Fuji Five Lakes

Fuji Five Lakes is the collective name for five volcanic lakes (Kawaguchiko, Yamanakako, Saiko, Shojiko, Motosuko) formed by past eruptions of Mt Fuji. They are situated to north-east of the mountain and give name to the whole area, which is part of Yamanashi prefecture.

The 5 lakes offer great outdoor opportunities, hot springs and, of course, splendid views of Mt Fuji if the weather permits. It’s a popular weekend spot for Tokyo area dwellers.

I visited the 5 lakes as part of a road trip in and around Yamanashi prefecture, coming from Kofu and staying overnight on the shores of Lake Shojiko. The skies were cloudy, making the mountain not visible most of the time, but I still got to see Fuji in the evening, from my hotel room and outdoor bath.

The area is best explored by car, since of all 5 lakes only Kawaguchiko has decent public transit access.

My first stop was lake Saiko.

From Saiko I headed to Kawaguchiko, drove along the north shore and stopped in the parking area close to Kawaguchiko ropeway. Knowing that Fuji won’t be visible from the top, I didn’t go up (in nice weather though it’s very much worth the ride). I just strolled along the lake shore.

Then it was already late afternoon and I decided to go to Shojiko, my stop for the night. When I was getting closer the clouds around Mt Fuji cleared a bit, and I started stopping for photos.

My hotel room and the outdoor bath offered nice views too. In terms of weather it surely wasn’t the best day for seeing the area, but I was happy with my visit.

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