Fuji Five Lakes
Fuji Five lakes area or Fujigoko is becoming more popular as a destination for tourists and I wonder why it has taken so long! The area boasts an amazing view of Mount Fuji which rises majestically, as a solitary peak, dominating the landscape. Pictures really don’t do it justice.
Fuji Five lakes literally refers to the area of the five lakes that sit at the base of Fujisan – Kawaguchiko, Saiko, Yamanakako, Shojiko and Motosuko. This area is known for its hiking, fishing, camping, hotsprings, museums and snow sports.
The most accessible and most popular is Lake Kawaguchiko, the other lakes are less developed and a little more remote, best seen by car. Lake Kawaguchiko can be accessed from Tokyo as a day trip, however, it is worth staying for a couple of nights to really take in all the area has to offer (and in case Fuji is hiding behind clouds on the day you arrive).
The best time for viewing Mount Fuji is in winter when skies are crystal clear, although this time it’s also really cold and might even snow! We went in late Jan/early Feb.
If you are wanting to see Mount Fuji then this is the place to visit. If you are planning to climb Fuji, this is also a great starting spot. Although please be aware of hiking open and closed seasons and restrictions on climbing which needs to be well planned and registered in advance. You cannot just turn up and decide to hike Fujisan. You might like to combine a visit to with Hakone, see our separate post about Hakone.
Things to do
There are so many things to do and see in the Fuji five lakes area that you will need at least a couple of days to really explore. Many visitors miss the true beauty of this area and we’d encourage you to make the effort to get off the beaten track and explore Fujigoko.
Rope way to view Mount Fuji
The Panoramic Ropeway is on Lake Kawaguchiko and gives an amazing view of Mount Fuji but also of the lake.
We found a cute little cheesecake shop at the base of the ropeway and bought cheesecake to enjoy at the top.
We were so glad that we did, it was a long wait in the queue to go up on the cable car and even longer wait to go down, so we decided to walk down instead and it was a spectacular walk. At the top there is a small shop, some vending machines, lots of viewing spots and a swing for photos of Fuji in the background (but again a long line…).
Cycling around Lake Kawaguchiko
Lake Kawaguchiko can also be cycled around. There are a couple of different cycle hire shops, particularly in town. It can be absolutely freezing cycling in winter so be prepared! We hired some rickety bikes from a cute little cafe at the Kawaguchiko Craft Shop and so of course had to stop for a hot chocolate afterwards to defrost.
Famous viewing spots
There are a number of Instagram popular places to get a snap of Mount Fuji such as Chureito Pagoda and Honcho Street but we decided not to visit any of them. Why? Because we couldn’t be bothered fighting the crowds for a picture and we know that some of the spots, particularly the photo in the main street, causes a lot of frustration for locals when tourists stand in the middle of the road for ‘that’ picture.
FujiQ Highland
I’d love to tell you all about FujiQ, famous for it’s record breaking rides and so much cheaper than the other famous theme parks in Japan but as you can see… the day we went it was completely covered in snow, there was no view of Mount Fuji and many of the rides were closed. One disadvantage of going in winter! You can do day tours from Tokyo to FujiQ, just look on all the usual tour company sites.
Iyashi no Sato
Iyashi no Sato is a traditional thatched roof village. It is a reconstruction as the village was sadly destroyed by a mudslide during a typhoon in 1966. It is now an open air museum with craft shops and restaurants.
One house is dedicated to explaining the effects of the mudslide and the efforts in the area to prevent a tragedy like this occurring again.
While you are here there are a number of craft shops, art galleries with local artists, restaurants and a silk scarf shop all made locally with local silk (I couldn’t resist!). We’d suggest at least a couple of hours to explore the charming village.
You can also meet Hoppy who is a Harris’ Hawk.
Ice cave and Wind cave
The caves are lava tubes that were formed after Mount Nagao erupted in 864. They are easier to access if you have a car as they are near the less populated Lake Saiko. Otherwise, the green bus comes past the caves and Iyashi no Sato, so you could easily visit both in one day.
The Bat cave was closed on the day we went (closed December to March) but we visited the Ice and Wind caves (open all year round). You can walk from one of these to the other, either by a forest walk or on the road.
The Wind Cave
Both caves can be walked without a guide at your leisure and take about 20 minutes each to explore, they can be slippery so good walking shoes are recommended.
The Wind Cave has some sections of low ceiling where you will need to squat while holding onto the rail.
The wind cave was used as a storage cave and between 1955 and 1965 stored seeds from across Japan for cedar, cypress, oak and pine trees, keeping them fresh and increasing the likelihood of germination, they were then shipped around the country enabling afforestation and timber production. Likewise silk production could be increased by staggering the development stages of silk worms. Which is why this area is known for its silk.
The walk between the two caves was flat and easy but very bizarre, the ground was like molten rock.
The trees were incredible but it felt other worldly. I would not advise walking off the path as there were chasms in the ground off to the right and the left that looked like yawning caves luring unaware visitors down to their icy depths…
Ice Cave
The ice cave stays below freezing even in winter. The Japanese discovered by storing ice in the cave in winter the cave became a communal freezer keeping goods cold even in summer time. You can still see the giant blocks of ice.
Local Food and Souvenirs
We love trying the local food when we travel and for Fujigoko it is Houtou, the perfect winter food. Houtou is a hot broth with thick noodles, local seasonal vegetables and tofu. You will find this throughout the area. The one we had was at Iyashi no Sato with the perfect view of Fuji outside the window.
There are so many Mount Fuji shaped, flavoured and themed foods and drink across Japan but there is nothing more fitting than enjoying these foods while sitting at the base of Mount Fuji herself.
They were all delicious but my favourite has to be the crystal clear warabi mochi made with waters from Mount Fuji. Another local souvenir is locally made silk, which we found at Iyashi no Sato.
Where to stay
Most tourists will stay at the main lake, Kawaguchiko where there a lots of hotels and Airbnb options, just look for somewhere near a bus stop if you don’t have a car.
However, we took advantage of the car and stayed out at a camp ground on one of the further lakes Motosuko which was quiet and peaceful and gave the most a perfect view of Mount Fuji. In fact this view can be seen on the ¥1000 note.
The Kouan camp ground is camping site that is popular all year around. However, we went in winter and we weren’t so keen on tents on a sub zero night so we booked one of the cabins (we stayed in cabin Type C-1). The cabin was right on the water with a perfect view of Fujisan and the lake. In fact we could see Fuji from our beds.
The cabin is basic but had air conditioning and hot water which was very welcome when it got down to -6º overnight.
You will need to bring all your own food and cutlery and plates but just about everything you need can be purchased at the shop when you arrive and there is an outdoor BBQ which was perfect for cooking and for lighting fireworks (which you can also buy at the shop and yes it’s legal in Japan!).
Getting around
There are buses around the area but they are not frequent. To spend time here and really explore, a car will give greater flexibility and allow you to move away from the more crowded areas.
If you don’t have a car there are a few bus services that originate from Kawaguchiko and Fujisan stations. The Omni tourist buses are probably the easiest and different coloured buses travel to different lakes, the Red to Lake Kawaguchiko, Green to Lake Saiko, Wind cave and Iyashi no Sato and Blue to Shojiko and Motosuko.
Our itinerary:
- Day 1 Hire car from Tokyo and drive to Panoramic Ropeway on Lake Kawaguchiko then to the Kouan Campground, buying supplies from the shop on arrival, noodles and hot chocolate and local bread.
- Day 2 Drive to Iyashi no Sato to explore and have lunch and then to the ice and wind caves. Stop at a local supermarket and then drive back to the camp ground – dinner of home made kebabs on the fire and a few fireworks!
- Day 3 pack up and drive to Lake Kawaguchiko to ride around the lake and then drive to Odawara station to drop off the hire car and catch the shuttle to Hakone for our next adventure.
FujiQ Highland we visited three days later when friends could join us as a day trip tour from Tokyo and as you can see even just a few days later the weather can turn!
We loved exploring Fuji Five Lakes area and most of all enjoyed our campground and sleeping in the shadow of Mount Fuji. We hope you enjoy this absolutely stunning area of Japan.
More Information
Japan Guide Fuji 5 lakes
Fuji Five Lakes and Mount Fuji
Japan Guide getting to and around 5 lakes
Kouan camp ground
