※This article was published in February 2016※
Even those who do not know much about Japan have usually heard about Mt. Fuji.It is no wonder that countless visitors from Japan and abroad visit Mt. Fuji area every year because the mountain has been considered to be the symbol of Japan since ancient times.
The charm of Mt. Fuji and its surrounding areas is the beautiful nature. In this article, we introduce 5 places where you can discover the mountain and its surroundings. Pick your favorite place and head to the area!
The best spot to view Mt. Fuji is definitely from the lakeside. This is evident already from the fact that the area at the northern side of Mt. Fuji is named Fuji Five Lakes, after the five large lakes located there. Therefore at first, we will introduce three of the lakes: Kawaguchiko, Yamanakako, and Motosuko.
1. Lake KawaguchikoVisiting Lake Kawaguchiko is easy even if you are on a tight schedule, as there are direct train and bus connections from Tokyo. Just walk about a kilometer from the Kawaguchiko Station and you will arrive to the lake! Alternatively, you can hop into a retro bus that takes tourists around Lake Kawaguchiko and the lake next to it, Lake Saiko. In winter, Lake Kawaguchiko looks like this.
There are many attractions nearby, such as museums, hot spring baths and Fuji Q Amusement Park, so you will definitely not get bored.
If you want to take beautiful photos of Mt. Fuji, you should visit also the famous Chureito Pagoda. It is part of Arakura Sengen Shrine, located near Shimo-Yoshida Station that is just a 10-minute train ride from Kawaguchiko.
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2. Lake Yamanakako
Lake Yamanakako is biggest of the lakes and like at Lake Kawaguchiko, there are a lot of things to do. One good option would be to stay a night at one of the hotels by the lake and admire the morning view of Mt. Fuji. If you are lucky, you might be able to take a mountain reflection shot like this!
There are a lot of options for outdoor activities: for example boating, waterskiing and fishing can be enjoyed at the lake.
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3. Lake Motosuko
The view of Mt. Fuji from the shore of Lake Motosuko is famous as it appears on the 1000 yen bill. If you go to this viewing spot located at the northernwestern shore of the lake, you can take a picture just like on the bill!
The 1000 yen viewing spot is not that well known, so if you are looking for a place with less people, this is your choice. Unfortunately, the lake is not as easily accessible as Kawaguchiko and Yamanakako. There are buses from Kawaguchiko Station and also one bus a day from Shinjuku, so if you have time, you should definitely visit this place.
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4. Shiraito Falls
Shiraito Falls, located at the southwest footsteps of Mt. Fuji, is ranked among “Japan’s Top 100 Waterfalls”. The Japanese word “Shiraito” means “white threads”, which couldn’t describe the waterfall better. Hundreds of thread-like streams fall down the cliff, to the extent that it is practically impossible to get a photograph of the whole waterfall.
This kind of view really soothes your soul! You should also check out the nearby Taki Waterfall. From Fujinomiya Station, it takes about 30 minutes by local bus to this place.
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5. Narusawa Ice Cave
The temperature at Narusawa Ice Cave stays under 0 celsius throughout the year, making it an interesting place to visit especially during the summer. However, even during colder months, the beautiful icicles are a reason enough to stop by if you are in the area. These pictures were taken during the winter.
A word of caution, though: it takes only about 15 minutes to visit the cave, so there is no need to reserve a lot of time for it! The stairs are slippery and there are a couple of places where you have to crawl down.
To get there, hop into Fuji Kyuko Line bus from Kawaguchiko Station and get off at Narusawa-hyoketsu stop. It takes about 25 minutes.
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