Mount Fuji
Mount Fuji is west of Tokyo. We took a tour van from Shinjuku to various points of interest around Mount Fuji. The driver gave us no information about the places we were going, so we were going into each one blind. The highway rest stop was the first point of interest. There was a mazda miata club taking a break at this stop.
Miatas at the highway rest stop near Mt Fuji
Incredible NB Miata
ND Miata
Lake Yamanaka
First stop on the Fuji tour was the lake Yamanaka. We stopped at a boat storage facility in the northwest corner of Lake Yamanaka. There were a surprising number of swans and carp.
Swan Stop
Carp
Swan and Mt Fuji
Carp
Swan and Mt Fuji
Hungry Carp
Oshino Hakkai
When we arrive here, it is not clear why we are here. Again, the driver did not explain. I see that strawberries are a theme here. I buy a frozen strawberry confection. We sit down, eat the shaved ice, and try to figure out why we are here. Walking around, it appears that there are pools of spring water. This place is an old town built on a Mt Fuji mountain spring.
Albino fish in Mt Fuji spring water
Stream of clear spring water
Clear spring water
Small fish in a pool of spring water
Spring water pool
Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine
The next stop on our tour was this pagoda. We learn that there is a railway to take you up to the top. We chose to take the trail. It is extremely steep and long, but provides great views of Mt Fuji. The cherry blossoms here were not yet in bloom. The ones in Tokyo were blooming, so the increased elevation seems to have slowed the arrival of the sakura blossoms.
Mt Fuji
Chureito Pagoda
Mt Fuji viewed from Chureito Pagoda
Mt Fuji through a torii
Mt Fuji
