Mt. Fuji is Japan’s Most Represented Natural Landscape and We Know Why!

Mt. Fuji (Flickr / TUNG3104)

Mount Fuji is essentially synonymous with Japan. For Japanese, Mt. Fuji is a sacred symbol. Besides being associated with a myth, the Asama Shrine is the deification of worship to Mount Fuji. Ever since 22 June 2013, when Mount Fuji was signed as a world heritage, endless streams of tourists from all over the world flock down to take a deeper look at Mt. Fuji and explore its unique charm.

Sightseeing around Mt. Fuji

The most well-known tourist attraction is the “Fuji Five Lakes”. The Fuji Five Lakes consists of Kawaguchiko, Saiko, Yamanakako, Shojiko and Motosuko.

One of Fuji’s five lakes (Flickr / hogeasdf)

Another must see tourist attraction is the suicide forest, Aokigahara. Aokigahara forest is very dense, hence it is easy to get lost in the forest. You’d think in this age of technology, it’s impossible to get lost but there’s the thing – GPS, mobile phones and even compasses will not work due to the lava containing magnetite! It’s a good way to force yourself to put down your phone and forget your troubles. However, you must be careful when travelling through Aokigahara and not stray from the tour.

Suicide Forest or Aokigahara (Flickr / BONGURI)

While sightseeing around Mt. Fuji, don’t forget to visit the “Narusawa Ice Cave” and the “Fugaku air hole”. These two natural landscapes were created during the eruption of Mt. Fuji. When visiting these two natural landscapes, you must be extremely careful as the ground is slippery.

Narusawa Ice Cave (Flickr / kawanet)

For more information about these places, check out their official websites:

>> “Fuji Five Lakes” Tourism Association
>> “Narusawa Ice Cave” and “Fugaku Air Hole” official website

Mount Fuji Mountain Climbing

Seeing how Japanese love mountaineering, how could you not ascend Mt. Fuji when you’re there?

Climbing Route on Mt. Fuji (Flickr / Jetalone)

There four ascending trails – Yellow Yoshida Trail, Red Subashiri Trail, Green Gotemba Trail and Blue Fujinomiya trail – on Mt. Fuji are distinguished by colour and begin near the 5th station. The climbing season is normally around July 1 to September 10.

For more information on mountaineering Mt. Fuji, you can check out their official website.