S’pore couple in their 50s conquer first mountain, proudly fly flag atop Mount Fuji for National Day
A Singaporean couple took their National Day celebrations to new heights — 3,776m above sea level, to be exact.
Stomper Mae Koh, 55, and her husband Ray Hoh, 59, proudly unfurled the Singapore flag after reaching the summit of Mount Fuji on Aug 8, a day before Singapore’s 61st birthday.
The climb was especially significant for the couple as it was the first mountain either of them had ever scaled.
“We have only climbed Bukit Timah Hill in Singapore, but not mountains, so this was definitely a new challenge for both of us,” Mae told Stomp.
Mae, an administrative executive, and Ray, who is self-employed, had dreamed of climbing Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest peak, for the past five years before deciding this was finally the year to do it.
With the climb taking place so close to National Day, bringing along a Singapore flag was very much intentional.
“We thought it would be a meaningful and memorable way to celebrate National Day — by bringing our Singapore flag to the highest point in Japan,” Mae said.
“It was our little way of celebrating Singapore and showing our pride for our home country.”
A 12-hour journey to the top and back
The couple began their climb from Mount Fuji’s 5th Station via the Yoshida Trail at about 2pm on Aug 7.
After more than three hours of hiking, they reached the 7th Station, where they spent the night in a mountain hut.
The weather added to the challenge.
“We experienced rain on the first day, which made the trail more challenging,” Mae said.
At about 6am the next morning, they resumed their journey to the summit.
As they climbed higher, the thinner air began taking its toll.
“Breathing became more difficult because of the altitude, so we took our time and had regular breaks at each mountain hut,” Mae said.
“There were moments when we had to stop, catch our breath and encourage each other to keep going.”
Although the couple had prepared for the climb by walking, hiking and climbing stairs, Mae said nothing quite prepared them for what it was like at altitude.
“Honestly, experiencing the altitude and the difficulty of breathing was something we could only truly understand once we were up there,” she said.
After about eight hours of climbing on the second day, Mae and Ray finally reached the summit at around 2pm.
“Seeing the view from above the clouds made all the tiredness and effort feel worthwhile,” she said.
‘It was a small flag, but it represented home’
The moment they had been waiting for finally arrived as they took out the Singapore flag they had carried throughout the climb.
“Taking out the Singapore flag at the summit was a very special moment for both of us,” Mae said.
“Knowing that we were standing at the highest point in Japan while celebrating Singapore’s 61st National Day made the experience even more meaningful.
“Singapore is home to us, so seeing the red-and-white flag up there gave us a real sense of pride.
“It was a small flag, but it represented home.”
Their patriotic display also caught the attention of other climbers.
“A few people noticed the Singapore flag and smiled, commented and took photos of us,” Mae said.
“It was really nice to see people from different countries appreciating our little National Day celebration.”
After spending some time at the summit, the couple began their descent at about 3pm, which took another four hours.
In all, they spent about 12 to 13 hours hiking over two days.
“The climb was physically challenging, especially with the rain and difficulty breathing at higher altitude,” Mae said.
“But we took it slowly, encouraged each other and made it to the top together.
“Standing at the summit with our Singapore flag, surrounded by people from different countries, made us realise how special it was to represent our little red dot at such a beautiful place.
“Reaching the summit with the Singapore flag was a moment we will remember for a very long time.”
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