Lake Kawaguchiko and Mount Fuji
This is from Tokyo, precisely from Shinjuku station that my journey to Mount Fuji begins. This is only at the end of my trip to Japan that I could go to Fuji San. Indeed, I was arriving to the wrong moment in which the weather were particularly capricious (end of August), it was quite difficult to forecast over few days in the area of Mount Fuji. So, when I arrived in Japan, it was impossible to go because of the weather that was so terrible so I could go to Mount Fuji at the end of my trip nearly mid-September.
This is also from the Shinjuku station that I get on the train in direction of Mount Fuji. Throughout the journey, this is a verdant nature that unveiled gradually under my eyes and overlooked the valley that we were crossing to get to the Otsuki station, an intermediate station from which we had to change train to reach to the Kawaguchiko station. More our arrival was near, and more the sky darkened, and so it was impossible to have a little preview of Mount Fuji. But, finally, 10 minutes later the capricious volcano unveiled when we came out from the train.
Kawaguchi
Kawaguchi is a little mountain village where is the starting point for the ascension of Mount Fuji. The aim of my stay in Kawaguchi was taking pictures of the Mount Fuji from the lake Kawaguchiko and for that, I found the right place. So, I booked a hostel called Dot Hostel & Bar not far from the Oishi park from where I photographed the Mount Fuji.
The Oishi park
The Oishi park is so cute. This is a small park where we walk quickly around with a view over the Mount Fuji that is a pure beauty. It is worth to stop there. The main road borders the Oishi Park and parking is available near to the park. There are several restaurants and cafés not far. Nevertheless, this is a quiet and lovely place if you are looking for calm. Restaurants and cafés close at around 6.30pm.
The Lake Kawaguchiko bike’s tour
Lake Kawaguchiko is a mountain lake around which a bike trip is the thing to do and in some places we can rent bikes. In the Hostel Dot & Bar, they provide rental bikes for the day in the price of 1’000 Yen. We came out in the morning from the Hostel, but the weather was so bad, it was cloudy and it was raining except that the sky was clear and it was getting more and more bright throughout the day. We decided to do a bike trip around the lake in order to admire the landscape around that one. As the day goes by, the sky finally cleared up and once arrived to the Oishi park, we had in front of us the Mount Fuji discovered with few clouds whirled around it.
It was a very good idea to do this bike trip around the lake Kawaguchiko because we can take the time to discover 2-3 parks around. I highly recommend to rent a bike and to do this little tour. This is also possibly to do the tour of the other lakes ( Lake Sai and Lake Motosu) in order to have different lookout over the Mount Fuji.
My stay at Lake Kawaguchiko and Mount Fuji
I spent 1 day and 2 nights that I highly recommend because this is not a place where to stay longer unless being a mountain lover and making an ascent. Because, this is a quiet place where Japanese people come to relax and be far from Tokyo and they are right because this is the right place for sure.
Dot Hostel & Bar is a hostel that is only 5 minutes from the Oishi Park. Around this hostel, there are few restaurants that close at 8pm knowing that the other ones are closing earlier. Otherwise, on the main road, there is a little supermarket.
Personally, I loved that place and after staying in Tokyo for few days, it was the place where I needed to. This is a little peace of heaven I would say. Nevertheless, I could not stay longer except if I decided to climb the Mount Fuji.
I went there in mid-September and having discussed with Japanese people, I went in the wrong season because this is the intermediate one (between summer to autumn) and the forecast are not quite good around Fuji San. The weather is passably instable in that area and that is for this reason, they told me to come back in another time of the year in order to have a better weather. I will do it in a next trip in Japan.
I highly recommend to do this trip to the Lake Kawaguchiko and Mount Fuji even if you do not climb as I did because the landscape is so beautiful and deserve to be seen. This is also a quiet place that is a good idea for a break away from cities.
