Spectacular Mount Fuji: A Japan Photo/Art Blog
Tokyo is nuts—in the best and worst ways. A concrete jungle of skyscrapers, motion, and people moving like they’re being chased by a swarm of invisible bees. After a few days of that, I needed a break. Some Frisch Luft (as we’d say in German… which, shockingly, is not a helpful language in Japan).
So my son and I escaped the chaos and pointed ourselves toward Mount Fuji for a day of fresh air, big views, and—because it’s me—at least one moment of unnecessary panic.
Getting out of Tokyo (and into the maze)
We headed to Shinjuku Station, which is less of a train station and more of a living organism made of hallways, staircases, and crowds. Eventually, we found the right train and made our way to the Fuji area.
I can’t claim I ever “properly” knew the station name while we were doing this, but here’s the functional version: get off at Shimoyoshida Station, cross the tracks, and head north toward the hilltop Shinto shrine and the Chureito Pagoda viewpoint.
(Chureito Pagoda with Mt. Fuji in the distance)
Purchase this original painting or fine art prints online:
The climb to Chureito Pagoda (worth it… even in August)
This hilltop view of Mt. Fuji is infamous for a reason. It’s iconic, it’s dramatic, and yes—it’s totally worth the climb… even in the August heat, when your shirt becomes a second, wetter shirt.
On the way up, I found “nature” immediately: a praying mantis eating a locust. Nothing says peaceful scenic hike like witnessing a tiny green dinosaur committing a crime.
At the top: Chureito Pagoda with Mt. Fuji in the distance. We got lucky—Fuji was barely covered by clouds. The weather cooperated (for once). I’m almost positive this is going to turn into a painting, and honestly, I was ready to start it the second we got back.
(View of Mt. Fuji from north-end of Lake Kawaguchi )
Tip: We rode counter-clockwise around the lake so we’d be on the left side of the road (closest to the water), since Japan drives on the left. Also: rental bikes are the worst. They will get you from point A to point B, but don’t expect comfort, speed, or an abundance of gears. The good news is the terrain is mostly flat. The bad news is your rear end will still file a formal complaint.
The pier photo stop… and the “Where’s your camera bag?” moment
We made a required photo stop for a classic shot: a boat pier extending into Lake Kawaguchiko, with Mt. Fuji looming in the background. Also, we needed to let our rear ends recover (partially) from those medieval bike seats.
At the pier, I discovered a water pump—fresh, cold water. A miracle. I set my camera bag down to refill my bottle.
We biked another 15 minutes when Rocco yelled behind me:
“Dad, where is your camera bag?”
…You know that feeling when your brain leaves your body and you become instantly, aggressively alive?
Holy sh*t. I had left my camera bag back at the pier.
When you have $10k worth of camera gear sitting alone on the ground, your body immediately forgets the heat. Suddenly I was Lance Armstrong in his prime. I flew back in about ten minutes.
Luckily, the pier wasn’t a busy tourist stop. My bag was still sitting there, exactly where I left it—like a loyal dog waiting for its idiot owner to return. I don’t think I’ve ever done that before. Let’s keep it that way.
Lunch break + Fuji Omuro Sengen Shrine Satomiya
We stopped for lunch around Nagahama on the west side of the lake, enjoying the sweet embrace of air conditioning. Then we pushed on to Fuji Omuro Sengen Shrine Satomiya, a beautiful Shinto shrine on the south end of the lake—right around the point where we started dragging a bit.
On the way, we spotted a terrifying-looking spider: Ashidakagumo (the Huntsman spider). They’re super fast, I could barely grab a decent photo with my phone, and they look like they pay rent and have opinions. Harmless to humans, supposedly common in Japan, and apparently they like running around inside houses.
I love spiders—truly. But I do not want that guy doing nightly laps in my living room.
(Scenery on south side of lake)
Back toward town… and a weirdly intense “call 911” situation
As we headed back toward the town of Fujikawaguchiko, we rode past the Fuji Lake Hotel, where there’s a public bathroom.
That’s where we saw a man laying on the ground in a position that didn’t look optional. Glasses (broken) on the ground. Something was clearly wrong.
I had no idea how to call 911 in Japan, so I told Rocco to stay put while I ran to the hotel and used Google Translate to communicate that someone needed medical attention.
An ambulance arrived quickly. I assumed heat stroke. I’m not a doctor.
Plot twist: the Chinese tourist was drunk. Like really drunk. Heat + alcohol is not a winning combo. He had passed out, faceplanted, and the paramedics confirmed he’d be okay. They thanked us, and we continued on—shaken but grateful he was alive.
The finale: a curb, a crash, and a $30 flat tire
Literally two minutes later, I tried to avoid a branch sticking out into the road, got a little discombobulated, clipped a curb, and crashed.
Flat tire: twenty seconds later. Cost me $30.
Oh well—we were only about half a mile from the rental place. We walked the rest of the way, returned the bikes, and rewarded ourselves with a delicious dinner and a well-deserved beer near the station.
The restaurant had one lady working, and bless her heart—she did everything. Hardest working woman in Japan.
Also: I only had one beer. I did not attempt to compete with the earlier champion.
Then it was back on the train to Tokyo. I feel bad for whoever sat near us. We could not have smelled good.
Final thoughts
What a day. Pagodas, Fuji views, lake rides, wildlife, near-disaster camera amnesia, an ambulance, and a bike crash—basically the full travel bingo card.
I’ll never forget this one.
References:
Hotel
Highland Resort Hotel and Spa– with amazing aerial views of Mt. Fuji
Fuji View Hotel– on shore of Lake Kawaguchi w/ spectacular views of lake and mountain
Shiki No Yado Mt Fuji– three star hotel on banks of lake
La Vista Fuji Kawaguchiko– amazing views of both lake and mountain
Coffee
Unfortunately, most bakeries and coffee shops in don’t open until 7:30 a.m. For photographers chasing summer sunrises, that means being up hours before your first shot of caffeine—an impossible situation. I was convinced I’d die of coffee deprivation before then. My advice: stock up the day before on supermarket iced coffees and drink just enough to survive until the cafés open (a strategy I tested and can confirm works).
My son and I arrived in mid-morning so we did not have to deal with this problem.
Tours
Find things to do in – day trips (museums and public transport), and more:
https://expedia.com/affiliates/expedia-home.h5p5bhV
Travel Guides
Here is the recently published Lonely Planet Guide. This is what I used to plan the trip (in conjunction with the all-beloved internet):
Lonely Planet Japan Travel Guide
Another travel guide available for :
Flights:
My son and I took the train from Tokyo
Trains:
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Ryan Fox AWS, NWS, TWSA
Ryan Fox Painting
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