.  More than half the entrants are cruelly turned back after climbing for 19km.