Easy Travel in Japan
Short on time around Mount Fuji? Here are ten places and experiences first-time visitors and repeat travelers both keep coming back to — a quick list to work from if you’d rather not plan every hour of your trip.
1A five-story pagoda built in 1963 within Arakurayama Sengen Park, reached by climbing 398 steps past a shrine. The view from the top — the red pagoda framed directly against Mount Fuji — is one of Japan's most photographed, especially with cherry blossoms in spring.
2The most accessible and developed of the Fuji Five Lakes, and the region's sightseeing hub, with the best Fuji views and reflections from its northern shore on calm mornings. A direct train from Tokyo makes it the natural first stop.
3A village built around eight spring-fed ponds formed by Fuji's snowmelt filtering through volcanic rock over roughly 20 years. Waku-ike, the most photographed of the eight, is clear enough to see straight to the bottom.
4The deepest of the Fuji Five Lakes, best known for the view of Fuji once printed on Japan's old 1,000-yen note. The quietest and least developed of the five, with stiller water and cleaner reflections than busier Kawaguchiko.
5Climbs Mount Tenjo in about three minutes for an elevated view over Lake Kawaguchiko and Mount Fuji, no hiking required. An easy 10 to 15 minute walk from Kawaguchiko Station to the base station.
6A dense forest grown directly on hardened lava from a 9th-century eruption, with marked boardwalk trails and nearby ice caves that stay near freezing year-round. A striking, walkable example of a forest reclaiming a lava field.
7The traditional starting point of the north-side climbing route, where pilgrims have performed rituals before setting out since the Edo period. A forested approach lined with centuries-old cedar trees leads to the shrine buildings.
8A major amusement park at the mountain's base, known for record-setting roller coasters like Eejanaika. Mount Fuji is visible from several rides on clear days, an unusual backdrop for a theme park.
9Yamanashi's signature dish, thick hand-cut noodles simmered directly in a miso broth with seasonal vegetables like pumpkin. Traditionally linked to the 16th-century warlord Takeda Shingen.
10A Fujiyoshida specialty, notably firmer and chewier than standard udon, served in a soy-miso broth topped with boiled cabbage and meat. Small, family-run shops around Fujiyoshida Station serve it cheaply and without ceremony.
A castle town on the Sea of Japan coast with claims to being 'Kyoto without the crowds' — one of Japan's three great gardens, a preserved geisha district, and a ninja-tricked temple that isn't actually about ninjas.
A castle town at the foot of the Japan Alps, home to one of the country's few original wooden castle keeps and a natural gateway to the mountain scenery of Kamikochi. A friendly starting point for planning a visit.
A beautifully preserved Edo-period mountain town in the Hida region, sometimes nicknamed "Little Kyoto" — the old town, historic government office, riverside markets, festival culture, and regional cooking that make Takayama worth more than a passing stop on the way to Shirakawa-go.
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