Maine-native Andrew Marston started living the expat life in Japan this summer, and is wasting no time getting out and seeing what the country has to offer. When a friend of his mentioned he’d completed a sea-to-summit Fuji trek, Marston’s adventurous mind kicked into high gear, and when his schedule lined up with fellow Americans Andy and Axel, the three found themselves standing on the sands of Taganoura Beach in Shizuoka Prefecture… or 50 kilometers (31 miles) away from and 3,776 meters (12,388 ft) below their destination.

Navigating using a smartphone and online map of their course, the group made steady progress toward its goal, with just one unintended, yet scenic, detour along the way. Finally, more than 27 hours after their energetic departure from Taganoura Beach, the three hikers arrived at the top of Japan where the three smiling climbers watched the sun rise over the horizon.