Japan with Cleo #9/10 (Part 3) - Fuji Five Lakes, revisited: Chureito & Kawaguchiko
(This post is Part 9.3 of 10 on Japan with Cleo, 28 April - 14 May 2017.)
So, I'm back to trying to complete the Japan trip with Cleo Makoto, way back in May 2017. Am terribly behind...it's already February 2018 and 2 of my other girls, Peko-chan and Velouria, have since gone travelling with me...which I've yet to post about. (⌒∇⌒)ゞ
Our second full day at the Fuji Five Lakes region was a cold and rather dreary one. We'd slated to go up to the Chureito Pagoda, but it was cloudy, so we didn't see the iconic view. Had a rather leisurely day where we spun around Kawaguchiko and had a nice tea had the cheesecake shop.
Have often wondered why the staples of a traditional Japanese breakfast are a bowl of rice or rice porridge, a dashi or miso soup, and a grilled fish dish. But I guess that's rather like wondering why the staples of a traditional English breakfast has eggs, bacon and toast. Sometimes it tickles my mind to see how food itself can tell of a people's history and culture.
Every ryokan breakfast I've had in my life so far always has tofu in some form or other. So here we had a nice earthern pot of simmered silken tofu, shimeiji mushrooms, Japanese leeks, carrots and mizuna. Okay. The bacon and sunny-side egg might just be the chef's nod to their increasingly foreign customer base. Hmmm.... Darn, I'd have the onsen tamago over this any day.
Finished up with black coffee and a cold dish of fresh seasonal fruit, yoghurt and berry sauce. And so fuelled up, we hit town.
So it was a cloudy day, and Fuji-san was completely hidden from view. We went anyway, despite knowing that the clouds wouldn't clear.
Arriving there, I was surprised to see a properly constructed viewing platform and fencing at the area overlooking Chureito Pagoda and Fuji-san. Those weren't here when I was last here.... It would seem that since our Dec 2013 trip here (posted here), there have been much changes.
Yeah so, can't see Fuji-san. But well, back in Dec 2013, I did manage to see this iconic view (posted here), so I haven't really anything to gripe about. But looking at the place again, I was assailed with mixed memories of that trip. We had not known then that we could drive up, so we climbed the stairs. And while we tried our hardest to enjoy the experience, Travel Companion #4 had thrown such a tantrum that it had spoilt everyone's mood. This time, Hubby and I were back with DT, our best friend. I'm fairly sure that even if we had climbed up those stairs, DT would be pissed off and still be adult about it....
There was also a properly fenced walking trail up towards another platform, complete with a pavilion, all nicely maintained. Amazing what UNESCO World Heritage can do sometimes.
I walked around that trail which led to another slightly higher viewing spot, from which I could see the view of Fujiyoshida town. There were clumps of spring flowers too, like azalea shrubs with their brightly coloured blossoms, and clumps of woodland flowers.
It was still very quiet, as hardly anyone was around. Most of the tourists I encountered earlier stuck to the main deck with the view of the pagoda and Fuji-san, and nobody ventured out to this spot. The area felt a little eerie actually, without anyone else around...
Took a spin down to Kawaguchiko. I'm not really used to seeing the lake look so bleak and grey... Pity because the view of Fuji-san from the northern shore is great.
At DT's suggestion, we had stopped at the Kawaguchiko Cheesecake Garden to have cheesecake!
Was totally bedazzled with the few lilac bunches near the gate. They smelled wonderful!
So apparently Kawaguchiko Cheesecake Garden is famed for its powdered snow mini fromage cheesecake. DT commented that it was featured in some TV show or something.
Hubby picked the chocolate one and DT picked the coffee one. Mine was different I think, the tag said cream fromage. But basically all 3 were rare (i.e. unbaked) cheesecake of rich cream cheese and a crisp biscuit base. We thought the cheesecake was all right and fairly tasty. But I wouldn't really say it's out of this world, or the best rare cheesecake I'd ever had.
Okay, the free coffee was crap. But well, it was filtered black coffee, so what can one expect right?
There were no seats indoors, so we had to content ourselves with sitting outdoors in the damp cold. DT and Hubs are made of warmer stuff, so they didn't seem to mind so much... It's really one of those times when I wished so hard for a nice piping hot tea or a warm cup of GOOD coffee to go with the chilled cheesecake.
After our cheesecake break, we made a run into a convenience store in Fujiyoshida town. So while the boys stocked up on snacks though, I made a run across the road to a group of flowering cherry trees next to an apartment complex.
Just as I was shooting the flowers, elementary school children started passing through, on their way home from school. They were so polite, bowing and greeting me with shy and softly spoken "こんにちわ". Then running off and giggling to each other. Over what, who knows. Maybe wondering why there was a strange foreign lady was so fascinated with the cherry trees.
I find this aspect of Japanese society amazing actually. That elementary school kids (heck, kids in kindergarten!) go to/from school by themselves, walking on the roads, taking public transport. One of the reasons is that Japan's low crime rate. And yet, I'm sure this isn't the only reason. Singapore has a low crime rate too and yet we don't see kindergarten or elementary school age children run errands, walk home or take public transport on their own. Hell, my own parents gave me s**t for that one time I secretly took the public bus home from school when I was 12.... So, I think it's definitely more to do with that culture of community in Japanese society that enables young children take this step of independence at such a young age.
So, it was Hubby's idea that we stay the last night at Kaneyamaen Bessho Sasa so DT could enjoy the East-and-West concept of the room.
Dinner was another spring-themed menu with specialties from the region.
The zensai was an assortment: broad beans; boiled Japanese butterbur scape; sweet shrimp (amaebi) with caviar and Chinese yam (naga-imo) with sudachi on a chicory leaf, cheese made from black beer; flatfish (hirame) with marinated konbu; Japanese style grilled barracuda; boiled fava beans; and chimaki, a steamed glutinous rice dumpling wrapped with bamboo leaf.
The soup was a clear dashi broth with bamboo shoot (takenoko) and wakame seaweed, garnished with kinome (キノーム), commonly used in late spring or early summer.
Our simmered dish had yam shaped to look like a bamboo shoot, and daikon radish in the shape of an ogi made to look like the Japanese flag. Really pretty.
We were served a chilled palate cleanser - a sakura-flavoured collagen tofu with aloe vera on top. The sakura flavour was really mild, more of a fragrance, rather than an actual taste....
The main dish was a Koshu beef steak, sirloin-cut with white asparagus and zucchini, ponzu sauce and grated daikon, garnished with micro-tomatoes and a sprig of ice plant.
Our rice was accompanied with handmade salmon furikake. So, our menu said that the rice was 'Noto Tanadamai' koshihikari from the Noto region in the Ishikawa prefecture.
And then dessert was a small slice of Shizuoka Crown melon, and melon jelly topped with a fresh cherry.
We were done with dinner and slowly made out way to the 8:30pm taiko performance at the hotel lobby.
It was a really interesting and lively performance.
Had another round of late-night snacking and finished up the castella cake we bought in Tokyo.
Our last morning at Bessho Sasa was a fine and sunny one, and we had a wonderful view of Fuji-san!
So, I'm back to trying to complete the Japan trip with Cleo Makoto, way back in May 2017. Am terribly behind...it's already February 2018 and 2 of my other girls, Peko-chan and Velouria, have since gone travelling with me...which I've yet to post about. (⌒∇⌒)ゞ
 |
| Cleo at Kawaguchiko, Fuji Five Lakes (on IG) |
Our second full day at the Fuji Five Lakes region was a cold and rather dreary one. We'd slated to go up to the Chureito Pagoda, but it was cloudy, so we didn't see the iconic view. Had a rather leisurely day where we spun around Kawaguchiko and had a nice tea had the cheesecake shop.
Breakfast, Yumedono Onsenji
 |
| Breakfast at Onsenji Yumedono |
Have often wondered why the staples of a traditional Japanese breakfast are a bowl of rice or rice porridge, a dashi or miso soup, and a grilled fish dish. But I guess that's rather like wondering why the staples of a traditional English breakfast has eggs, bacon and toast. Sometimes it tickles my mind to see how food itself can tell of a people's history and culture.
Every ryokan breakfast I've had in my life so far always has tofu in some form or other. So here we had a nice earthern pot of simmered silken tofu, shimeiji mushrooms, Japanese leeks, carrots and mizuna. Okay. The bacon and sunny-side egg might just be the chef's nod to their increasingly foreign customer base. Hmmm.... Darn, I'd have the onsen tamago over this any day.
 |
| Breakfast at Onsenji Yumedono |
Finished up with black coffee and a cold dish of fresh seasonal fruit, yoghurt and berry sauce. And so fuelled up, we hit town.
Chureito Pagoda
 |
| Cleo at the Chureito Pagoda, with a view of Fujiyoshida-shi, Fuji Five Lakes (on IG) |
So it was a cloudy day, and Fuji-san was completely hidden from view. We went anyway, despite knowing that the clouds wouldn't clear.
 |
| Chureito Pagoda, Fuji Five Lakes |
Arriving there, I was surprised to see a properly constructed viewing platform and fencing at the area overlooking Chureito Pagoda and Fuji-san. Those weren't here when I was last here.... It would seem that since our Dec 2013 trip here (posted here), there have been much changes.
 |
| Chureito Pagoda, Fuji Five Lakes |
Yeah so, can't see Fuji-san. But well, back in Dec 2013, I did manage to see this iconic view (posted here), so I haven't really anything to gripe about. But looking at the place again, I was assailed with mixed memories of that trip. We had not known then that we could drive up, so we climbed the stairs. And while we tried our hardest to enjoy the experience, Travel Companion #4 had thrown such a tantrum that it had spoilt everyone's mood. This time, Hubby and I were back with DT, our best friend. I'm fairly sure that even if we had climbed up those stairs, DT would be pissed off and still be adult about it....
There was also a properly fenced walking trail up towards another platform, complete with a pavilion, all nicely maintained. Amazing what UNESCO World Heritage can do sometimes.
 |
| Near Chureito Pagoda, Fuji Five Lakes |
I walked around that trail which led to another slightly higher viewing spot, from which I could see the view of Fujiyoshida town. There were clumps of spring flowers too, like azalea shrubs with their brightly coloured blossoms, and clumps of woodland flowers.
 |
| View of Fujiyoshida and Mt Fuji (which is shrouded in cloud) |
It was still very quiet, as hardly anyone was around. Most of the tourists I encountered earlier stuck to the main deck with the view of the pagoda and Fuji-san, and nobody ventured out to this spot. The area felt a little eerie actually, without anyone else around...
Kawaguchiko
 |
| Kawaguchiko, Fuji Five Lakes |
Took a spin down to Kawaguchiko. I'm not really used to seeing the lake look so bleak and grey... Pity because the view of Fuji-san from the northern shore is great.
At DT's suggestion, we had stopped at the Kawaguchiko Cheesecake Garden to have cheesecake!
 |
| Lilac shrubs in bloom outside the Kawaguchiko Cheesecake Garden, Fuji Five Lakes |
Was totally bedazzled with the few lilac bunches near the gate. They smelled wonderful!
 |
| Cheesecake cream fromage, Kawaguchiko Cheesecake Garden, Fuji Five Lakes |
 |
| The famous mini fromage |
Hubby picked the chocolate one and DT picked the coffee one. Mine was different I think, the tag said cream fromage. But basically all 3 were rare (i.e. unbaked) cheesecake of rich cream cheese and a crisp biscuit base. We thought the cheesecake was all right and fairly tasty. But I wouldn't really say it's out of this world, or the best rare cheesecake I'd ever had.
Okay, the free coffee was crap. But well, it was filtered black coffee, so what can one expect right?
There were no seats indoors, so we had to content ourselves with sitting outdoors in the damp cold. DT and Hubs are made of warmer stuff, so they didn't seem to mind so much... It's really one of those times when I wished so hard for a nice piping hot tea or a warm cup of GOOD coffee to go with the chilled cheesecake.
After our cheesecake break, we made a run into a convenience store in Fujiyoshida town. So while the boys stocked up on snacks though, I made a run across the road to a group of flowering cherry trees next to an apartment complex.
 |
| Late-blooming yaezakura in Fujiyoshida-shi, Fuji Five Lakes |
Just as I was shooting the flowers, elementary school children started passing through, on their way home from school. They were so polite, bowing and greeting me with shy and softly spoken "こんにちわ". Then running off and giggling to each other. Over what, who knows. Maybe wondering why there was a strange foreign lady was so fascinated with the cherry trees.
 |
| Elementary school kid heading home, Fujiyoshida, Fuji Five Lakes |
I find this aspect of Japanese society amazing actually. That elementary school kids (heck, kids in kindergarten!) go to/from school by themselves, walking on the roads, taking public transport. One of the reasons is that Japan's low crime rate. And yet, I'm sure this isn't the only reason. Singapore has a low crime rate too and yet we don't see kindergarten or elementary school age children run errands, walk home or take public transport on their own. Hell, my own parents gave me s**t for that one time I secretly took the public bus home from school when I was 12.... So, I think it's definitely more to do with that culture of community in Japanese society that enables young children take this step of independence at such a young age.
Bessho Sasa
 |
| Bessho Sasa, Fuji Five Lakes |
So, it was Hubby's idea that we stay the last night at Kaneyamaen Bessho Sasa so DT could enjoy the East-and-West concept of the room.
Dinner was another spring-themed menu with specialties from the region.
 |
| Seasonal appetisers |
The zensai was an assortment: broad beans; boiled Japanese butterbur scape; sweet shrimp (amaebi) with caviar and Chinese yam (naga-imo) with sudachi on a chicory leaf, cheese made from black beer; flatfish (hirame) with marinated konbu; Japanese style grilled barracuda; boiled fava beans; and chimaki, a steamed glutinous rice dumpling wrapped with bamboo leaf.
 |
| Bamboo shoot and seaweed in Japanese broth |
The soup was a clear dashi broth with bamboo shoot (takenoko) and wakame seaweed, garnished with kinome (キノーム), commonly used in late spring or early summer.
 |
| Seasonal sashimi: abalone, madai (seabream), and chutoro |
 |
| Simmered spring vegetables with crab sauce |
Our simmered dish had yam shaped to look like a bamboo shoot, and daikon radish in the shape of an ogi made to look like the Japanese flag. Really pretty.
 |
| Palate cleanser |
We were served a chilled palate cleanser - a sakura-flavoured collagen tofu with aloe vera on top. The sakura flavour was really mild, more of a fragrance, rather than an actual taste....
 |
| Grilled dish: Koshu beef, with rice and pickles |
The main dish was a Koshu beef steak, sirloin-cut with white asparagus and zucchini, ponzu sauce and grated daikon, garnished with micro-tomatoes and a sprig of ice plant.
Our rice was accompanied with handmade salmon furikake. So, our menu said that the rice was 'Noto Tanadamai' koshihikari from the Noto region in the Ishikawa prefecture.
 |
| Seasonal fruit for dessert |
And then dessert was a small slice of Shizuoka Crown melon, and melon jelly topped with a fresh cherry.
We were done with dinner and slowly made out way to the 8:30pm taiko performance at the hotel lobby.
 |
| After-dinner taiko performance at the hotel lobby (video on IG) |
It was a really interesting and lively performance.
 |
| Sake and snacks |
 |
| Tea and castella cake |
Had another round of late-night snacking and finished up the castella cake we bought in Tokyo.
Our last morning at Bessho Sasa was a fine and sunny one, and we had a wonderful view of Fuji-san!
 |
| One last soak in the onsen, on the last morning, Fuji Five Lakes |
 |
| Last glimpse of Mt Fuji, Fuji Five Lakes |
*******
Japan with Cleo (28 April - 14 May 2017)
- I. Tokyo - Asakusa • Seiko Museum • Ginza • Akihabara & Nakano • Tsukiji Market • Enoshima • Shinkawa, Tsukuda & Tsukishima • Sushi Nakamura • La Paix • Nishiazabu Taku • Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu • 3-gatsu no Lion
- II. Aomori & Hirosaki - Auga Market • Aomori Gyosai Centre • Hirosaki Castle Park • Hirosaki Sakura Matsuri 2017 • Flying Witch
- III. Hakodate - Hakodate Asaichi • Goryokaku Park
- IV. Fuji Five Lakes - Lake Motosu • Subaru 5th Station & Shibazakura • Chureito & Kawaguchiko
- V. Osaka - Kuromon Market • Dotonbori • Harukas 300 • Food Basement Galore!
- VI. Kobe - nackymade • Steak Land Kobe
*******
Japan with Cleo (28 April - 14 May 2017)
- I. Tokyo - Asakusa • Seiko Museum • Ginza • Akihabara & Nakano • Tsukiji Market • Enoshima • Shinkawa, Tsukuda & Tsukishima • Sushi Nakamura • La Paix • Nishiazabu Taku • Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu • 3-gatsu no Lion
- II. Aomori & Hirosaki - Auga Market • Aomori Gyosai Centre • Hirosaki Castle Park • Hirosaki Sakura Matsuri 2017 • Flying Witch
- III. Hakodate - Hakodate Asaichi • Goryokaku Park
- IV. Fuji Five Lakes - Lake Motosu • Subaru 5th Station & Shibazakura • Chureito & Kawaguchiko
- V. Osaka - Kuromon Market • Dotonbori • Harukas 300 • Food Basement Galore!
- VI. Kobe - nackymade • Steak Land Kobe
*******
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