Tokyo Day 3: A Trip To Mt Fuji

Before I write about today, I’d like to give a bit of back story. I hope it’ll be informative, but mostly I just want to show off how clever I think I am. We originally booked a 1-day trip that included Mt. Fuji and Aokigahara Forest, as well as some of the lava caves dotted around the area. We found out later on that this tour would actually involve some real caving and climbing, which wasn’t actually made clear on the tour site. Luckily, Caz had been browsing reviews of the tour and managed to get this information in time for us to cancel and get a full refund.

As we both suffer from fatigue, this sort of tour would have been a Very Bad Idea. We also didn’t want to do anything with such a high liability – what if we were injured? It’s only our third full day in Japan! So anyway, we cancelled. That left today wide open, with only a month and a half to go until we flew out. Naturally, I was in a flap.

We decided to figure it out ourselves. Finding a coach from Tokyo to the Mt. Fuji area was the very easy part. I found one with KosokuBus that would depart from Shibuya at 8:30, and then booked a return coach for 19:00. It was a bit more work to sort out how to get to a good Fuji viewing site and Aokigahara, but using the Saiko Sightseeing Bus service (which had a really handy guide and timetable online) made that far easier. I also did a bit of looking around on Google Maps to find a decent viewing spot of Fuji from across Kawaguchiko Lake.

The original tour we’d booked cost £150 each, and doing it ourselves came to around £50. I’m not Pythagoras or anything but that appears to be a significant discount. Of course, by all means, if you find it easier to book a tour, do so! We just thought it was easier to go it alone, as we wanted to be able to go at our own pace and not be beholden to a group of people.

I was incredibly proud of myself for working out the finer details of today’s plan. In fact, I’m proud of all the work we did building and perfecting the itineraries for these two weeks.

I want to start the post (properly) by saying that the nightshirts our hotel provides are actually insanely comfortable. I had a decent sleep again, and we got up just as the sun began to rise.

We had to get to Shibuya to meet our bus, which meant catching the subway during commuting time. Being a veteran of the London Underground, I’m used to packed tubes, but this was completely different. The train cars were full, and yet everyone still maintained a space between each other. And it was so quiet. Nearly everyone was either reading the newspaper, napping or looking at their phones. The people who were talking did so in low voices – the politeness culture here really does extend everywhere. It was the most stress-free packed train ride I’d ever had.

Because we took the Yamanote Line, we only had to stay on one train, so the journey to Shibuya was easy. We wanted to pop to a konbini and buy something for breakfast on the go, so we set off from the station. I was more than a little surprised when we came face-to-face (quite literally) with a Moai head statue. Apparently the word Moyai is a word in the Niijima Village dialect, meaning ‘to work together’, so it made sense for the statue they donated to Tokyo to be of something with a similar-sounding name.

Seeing the Moyai statue reminded me that we were right around the corner from Hachikō Square, a famous meeting spot. Hachikō was an Akita dog who faithfully waited every day for his dead owner until his own death in 1935. His graves lies in Aoyama Cemetery, but in Shibuya is a memorial statue of him. We decided to go and see him while we were in the area.

Despite the early hour, the square was already crowded with people wanting to see the statue and have their picture taken with it. It took a little while for us to be able to see him clearly and snap a photo, but I was really happy to have seen it. I love dogs, and Hachikō’s story is such a sad, warm reminder of how good and loyal dogs are.

We eventually ambled to 7-11 and found some breakfast. I got little pink sakura pancakes, a red bean daifuku, and some milk. I had been interested in trying the popular red bean paste filling and wasn’t disappointed. It was an unusual flavour to me, but I really enjoyed it. I also love mochi-based snacks, so the daifuku went down a treat.

Finding the bus stop was slightly more complicated than I thought. We had to go to the 5^th floor of Shibuya Mark City, then back outside to a roundabout where the bus waiting room sat. I’m glad I asked the security guard where to go or we might have missed the bus! He was so helpful, actually walking me to where the waiting room was to make sure that I got to the correct place. I thanked him profusely in a mix of English and Japanese, and I think a bit of Swedish too. I collected Caz and we went and sat in the waiting room. It wasn’t massively long before our bus arrived and we were called to board.

The journey took around two and a half hours, and the majority of that was spent getting out of Tokyo. Seriously, the city is massive. It was fun to look out of the window at the skyscrapers devolving into residential buildings and smaller shops. I liked the ride because it allowed us to see more of the city than just the centre. For a lot of the journey, it was just us and a gaggle of Japanese teens who were excited about their trip, talking happily and making fun of each other. They still kept their chatter to a respectable volume and quite often shushed each other if they felt they were getting too loud. It honestly made a huge change from the teens on buses I’ve encountered at home. Of course, Caz and I became over-excited during the ride and started making stupid jokes that were only funny to us and getting into a total state.

Soon enough, the buildings fizzled out completely and we were on a freeway in the middle of fields, rivers and hills. In the distance we could see the misty shapes of the mountains, and it wasn’t long before we got our first glimpse of Mt. Fuji’s summit (causing a lot of excitement and photo-taking from everyone on board). It dipped in and out of sight as we rode through increasingly winding roads. We knew we’d hit the mountains proper when our ears started popping with gusto.

We knew it would be colder up in the mountains, but it was still a little shock to step off of the warm bus and into the mountain air. It was beautifully fresh and the sky was clear and blue. There were patches of snow on the wooden roof of Kawaguchiko Station. We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful winter’s day. It wasn’t difficult to find the booth to purchase a 2-day pass for all of the sightseeing buses. At 1500¥ it was the most cost-effective option, even though we were only visiting for the day.

First, we took the red line to Nagasaki Park, as the sightseeing map had told me that that was a good viewing spot for Fuji-san. The sightseeing buses are all retro and so cute – it was crowded but everyone had an air of excitement in their chatter. It was quite interesting to see Other Tourists, as even in some areas of Tokyo it’s pretty unusual. The drive around Lake Kawaguchiko was a pleasant one, and we were next to a window so we could have a good look at everything going by. Even though we were up in the mountains, there were still so many vending machines!

We got off at the park entrance and I was quite pleased that no one else did because there were only a few people milling around at the site. So we got a wonderfully quiet and uninterrupted view of Mt. Fuji. And what a view it was.

Here I am very helpfully pointing out the huge volcano, in case you missed it.

We were so lucky with the weather. Despite it being February, the day was bright and beautiful and we had a crystal-clear view of Fuji. It was breathtaking to see in person. This is always my favourite part about travelling (apart from the food, obv) – the moment when you see a famous place in person. Sure, you’ve seen photos and videos, thousands of them. But honestly, nothing ever prepares you for seeing it for real. And I knew Mt. Fuji was big. It’s a mountain for heaven’s sake. But I was still not ready for the sheer scale of it – it almost didn’t look real, my mind couldn’t comprehend what my eyes were seeing. The first thing I managed to say was: “He’s an absolute UNIT.” which Caz found hilarious.

It was awesome and humbling to stand there and look at Mt. Fuji and the surrounding landscape. The sun glittered in the blue water of the lake and we were both very quiet for a while. I felt like I wanted to cry – I’m sure I read that there was a name for feeling emotionally overwhelmed by seeing something of great natural beauty, but I can’t find it. Maybe I dreamed it. Anyway, I felt that. Words alone can’t sum up how lucky I feel to have seen what I saw today.

 

When we got back to Kawaguchiko Station, we decided to sit and have some lunch before we did anything else. I learned that onigiri is packaged in a certain way to keep the seaweed (nori) dry, and you must unwrap it properly to keep it intact. I just went tearing into the thing and ended up with a fragmented rice ball and falling-apart seaweed. Don’t get me wrong, it was still delicious. I tried really hard to open my second onigiri properly and still couldn’t get the hang of it, though this time it was a lot less messy. I will conquer the onigiri wrapping one day!

While we were in the station we had a little look at the gift shop, which was full of Fuji-themed goodies, food and drink, and handmade traditional Japanese items. It was all very pretty, but we decided we’d come back later when it was less busy (spoiler alert: it was never less busy).

We got on the green line bus, which would take us by Lake Saiko and on to the lava caves and Aokigahara Forest. Again, the scenery was just stunning. None of the pictures I took do it justice. There was so much to look at, both natural – Lake Saiko, the rolling hills covered in trees, Fuji peeking in and out of the landscape – and manmade – shrines, cemeteries, traditional old houses. There were also a few abandoned hotels that I would love to explore, but I’m a lot more interested in not being arrested.

We wanted to get off the bus at the Saiko Bat Cave, at the northeast edge of Aokigahara, but the driver informed me that that particular area was currently closed. I never did find out why, but consulted the sightseeing map again and decided to stop at the Fugaku Fuketsu Wind Cave instead. We must have been more elevated here, as there was more snow on the ground and the wind was chillier. There was a car park with a shop/café, and a path leading into Aokigahara Forest.

Along the path into the trees, we saw several large cracks in the earth. We were now on the foothills of Mt. Fuji. There are lots of lava and ice caves dotted around the slopes, but these cracks were actually extinct vents. Fuji itself is technically a dormant volcano, but a lot of vents have died off during its slumber.

The path led to a little hut, where you could pay to get into the wind cave itself. We decided we weren’t really dressed for spelunking in a lava tube, and I also didn’t want to follow the maintained path any more. When I’m walking in forests, I’m a bit of a purist. I like to be scrambling over roots and rocks, and finding isolated places on my own.

The unmaintained path was covered in packed snow, so it was quite slippery. Caz’s trainers didn’t stand a chance (even my boots were struggling a bit), so she told me to go on ahead and have a look. I have a feeling she was happy to stop and see if there were any Pokémon to catch in the forest.

I hiked up the rocky slope in front of me and walked for a couple of minutes. And that’s all it took to feel completely alone. I came to a tiny clearing, stood still and held my breath. It was dead silent – no wind, no animals, and the sound of other tourists over at the wind cave was completely absorbed by the surrounding trees. All around me was snow and rows and rows of tree trunks as far as I could see. It was beautifully serene, and just a little bit eerie.

Standing in there, only hearing my own breath, I understood why the forest is named the ‘sea of trees’. The place engulfs you and surrounds you, but it almost feels comforting, and very safe. I also understood the unofficial nickname (big trigger warning here, guys) – the ‘suicide forest’. For those who unfortunately took their lives in the forest, it must have been a last moment of peace and absolute quiet. As somebody who has struggled with depression for most of my life, I felt real sadness and empathy here for the lives lost, and gladness that these tortured people found a peaceful place to rest.

Coming back down the rocky slope was less fun than climbing up it – I mostly slid down, more than a little worried about breaking my legs. I also felt strange after being in the forest alone. I was very calm and serene, but had a heavy sadness in my chest. It was also weird to leave the silence and gradually begin hearing human voices again. Caz did mention that I looked thoughtful when I got back to where she was perched on a tree stump like a little wood elf.

We visited the shop when we got back out, as it was really quiet compared to the one at the station. I found a nice magnet for Mum and Martin – it’s a bit of a tradition for me to get them one from wherever I travel to. I also got a limited edition Mt. Fuji Coke and a little Fuji ‘fairy’ – a shape made of soil from the mountain with googly eyes on it. We also both got Pokémon themed Fuji pins from a Gachapon machine.

The journey back was charming, especially as the sun was beginning to set and was casting golden light on the lakes and hills.

We were rudely brought back to reality when we arrived at Kawaguchiko Station, which was absolutely packed. There was nowhere to sit and people kept opening doors and leaving them open so the cold air got in. We had planned to grab something quick to eat at the café in the station, but that looked impossible with how busy it was. So we braved the cold again and went over the road toward a big sign that said JAPANESE RESTAURANT. It's called Hirai Kiosk, and sits upstairs from a little souvenir shop. We worried that it would be similarly packed, but it wasn’t. It was quiet and warm, and I knew straight away we’d made a good decision.

A tiny middle-aged lady came and greeted us, all smiles, and sat us at a table. We soon had menus and water glasses, and she started inviting us to look out of the window. I walked over to get a good look (I am very short sighted and it was now almost dark), and it was a treat. The cute old-fashioned building that is Kawaguchiko Station sat across the road and behind it rose Mt. Fuji. I agreed that the view was lovely, and we were invited to sit next to the window so we could see it while we ate. The place’s décor was really cute, all wooden tables and flowers (and for some reason, Christmas decorations). It had a really homey, comfy atmosphere, and we were soon warmed up and feeling relaxed.

An unreal dinner view.

We ordered some food – I had a hot chocolate with a curry udon bowl, Caz had a melon soda with a soba ramen bowl. While we were waiting, two other tiny, adorable ladies appeared in the restaurant to take other people’s orders and greet us all. They all wanted to know where we were from and if we were staying in the Kawaguchiko area. Everyone was so friendly and genuinely interested in speaking to us. There were only two other tables occupied apart from ours, and we were glad to have come in at a more off-peak time.

Our food arrived and cemented the fact that we’d made the best decision by coming over to the restaurant. It was piping hot and smelled beautiful. I was excited because I’d never had a Narutomaki before (you know, those little white fishcakes with the cute pink swirl), and there was one sitting on the top of my dinner along with some spring onions. We were soon digging in to our respective meals and it was exactly what we needed after a long day. Hearty, authentic and packed with flavours. I discovered that udon noodles are quite hard to control with chopsticks as they’re thicker and tend to flick out from between the sticks, spraying you with curry and broth. I still persevered though, and managed to eat the whole lot with just chopsticks (and a slightly splattered hoodie).

The original lady who greeted us asked how it was. I’d prepared for this moment months before, by learning the word oishii, which means ‘delicious’, and also teaching it to Caz. We chirped “Oishii desu!” and she was so pleased and excited about our rudimentary Japanese.

The other lovely thing about Hirai is that we didn’t at all feel rushed once our food was finished. Our bill was placed quietly on the table, facedown, and we were told to go on downstairs when we were ready to pay. And then we were left alone to talk, chill, and take in the view. We let our food settle for a while and enjoyed the comforting vibe of the place.

We only hauled ourselves up when it was getting a bit close to our bus being due. I couldn’t see any of the lovely ladies as we left so I just called, “Arigato gozaimasu!” (thank you very much) and suddenly one of them popped out to return the sentiment and bow deeply. Then we heard the other two ladies call their thanks from inside the kitchen. It was such a nice send-off. If you’re ever in the Kawaguchiko area, do visit their restaurant! It’s everything you’ll need after a cold day in the mountains.

After going down to the shop to pay at the counter (where we were served by the cutest old geezer) and taking a turn around the souvenirs, we returned to Kawaguchiko Station, which was thankfully less busy. I needed to use the loo so I left my stuff with Caz and went off to find one. On the way, I stopped a staff member and asked where the bus to Shinjuku would be picking up. Like everyone else I’ve asked for help so far, he told me but also showed me exactly where the stop was, which I appreciated as we really didn’t want to miss our bus back.

When I’d finished in the loo, I was washing my hands at the sinks when some boy walked aimlessly to the door of the ladies’ toilets. He then flinched massively and shielded his eyes while backing up and leaving very hastily. I laughed aloud and received several startled looks – I’m not sure anyone else saw the boy’s faux pas (or they just didn’t find it as hilarious as I did).

The bus arrived on time, and left on time with no problems. I made sure to have one last look toward Fuji, even though it was dark by then and I couldn’t really see it. The driver caught me moving to an empty seat and lying down, so I sat back in my assigned seat. He said it was ok for me to use the seat and lie down, as long as I had a seatbelt around my waist. I made it work, and was grateful to him for letting me do that. The bus was nice and quiet, and it was very dark outside until we started getting back into the city.

We ended up at Shinjuku, and it’s mad at this time of night. Between the crowds and the cold and the travel fatigue, we really didn’t want to navigate the subway. So we got a cab back to the hotel, which was a good idea in the end as we just wanted to be warm and rest.

I would like to come back to the Mt. Fuji area again the next time I visit Japan, but in a warmer season. I want to go up to the Fuji Subaru Line 5^th Station, which is halfway up the mountain and has an amazing lookout point. I also want to return to Aokigahara when there isn’t snow on the ground and have a proper walk in there – I think the quiet and the woody air would be really nice in large doses.

Now I am back in my comfy nightshirt on the best mattress ever, ready for bed!