How to climb Mt. Asama?

During my next Japan trip I'm planning to climb Mt. Asama. But there won't be a lot of time for that. Are there any special hints what is the best and fastest way to climb the volcano? From what town to start? What about good hotels in the region, suitable for the climbing enterprise?
Thanks in advance :-)

Asama-san is currently under a level 3 alert, where no one is allowed within 4 km of the crater.

I asked about climbing it from a climbing friend and he said that no one climbed it. I don't know if that's true, but I stayed off. It's been throwing out rocks and ash since last February (2009), which is the date of the last big eruption. Ash from that eruption settled on Tokyo.

I climbed Asama a few years ago. The time I was there the crater was off limits, yet there were still plenty of hikers (probably around 100), and pretty much everyone was going up to the rim.

The biggest concern is that poisonous gasses emitted by the volcano can overwhelm you if you are not careful. Also, it is very unstable at the crater's edge.

I can't say how it is after this recent eruption, but chances are you will be able to climb to the crater (although it is technically illegal).

We drove to a shrine on the mountain from where the trailhead begins. I'm not sure how to get there without a car, but I doubt that there is a bus. Taxi may be an option. The hike itself is beautiful and I enjoyed it much more than Fuji. They say Asama is Fuji's ugly stepsister, but I think the trail up Asama is much more beautiful.