Elizabeth's Japanese Autumn #4/4 (Part 3) - Fuji Five Lakes

Mt Fuji, Lake Motosu

Even after two restful nights (Parts 1 and 2), we were reluctant to leave the place. (Most especially because our 2nd night was interrupted by a 'Client From Hell' incident, one who has been dogging us from the Yokohama leg of our trip.)

Anyway, let's focus on the pleasant things and not dwell on nasty idiots. So, our final morning at Bessho Sasa was rewarded with a clear view of Mt Fuji.

Mt Fuji, view from our room at Bessho Sasa

Mt Fuji, view from our room at Bessho Sasa

After our morning onsen soak, we made our way down to breakfast. At a different dining hall this time, and quite a spread too!

Breakfast at Bessho Sasa

Breakfast at Bessho Sasa

Traditional Japanese style breakfast this time - with plain porridge and an assortment of side dishes... grilled freshwater fish, simmered fish, simmered yam and konnyaku, burdock root, miso soup, handmade tofu (shaped like Mt Fuji!), handmade kamaboko (which always makes me think of Azuma's Ja-pan #22 in Yakitate!! Ja-pan), and various condiments and tsukemono. We also got egg and ham.

Mt Fuji, view from Fujisansaku Park

First Mt Fuji stop for the day was nearby Fujisankaku Park (富士散策公園), a park we spotted on our way out the day before.

Mt Fuji, view from Fujisansaku Park

Mt Fuji, view from Fujisansaku Park

Mt Fuji, view from Fujisansaku Park

The clear view of his summit also sealed our decision to pop by Lake Motosu again. (His summit was shrouded the entire time we were at Lake Motosu the day before, which gave me the chance of taking a timelapse video of the scudding clouds.)

Mt Fuji, Lake Motosu

The westernmost and 3rd largest of the Five Fuji Lakes, Lake Motosu (本栖湖, Motosuko) is Japan's 9th deepest lake. Motosu also doesn't freeze in winter because it doesn't fall below 4^oC. Apparently, Lake Motosu, Lake Shoji and Lake Sai were originally one single lake but were separated by lava flow as a result of an eruption of Mt Fuji. (Said to be sometime during 864-868AD.)

Mt Fuji, Lake Motosu - the ¥1,000 view

Lake Motosu is also famous because the view is depicted on the reverse of the current ¥1,000 note (the 5th series). That, and on a clear windless day, when the waters of the lake are still, Mt Fuji is reflected on the lake's surface. Unfortunately, no such luck for us today - it wasn't just windy, it was cold.

Mt Fuji, view from Lake Motosu

Making another timelapse video at Lake Motosu

Lake Motosu is definitely one of my favourite spots from which to view Mt Fuji.

Mt Fuji from Lake Shoji

Next we headed for Lake Shoji (精進湖; Shojiko), the smallest of the Five Fuji Lakes, located between Lake Motosu (see above) and Lake Sai (see below). (And yes, along the way, we do pass by the fringes of the notorious Aokigahara Jukai - I don't think I need to talk about that when others have done it better. The forest is said to be naturally eerie - it is, I can feel it even as we drive past.)

Mt Fuji from Lake Shoji

Lake Shoji is quite undeveloped compared to Lake Kawaguchi and Lake Yamanaka. But it's still a great spot for camping, fishing, and boating. While I was setting Elizabeth up for a photo shoot, there were some grizzly old Japanese men rigging up their fishing poles and giving me weird looks. They must be thinking, "What is that weird girl doing? Is that a doll? Youngsters these days." And yes, Elizabeth did fall on her face a few times.

Mt Fuji from Lake Shoji

Along the way to Lake Sai, the road passed through another viewpoint of Lake Shoji. Not so great because Mt Fuji was blocked by a tree-covered ridge, but it was still quite an awesome view.

Next stop - Lake Sai (西湖; Saiko), the 4th largest and 2nd deepest of the Fuji Five Lakes. The best viewpoint of Mt Fuji is its western tip. On Lake Sai's west side also lies the notorious Aokigahara Jukai - there's really no escaping that forest here in the Fuji Five Lakes region.

Mt Fuji from Lake Sai

Mt Fuji, view from Lake Sai

Mt Fuji and Lake Sai

After Lake Sai, we drove to Lake Kawaguchi (河口湖; Kawaguchiko), the most developed of the Fuji Five Lakes. We've been many times - in winter of 2012, with Caramelaw in winter of 2013, in the autumn of 2015, but we just never get tired of it.

Mt Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi, view from the momiji tunnel

Mt Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi, view from the momiji tunnel

Mt Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi, view from the momiji tunnel

So anyway, Lake Kawaguchi is the 2nd largest of the Fuji Five Lakes, and has a few great viewing points of Mt Fuji around it. (The largest is Lake Yamanaka (山中湖; Yamanakako), the easternmost of the Fuji Five Lakes - we visited in autumn 2015, but not this trip.)

Mt Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi, view from Oishi Koen

Mt Fuji, view from Oishi Koen

Mt Fuji and the eastern shore of Lake Kawaguchi

Mt Fuji, view from Fujikawaguchiko-machi

Before heading back to Tokyo, we went to have dinner at Kosaku again. Yeah, again. Can't help it, we just love their houtou noodles.

Houtou noodles, Kosaku

So as mentioned, houtou (ほうとう) is a Yamanashi regional specialty - the thick and broad udon noodles prepared in the style of dumplings. Several theories about the origins of houtou exist. One popular belief is that houtou was invented and/or consumed by Takeda Shingen (武田 信玄; 1521-1573), the daimyo famed for his battles with Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu in the Sengoku period. This theory, I think, is probably invented by the tourism industry.

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More on Elizabeth's Japanese Autumn 2016

- I. Yokohama & the Miho Museum - 

Chinatown (Heichinrou, Yokohama Mazu Temple) ● Yamashita Park ● Zou-no-Hana ● Osanbashi Pier ● Yokohama Red Brick Warehouses ● Miho Museum

- II. Kyoto -

Tofukuji ● Kiyomizudera ● Sohonzan Komyoji ● Eikando Zenrinji ● Manshuin Monzeki ● Iwakura Jissoin Monzeki ● Nanzenji, Nanzenin & Tenjuan ● Kitano Tenmangu ● Shugakuin Imperial Villa ● Sento Imperial Palace ● Kyoto Imperial Palace

- III. Tokyo -

Tokyo University ● Rikugien ● Tokyo Imperial Palace & the East Gardens ● Kotonoha no Niwa trip to at Shinjuku Gyoen ● Italian at Salvatore Cuomo Bros., XEX Tokyo ● Sushi Masuda ● Nishiazabu Taku (aka Sushi Taku) ● Sushi Nakamura (1st taste of Juyondai) ● Sushi Tokami (1st taste of tossaki) ● molecular gastronomy at Tapas Molecular Bar ● French-Japanese at La Paix, Nihonbashi

- IV: Fuji Five Lakes -

Part 1 (Bessho Sasa, revisited) ● Part 2 (Fuji Subaru 5th Station, Motosuko & Koyodai) ● Part 3 (Fujisansaku Park, Motosuko, Shojiko, Saiko, Kawaguchiko)

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