Need Clothing Suggestions for "Discover Japan" Trip

[Alessia]

Hi everyone,

I am leaving for the "Discover Japan" trip in two weeks, and am uncertain as to what I should pack for clothes. I will definitely bring good walking shoes / sandals, but is it inappropriate for me to bring sundresses and skirts with tanktops to wear during the day? What about in the evening? Also, what would you suggest I bring for the Mount Fuji climb? They say to dress warmly, but how warm? Should I be bringing a light jacket or the works (ie: heavy coat, scarf, hat, gloves...)? I am Canadian, and so when someone tells me to dress warmly, I am ready to bring items for the dead of winter! lol

Pleae advise,
Alessia

[AdamfromCanada]

I'm not entirely sure how Mt. Fuji's weather compares, but I hiked up Mt. Kinabalu in Malaysia last year and there was a recommendation to bring warm clothes. Mt. Fuji is about 200M shorter than Kinabalu, but also is more northern. I'm sure time of year will also make a big difference (moreso in Japan than Malaysia).

Rather than taking a winter jacket, it probably makes sense to wear layers (easier to pack and you can use them during other points on your trip). When I went to the summit on my trip, I had a t-shirt, sweater (lightweight from MEC) and a hoodie (another fairly lightweight MEC one). I brought gloves, but accidentally left them with my big bag at the bottom of the mountain. I wore a hat, but not a touque. It was early September, and at the summit, early in the morning, it was probably 2 or 3 Celsius. Chilly, and waaay colder than the +30 we'd enjoyed the day before along the coast, but not like a Canadian winter or anything. If I had to do it over, I would have brought my gloves.

Other than that, the two things I was most thankful for were my hiking boots and my walking stick. Both were purchases that I really waffled on, thinking I could probably manage in day-to-day Merrells, but the extra support was really beneficial. And as for the walking stick, it really helped in spots. I liked that it was adjustable, so for the much steeper parts of the climb, I made it quite short and used it almost like a pick, and coming down, I made it much longer so it could still reach ahead of me.

[Itchy_Feet]

Hey Alessia,
When they say pack warm, they mean it. I summitted Fuji last year and it gets COLD up there. The main problem is the amount of people that now climb the mountain can really slow the ascent (starting at 1am, it took us 4 hours to go the last bit from the eighth station to the top ... without crowds, it should have taken 2). So you're stuck waiting in line on the marked path and not moving. Take layers, a hat, scarf, and insulated gloves (I had regular cloth ones and froze my hands). And be careful - a friend of mine turned around last week because the weather on the summit was so bad. They say grandmas climb this mountain (and they do!) but it's still dangerous.
I live in Tokyo and walk around in skirts and tank tops a lot, but not many Japanese do. They generally cover up more even in the heat. A big trend now is shorts (or just long shirts) with leggings or sundressed with t-shirts under them. That said, no one is going to mind if you wear what you're comfotable with (within reason )
Have a fabulous time and be prepared for the humidity, Nights are still warm (I carry a light scarf for al fresco evening dining or cold metros/movie theaters/etc) but much better than days. I hope you have a great trip and good luck on Fuji!

[Alessia]

AdamfromCanada & Itchy_Feet,

Thanks so much to the both of you for taking the time to read and to respond to my post! I have a better idea of what to pack now, and am so much more at ease.

Please know that your shared advice and experiences are greatly appreciated,
Alessia

[blackbelt]

Alessia,

I went on this tour in spring 2007 (pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/michael-c/collections/72157600190165519/). Mount Fuji hadn't opened yet so did not climb to top but as others have said it can get cold up there. Important thing is to go layers instead of a bulky jacket.

If you have any questions let me know.