Our day trip to Mount Fuji started with an early morning at Shinjuku Station where we looked around for the coach terminal and found it quite efficiently. It seemed as though we were getting pretty good at this Japan thing after surviving two weeks in the country. We bought our tickets, found the bus and settled in for a pleasant trip out of Tokyo and through the countryside. It was getting exciting when I started to see some snow-covered mountains in the distance. As our coach ride – the first leg of our journey – came to an end and we approached Fujikawaguchiko, we passed right alongside Fuji-Q Highland. This amusement park hosts the 79m tall Fujiyama roller coaster, which impresses from a distance and up close.
On the Icy Road of Fuji 5th Station
Fujikawaguchiko is a small lakeside town neighbouring Fuji-san. We arrived at its railway station and sought advice from the tourist office on getting to Fuji’s Kawaguchiko 5th Station, approximately 2300m high. A bus was departing from the station so we bought our tickets and hopped on when it arrived. The roads towards 5th Station were long and straight in parts and, as the climb became steeper, included many sharp turns. We also began to see snow and ice on the edges of the road. There were not many climbers around as it wasn’t climbing season, but there were still a number of tourists there looking around, at all that could be seen at least. The fog was very thick when we first arrived and visibility was limited to about 20 meters. Of course this allowed for a cool video of me disappearing into the fog. After visiting Komitake Shrine, which lies just beyond the shops and restaurants of 5th Station, and observing the trees by the lookout quickly fade into the fog, we went into a restaurant within the Gogoen Rest House for some lunch. The ordering process was a memorable experience. Instead of being served by a waiter or placing our order at a counter, we used a vending machine to select and pay for our meals. The beef bowl wasn’t quite as appetising as those from Sukiya, but were satisfying enough for a lunch at 2305m above sea level. Before getting the bus back to the railway station we checked out a souvenir shop. There was of course a lot of Mount Fuji-related merchandise, but the more interesting items included some Sake brewed in the area, and, to Alice’s delight, some tasty chocolate and vanilla biscuits. On our descent the fog began to clear and we experienced some views of the Fuji Five Lakes area and also got some glimpses of the black and white slopes of the mountain up close. While waiting for our coach home we ventured through the suburban area towards the outer edges of the town, heading for Lake Kawaguchi. Our route took us through the narrow pathways that separated residents’ yards, which were mostly used for growing vegetables. There were no large fences segregating the neighbours, and I found it hard to imagine one would ever see Today Tonight-style conflicts between them – the town seemed very peaceful.
Exploring Lake Kawaguchi
Once we reached the lakeside, we walked about the nearby shops. As well as the interesting “Asian Restaurant”, we found a cake shop. It seemed like a great opportunity to enjoy some cheesecake by the lake. The lake area was serene, with orange and green tree-covered mountains surrounding it, and although there were a few bugs hanging around the water’s edge, they weren’t really interested in the cheesecake. After the enjoying our cheesecake, we headed back to railway station and hopped on a bus back to Tokyo. Alice slept and I played Peggle on her iPhone. Coming back into Tokyo I noticed how good the highway network there is, with the bus maintaining high speeds throughout the dense city as it drove along the raised roads. When we arrived back in Shinjuku we went to a bar for a drink and some dinner fit for mountain climbers. But in reality, it was a typical Japanese rice dish…and in reality, we didn’t do much mountain climbing, that was up to the bus. The cool part was that we could order it from a touch screen right at our table. In any case it was good to soak up bar’s atmosphere and enjoy some beer in amongst the Tokyo nightlife. It was quite a change of pace from our day of scenic mountains and sweets by the lakeside, and the fact that we could enjoy all of this within a few hours is a tribute to the incredible geographic diversity of Japan’s largest city and the surrounding prefectures.
