It was almost Golden Week. I had made a Fuji-related trip around the same time in the past two years, so I thought might as well make it a tradition. Also same as before I based my trip on a section of the Tokai Nature Trail, this time on the section near Yamanakako.
Yamanakako is the largest of the Fuji Five Lakes, but it is quite a bit less developed and visited compared to its next smaller sibling, Kawaguchiko. Presumbly that’s due to relatively poorer public transport links, as it’s only served by a few express buses per day from Tokyo, while there are a dozen going to Kawaguchiko and it is also accessible by train. All the better. I always prefer places with fewer tourists.
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- 6:30 am bus from Tokyo station.
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- The imposing Mount Fuji up close (well, closer than when seen from Tokyo anyway!)
Yamanakako (山中湖)
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- Nice walkway around the lake
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- Swan eggs
Flower City Park (花の都公園)
Our visit in end of April was too early, not much flower there at all. But in another month or so, the fields in the park should be full of flowers, making a beautiful scene with Mount Fuji in the background.
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- Walking to the Flower City Park (花の都公園).
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- Snack bought from the park’s food stall.
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- Fried bread with curry filling
Asai-ke (浅池)
We then began our walk to the next destination, Oshino-Hakkai. “Hakkai” literally means “eight seas”, which is actually referring to the eight fresh water springs clustered in that area. The water from these springs come from Mount Fuji and is famously clear, filtered for a long distance through the porous lava rocks.
On our way we came across Asa-ike (浅池), which is also a Fuji spring pool, though it isn’t one of the eight “seas”.
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- Following the Tokai Nature Trail to Oshino-Hakkai.
Oshino-Hakkai (忍野八海)
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- Waki-ike (湧池). The most famous of the eight. Shame there’s a restaurant built right next to it!
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- Sapphire blue water on the deep end. It leads to an underwater cave, which was found to go on for over 50 metres.
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- This large pool is man-made, but it has the same clear water, fish and aquatic plants.
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- An 8-metre deep pool. The only path there forces you to go through a sovernier shop – dubious!
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- Nigori-ike (濁池)
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- Kama-ike (釜池). Leads to an underwater cave, and fish coming out of it!
Fuji Spring Water Aquarium (富士湧水の里水族館)
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- 20 minutes walk from Oshino-Hakkai to the aquarium. Really nice view in the beginning, but later had to follow a narrow road with lots of traffic – not so enjoyable.
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- See through the pond outside the aquarium building
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- You can stand on the other side of this fish tank.
We left by the loop bus around 4 pm which took us all the way back to Yamanakako, where we started in the morning. After an early dinner at a family restaurant (we didn’t have any proper lunch!), we caught the return express bus back to Tokyo.
