Why do people climb Mount Fuji to see the sunrise?

──Going through the night to meet the light

Right now, you’re at the Ninth Station of Mount Fuji, about 3,500 meters above sea level. The air is thin, the wind is cold, and the mountain is wrapped in deep night. After resting briefly in this hut, you’ll set out before dawn, heading for the summit to witness the sunrise, or Goraikō.
But why do people wake in the middle of the night and climb through the cold darkness just to see the sun rise?

The answer lies deep in history. Long ago, people called the sunrise from Mount Fuji “Goraigō.” In Buddhism, raigō refers to the moment when a Buddha descends from the Pure Land to welcome souls.
To them, the light rising from the summit was not merely the sun; it was a divine appearance.

In this guide, we’ll explore why people seek this experience through a thousand years of faith and belief.