Mount Fuji: Japan’s Iconic Landmark
Mount Fuji is perhaps Japan’s most famous landmark. It’s one of the most iconic mountains in the world and the tallest mountain in the country. It has been a sacred symbol since ancient times, with many shrines and temples around the region. We visited in early June which happens to be the worst visibility for Mount Fuji, but we tried our luck and took a day trip to to explore as much as we could.
There were four of us, so we wanted to make the trip as convenient as possible. Coming from Tochigi prefecture, four round-trip Shinkansen tickets would be necessary to get there on time, which is pricey. Instead, we chose to drive even though tolls are expensive, it’s much cheaper. We chose to rent a car through TOYOTA Rent a Car. All you need is an international driver’s permit and some very basic Japanese. We left early because we knew there would be bad traffic going through Tokyo.
Chureito Pagoda
Our first stop was Chureito Pagoda. This is the most popular shrine near Mount Fuji for a reason. There is a view of the pagoda over the valley that perfectly frames the mountain. If you google “beautiful Japan” the pagoda comes up many times.
We were told the pagoda was built relatively recently in the 60’s, however, the shrine itself is at least 1300 years old. The shrine is halfway up the path, and this is the only place where worship and fortunes are held. There was a sitting area with some food across from the temple, but we didn’t stop there.
To get to the shrine you can arrive by train at Shimoyoshida Station and walk 20 minutes to the top. Keep in mind that it is on a very steep hill. There is a staircase directly up or a winding access road for accessibility, but either way, it is quite a walk. If you drive, there is a free parking lot halfway up which cuts down on hiking.
The temple is quite small, with a few small shrine buildings and the famous pagoda. However, it truly is a stunning view. Especially with cherry blossoms and fall foliage, this is one of the most incredible views in the world, but even with low visibility summer conditions, we didn’t regret our visit.
Shoya Yamanakako Village
This eatery is across the street from the beautiful lake of Yamanaka and has a great view of Fuji in the distance. They are famous for their authentic hoto which is a miso-based noodle soup. They have half and whole portion sizes.
I ordered a pork kimchi hoto and tempura, and everyone else decided to get something unique. The noodles were so tender and cooked to perfection! We all ordered whole which was way more than we needed. The interior was very pleasant as well, and the staff treated us well, so we recommend this restaurant.
Something to note is that this far from Tokyo, essentially nobody speaks any English. Thankfully Kati was there to translate for us, but if you don’t have access to someone who speaks Japanese, our tip is to look up and translate menus ahead of time. Research the type of food you want, and even better, find a photo to show the server. This can really help smooth out the process of ordering food with a language barrier.
Lake Yamanaka
There are four lakes at the foot of Mount Fuji, three on the north side and Lake Yamanaka on the east. Visibility was very low from the north, so we went east for a better view. We stopped at Yamanakako Communication Plaza, a large multi-sport complex on the opposite side of the lake with a perfect view of the mountain.
Even though it was low visibility, Fuji made an appearance just long enough for us to get some nice photos. We highly recommend visiting the lake if you have time, it was a serene place to experience.
There isn’t a great way to get on the other side of the lake without a car, so be prepared to catch a ride or drive. There are plenty of spots along the lake to see Mount Fuji though. Also, the drive itself is so beautiful through the trees, it gives summer camp vibes. We even saw a rowing team out on the lake.
Mount Fuji COuntryside
There are many fields surrounding Mount Fuji. We drove around and looked on google maps to find one that we thought would be pretty. We weren’t going to disclose the location because it was not a public park, although we were only a few feet off the road. Just know that there are likely to be flower and rice fields around the mountain to take lovely photos with.
Infamous Lawson
If you’ve seen anything about Fuji on Tik-Tok or blogs, you’ve seen this Lawson. To be honest, I understand the appeal. However, you need to know that the road tourists were taking pictures on is busy and right next to the train station. Because of the traffic congestion, the local government installed a fence to prevent taking pictures from across the road. Japan has been sensitive to tourists causing issues since the borders opened after Covid. As always, we recommend being respectful, unintrusive, and kind tourist.
Sushiro
On the drive back to Moka we decided to stop in Hachioji which is in greater Tokyo. We went to one of the famous conveyor belt sushi brands Sushiro. You have to go to the kiosk and receive a number. Don’t stray too far from the restaurant because if your number is called and you’re not present you go to the back of the queue.
When you are seated at your table you can take the tablet and place your order. I enjoy Sushiro but I prefer the chain Hama Sushi as there are more non-raw fish options. Michael loves raw fish so it wasn’t a problem for him.
At this point, we were home and only had one day before we left Japan. But we decided to explore our local area around Moka before we left. The rest of the blog will go over the things we saw in Moka.
Komeda Coffee
Komeda Coffee is a restaurant chain all around Japan. They are famous for their breakfast especially their toast set and Shiro-Noir (a Danish pastry topped with soft-serve ice cream). We ordered a bun, toast, and Shiro-Nior.
The bun was really delicious and soft and the jam wasn’t too runny. The shiro-nior was soft, airy, and lightly flaky. Usually, that style of pastry doesn’t appeal to me but I was quite surprised. I enjoyed it but maybe it was the ice cream that drew me in!
Igashira Park
Since we had some time remaining in Moka, we all decided to visit Igashira Park since we had never been before. Luckily, we were able to see the end of the rose season. There were so many species that I hadn’t heard of.
The park is huge, and we couldn’t possibly explore it all in a few hours. There are botanical gardens, swimming pools, an aquatic center, endless bike paths, and more. It would take several hours to walk the whole park so it’s best to drive or bike. You could easily spend hours enjoying the nature of the park.
Osaki Ebisu Shrine
This is the biggest shrine in Moka. Ebisu is a Japanese god of fortune and the god of fishing, and Osaki Ebisu Shrine has the largest Ebisu statue in all of Japan. The Ebisu statue is pretty intriguing, but at this point, we’ve seen so many massive statues everything blends together.
Although it’s in a much smaller town than everywhere else we’ve visited in Tochigi, we were surprised at how nice the shrine was. It sits along the riverside and is quite large. There’s something nice and quaint about visiting the smaller shrines in Japan, and we usually find people to be very welcoming.
When we visited there was some sort of flea market set up. In Japan, people take very good care of their goods, and things are made to last, so instead of being tacky, we found a lot of very nice secondhand furniture, toys, paintings, and stoneware.
Final Thoughts
We had an amazing time visiting Mount Fuji, despite the low visibility. If you have a few extra days in Japan, I think Fuji should be a day trip worth considering. The beauty of the surroundings, the majesty of the looming mountain, and the quaint shrines are a stark difference between the bustle of Tokyo.
