- Spend at least 2 days driving on the loop around Mt. Fuji
- If you can rent a car, I highly recommend doing so
It dawned on me how incredibly beautiful Japan is in early December. It really made me want to visit the iconic Mount Fuji that much more. There is an option of taking a bus, which is what most tourists seem to be doing. I rented a car to spend adventure-packed 2 days around Mount Fuji. It is a 2-and-a-half-hour drive from Tokyo, mostly on the highway and I really recommend spending at least 2 days in the region. I arrived in the later afternoon on my first day and spent the night at the Select Inn in Numazu.
Mount Fuji Iconic Views
You can drive around Mount Fuji and I highly recommend visiting the Fuji Five Lakes. There are several viewpoint on the route.
There are 10 stations through which you can access trails to Mount Fuji – these are well marked while driving. I was really excited to hike Mount Fuji, but unfortunately in December, the access roads to the stations were closed and it was not possible to go. I still enjoyed the scenic drive.
When driving in the vicinity of the mountain, it is not easy to get good views because you are so close to the mountain. I bumped into a hidden parking lot to see if I can take some nice pictures. There, I met an aspiring young Japanese photographer, who I asked to help me take pictures.
It is easier to get pictures of Mount Fuji from further away, and I highly recommend doing so when arriving from Tokyo through the Gotemba region or on your round trip from the Lake Kawaguchi region.
Mount Fuji Iconic Views
You can drive around Mount Fuji and I highly recommend visiting the Fuji Five Lakes. There are several viewpoint on the route.
There are 10 stations through which you can access trails to Mount Fuji – these are well marked while driving. I was really excited to hike Mount Fuji, but unfortunately in December, the access roads to the stations were closed and it was not possible to go. I still enjoyed the scenic drive.
When driving in the vicinity of the mountain, it is not easy to get good views because you are so close to the mountain. I bumped into a hidden parking lot to see if I can take some nice pictures. There, I met an aspiring young Japanese photographer, who I asked to help me take pictures.
It is easier to get pictures of Mount Fuji from further away, and I highly recommend doing so when arriving from Tokyo through the Gotemba region or on your round trip from the Lake Kawaguchi region.
Shiraito Falls
Shiraito Falls are not far away from Lake Kawaguchi. I only saw waterfalls signs on my way while driving and decided to give it a look. Initially, you could see that the area sees a ton of tourists. There are mny huge parking lots for buses as you approach the waterfalls. In December, these parking lots were entirely empty. I parked in one of these parking lots and hopped on the path to the waterfalls. I was in for a surprise at how immense and gorgeous these waterfalls are. They are a very long horseshoe and you can take a trail all the way to the base of the waterfall. There was a gorgeous rainbow formed by the waterfall mist. If you are a nature lover, do not miss this place.
Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine
It does not get any more Japanese than Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine – red tori gates, cherry blossoms, Japanese shrine, and views of Mount Fuji, all in one spot.
When I arrived, it was extremely busy. There is a large paid parking lot, which was completely full. To reach the shrine one must go up quite a few stairs (or take a long winding path up the hill). The views from the top are gorgeous. I found it somewhat difficult to take pictures because there were so many people there, all seemed to be competing for a perfect Instagram picture.
