Credit score: Shizuoka Prefectural Tourism Affiliation
Anyone who loves Japan will know Mount Fuji, a symbol of the land of the rising sun. With a height of 3776 meters above sea level, Mount Fuji is the second highest mountain in Asia and the seventh highest in the world. Notably, in 2013, UNESCO listed Mount Fuji as one of the World Heritage Sites, further enhancing its status.
Not only a cultural symbol, Mount Fuji is also a favorite destination for domestic and foreign tourists because this mountain is only about 100km from Tokyo city, about 1 hour by shinkansen bullet train or 2 hours and 15 minutes by JR bus. Therefore, this place is always an ideal place for tourists when visiting Tokyo or Kanto area, Japan.
Of course, climbing is the best choice to enjoy the beauty of Mount Fuji. However, the area around this mountain also has many other activities for visitors to explore. Let’s join JNTO to learn about interesting experiences around the Mount Fuji area!
1. Climb Mount Fuji
The climbing season for Mount Fuji typically runs from early July to mid-September, depending on the weather. During other months, Mount Fuji is closed due to bad weather conditions that can be dangerous for climbers.
Mount Fuji has a total of four climbing routes: Yoshida, Subashiri, Gotemba, and Fujinomiya, each with 10 stations. The Yoshida route is the most popular because it is easy to access and has many stations with amenities such as paid rest rooms, food, water, climbing gear, and oxygen tanks. The Yoshida route is open from around July 1 to September 10, while the other three routes will be open from around July 10 to September 10.
The length of the climb will vary depending on the route, but on average you will need 1-2 days to complete the journey (both up and down). Most climbers recommend only climbing to Station 7 or 8 and sleeping there on the first day before continuing the climb the next day. This will give your body time to adjust to the altitude and air density at high altitude.
In addition, you should also exercise your body, especially your legs, before climbing. Thermal clothing, climbing shoes, food, water (at least 2 liters), and cash are indispensable items in your luggage. In addition, you can also bring a raincoat, a headlamp, and a trekking pole to support the journey easier.
Although it was mentioned above that each climbing route has 10 stations, you don’t need to climb all 10 stations! There are now train/bus services that take you directly to the 5th station, which shortens the distance considerably. The most famous is definitely the Fuji Subaru 5th Station of the Yoshida Trail. Climbers can buy additional essentials, such as trekking poles, snacks, oxygen tanks, etc. here before starting their journey. There is also a parking lot, lockers, restaurants, and other shops.
Even if you don’t plan on climbing any further, Fuji Subaru Station is a must-see when visiting Mt. Fuji. Located at 2,300 meters above sea level, Fuji Subaru Station offers panoramic views of the Five Lakes surrounding Mt. Fuji.
Although many climbers now start their climb from the 5th station, many still stop by Fujiyoshida Sengen Shrine at the foot of the northern side of Mount Fuji to pray for a safe journey. This shrine is dedicated to Princess Konohanasakuya, also known as Asama no Okami. This shrine was once the starting point for those who wanted to conquer Mount Fuji in the past.
2. Visit the Five Lakes (Yamanashi Prefecture)
Fuji Five Lakes is the name given to five famous lakes at the foot of Mount Fuji. These five lakes include: Lake Kawaguchi, Lake Yamanaka, Lake Sai, Lake Motosu, and Lake Shoji. All five lakes were formed by the active volcano of Mount Fuji. The Fuji-Hakone-Izu Five Lakes are part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.
Each lake has a close view of Mount Fuji, so you can enjoy the beautiful scenery while experiencing other activities such as hiking, camping, fishing, etc. Around the lakes, there are also museums and hot spring resorts for you to relax and learn more about the Five Lakes as well as Mount Fuji. In particular, each season here has special events, such as the cherry blossom festival in spring, the gentle up red leaves festival in autumn, or the fireworks festival in summer.
Of the five lakes, Lake Kawaguchi and Lake Yamanaka are the most prominent. Lake Kawaguchi is the most popular tourist destination as it is an ideal resting place after climbing and descending Mount Fuji. It is also a popular place for fishing enthusiasts.
When you reach Lake Kawaguchi, you can head to the east side to visit the sightseeing spots and hot spring resorts, which offer great views of Mt. Fuji. If you want to see both Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi, you can take the Kachikachi Ropeway. This 400-meter-long ropeway takes you to the observation deck at an altitude of 1,075 meters. On clear days, you can even see the Southern Alps.
Lake Yamanaka is the largest and highest of the five lakes. It used to be the most popular tourist destination with attractions such as the Oshino Hakkai ancient village and the Kawaguchiko music forest museum before giving up the top spot to Lake Kawaguchi.
3. Visit Chureito Pagoda and Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine (Yamanashi Prefecture)
When it comes to Mount Fuji, everyone will surely remember the typical photo of this mountain with a pagoda. That is the Chureito 5-storied pagoda. Located at 397 steps, the pagoda is part of the Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine in Arakurayama Sengen Park on the slopes of Mount Arakura (Fujiyoshida City). The image of the 5-storied pagoda surrounded by hundreds of cherry blossom trees and Mount Fuji in the distance is one of the famous landscapes for tourists visiting Japan.
Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine is one of the oldest shrines in Japan, with a history of over 1,300 years. The shrine was built in 705 by Emperor Suinin as a place to pray for Mount Fuji not to erupt. It is also the main shrine to Princess Konohanasakuya, also known as Asama no Okami. Locals often come here to pray for peace and family harmony.
Today, with its direct view of Mount Fuji, the shrine has become a popular destination for those who love Mount Fuji. The best time to visit is in April, when the more than 500 cherry trees surrounding the shrine are in full bloom, or in November, when the maple leaves turn red. You can also stay a little longer at the shrine to enjoy the view of Fujiyoshida City sparkling with lights in the evening.
4. Visit Oshino Hakkai ancient village (Yamanashi Prefecture)
From Lake Kawaguchi to Lake Yamanaka, you will come across the peaceful ancient village of Oshino Hakkai. This used to be another lake in the Five Lakes area, but over time, the water level gradually decreased, people gradually moved here and formed this village.
The word “Hakkai” means “eight seas,” referring to the eight lakes in the village: Deguchi, Okama, Sokonashi, Choshi, Waku, Nigori, Kagami, and Shobu. The lakes here are all formed from underground water when the snow melts on Mt. Fuji, so they are very pure.
Therefore, the local people highly value the water of this lake. Tourists coming to the ancient village will have to go through a ritual of washing their hands with the lake water to purify themselves. After washing your hands, you can continue to soak your hands in the adjacent water tank designed in the shape of Mount Fuji for about 1 minute to feel the cool, fresh water.
Oshino Hakkai Village is quite easy on visitors; you can enter anytime and there is no entrance fee. The first thing you will feel when entering the village is the peaceful atmosphere among the houses built with typical Japanese architecture.
Dotted throughout the village are beautiful bridges that allow visitors to easily enjoy the panoramic view of the village and the clear emerald green of the ponds here. Some of the ponds are filled with koi fish swimming inside. With the peaceful scenery, fresh air, and pure water, it is not difficult to understand why Oshino Hakkai was recognized as a Natural Monument in 1934.
5. Stroll around Yamanakako Hananomiyako Flower Park (Yamanashi Prefecture)
Next to Lake Yamanako is another destination that is just as beautiful as the ancient village of Oshino Hakkai, the Yamanakako Hananomiyako Flower Park. This park is located on a plateau at an altitude of over 1000 meters, providing a cool and fresh climate.
Yamanakako Hananomiyako Park is best known for its sea of flowers that change with the seasons. With an area of about 300,000 square meters, there are millions of different types of flowers here. Because of its large size, visitors often rent bicycles to see the park more easily. When you get tired, you can soak your feet in the hot springs in the park while admiring the flowers and Mount Fuji in the distance.
In spring, there will be about 150,000 colorful tulips blooming. A little later, from April to May, this place is filled with the fragrance and color of thousands of shibazakura flowers and other flowers such as anemones, grape hyacinths, mountain azaleas, primroses, etc. That is why the Fuji Shibazakura Flower Festival will take place at that time, visitors coming here can admire the bright pink carpet of flowers stretching at the foot of Mount Fuji.
Then, when summer comes (around late May – early June), Yamanakako Hananomiyako Park will be immersed in the cool blue of nemophila flowers. And sunflowers will fill the park with bright yellow in August. When autumn comes, in addition to red maple leaves and yellow ginkgos, you will also be able to see autumn flowers such as zinnias, cosmos,…
In addition, from December 1 to January 15, visitors to Yamanakako Hananomiyako Park will be able to admire the rare natural phenomenon of “Diamond Fuji”. The reason for this name is because on these days, there will be times when the sun touches the top of the mountain, creating a dazzling diamond-like scene. This phenomenon usually only appears for a short period of time after sunset, from 15:20 to 15:40.
6. Visit a local tea plantation (Shizuoka Prefecture)
If you are a nature lover and especially love Japanese tea, do not miss the green tea hills in Shizuoka Prefecture. Located about 30km from Mount Fuji, Shizuoka Prefecture is home to the most tea plantations in Japan and is famous for its green tea hills with Mount Fuji in the background.
The two most famous tea plantations in Shizuoka are Imamiya and Obuchi Sasaba. Both are surrounded by quiet forests, so you can comfortably view and take pictures of Mt. Fuji without having to worry about obstacles such as power lines. That is why many tourists and photographers often come here to capture beautiful pictures of Mt. Fuji, so if you want to avoid the crowds, wake up early to take pictures from these tea plantations.
For the best photos, you should come here in May. At that time, there is still snow on the top of Mount Fuji, and the farms have not yet harvested, so the tea hills are still green. In addition, there will be the Obuchi Sasaba Tea Festival, where local middle and high school girls dress up as tea-picking village girls in traditional costumes.
7. Experience Fuji-Q Highland Amusement Park (Yamanashi Prefecture)
If you like thrill rides, you definitely shouldn’t miss Fuji-Q Highland, located right at the foot of Mount Fuji! The amusement park is famous for its adventure rides like the Tekkotsubanchou swing tower or the giant Todenmina pendulum.
However, the most famous ones here are the four roller coasters. Among them, Fujiyama is considered the king of roller coasters because it is the tallest roller coaster in Fuji-Q Park (nearly 80 meters). Sitting on this roller coaster, you can completely see Mount Fuji when reaching the top. The other three are Dodonpa – the fastest accelerating roller coaster in the world (from 0 to 180 km/h in 1.56 seconds), Takabisha – the steepest roller coaster in the world (121 degree drop angle), and Eejanaika – a roller coaster with 360 degree rotating seats.
Besides the roller coaster, many people also love the haunted house “Haunted Hospital” here. True to its name, this haunted house is set in a hospital specializing in human experimentation, leading to zombies filling every corner of the house. Visitors will experience 50 minutes of excitement in this 900-meter-long haunted house.
Of course, Fuji-Q also has some family-friendly attractions. For example, the French Quarter, with its iconic carousel and miniature Eiffel Tower. Or if you want a better view of Mount Fuji, you can try the giant Ferris wheel. It lasts for 12 minutes and takes you 50 meters high. There are also many restaurants, hotels, spas, and souvenir shops on the Fuji-Q campus.
8. Visit Kawaguchiko music forest museum (Yamanashi Prefecture)
Right next to Lake Kawaguchi is the Kawaguchiko music forest museum (Orgel no Mori) with its old European architecture. This “forest” includes a small outdoor park and a museum of automated musical instruments.
Entering this museum, visitors will be overwhelmed by the magnificent interior. In the main hall are antique music boxes, automatic organs, and other musical instruments from Europe. Among them, there is a French organ manufactured in 1905 and known as one of the largest organs in the world. This organ takes up most of the space in the hall and will automatically play every 30 minutes.
There is also a Titanic organ and large music boxes. Visitors can also enjoy concerts in the live performance corridor in the main building. The orchestra often performs here on weekends and holidays.
If you want to see Mt. Fuji, head to the park outside! Along the park’s trails are restaurants, shops, and the main highlight is the rose garden, which has about 3,500 roses from 720 different species. The rose garden usually blooms in June, creating a magnificent view of Mt. Fuji in the distance.
9. Shopping at Gotemba Premium Retailers (Shizuoka Prefecture)
When you come to the Mount Fuji area, in addition to outdoor activities such as visiting temples, ancient villages, visiting flower parks, museums, you can also enjoy shopping here. Gotemba Premium Retailers Shopping Center will definitely satisfy all your shopping passions!
Premium Retailers is a branded department store with branches in many countries, and Gotemba is one of nine branches in Japan, with a total of about 210 stores nationwide. Like all the other branches, the Gotemba branch is filled with high-end brands for clothing, accessories, and shoes such as Gucci, Burberry, and Balenciaga.
However, if you are worried about prices, Gotemba also has many other mid-range stores. Not to mention, foreign visitors also receive special discount coupons. It is also suitable for family vacations because there are many restaurants, children’s play areas, public hot springs, souvenir and household goods shops.
It may sound like a crowded shopping mall, but the Gotemba branch is actually very spacious and comfortable, with an area of nearly 400,000 square meters. Not to mention, it is designed like a “forest town” in North America, creating a unique feature rarely seen in Japan.
The mall is closed only one day, the third Thursday of February. It is also open on public holidays, but the hours may vary slightly, so please check the Gotemba branch website in advance.
10. Enjoy local cuisine
It would be a shame to go to Mount Fuji without trying the local food! First, let’s go to Yamanashi Prefecture, which is famous for two noodle dishes: Hoto udon and Yoshida udon. Both of these dishes look quite similar to udon, but they are made in completely different ways.
Hoto noodles are made from wheat flour, so locals often consider this dish more like a type of dumpling. Hoto noodles do not need to be boiled first, but are cooked with seasonal vegetables such as pumpkin, potatoes, mushrooms, etc. in miso soup.
Yoshida udon is indeed udon but the noodles are firmer and chewier than the regular kind. This type of udon is usually served with a miso and soy sauce broth and various toppings. Yoshida niku udon is served with horse meat, tanuki udon is served with grated radish and fried dough, and nabeyaki udon is served with vegetable soup. There is also another type of udon called yumori udon that customers can season themselves.
Yamanashi Prefecture also has another famous sweet called shingen mochi. Shingen mochi is a type of mochi that is quite familiar to Japanese people, often eaten with kinako (soybean flour) and kuromitsu (brown sugar). And Yamanashi Prefecture is the birthplace of this dish, so people often say that if you want to eat the original shingen mochi, you have to go to Yamanashi. In addition, mizu shingen mochi (water drop-shaped mochi) is also very famous here. People believe that the fresh water from Mount Fuji also makes this mochi more delicious than usual.
Shizuoka Prefecture is also not far behind with Fujinomiya yakisoba. Everyone knows that yakisoba is a famous street food with fried noodles and other ingredients. However, unlike regular yakisoba, which steams and boils the noodles before stir-frying, people in Fujinomiya only steam and then coat the noodles with oil. This method makes the noodles here much chewier and firmer than regular yakisoba.
Conclusion
Mount Fuji is a truly fascinating place to visit with so many exciting activities to do! Whether you enjoy extreme sports, thrilling games, or just want to admire the beautiful natural scenery and visit sacred temples, you will love Mount Fuji. Let’s prepare for a trip to explore this beautiful mountain with JNTO!