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Fuji Five Lakes - Lake Kawaguchiko

Starting Point of the Five Lakes Tour

Lake Kawaguchi (河口湖) is located at the northern foot of Mount Fuji, with an area of approximately 5.6 square kilometers, second only to the largest Lake Yamanaka (山中湖). Lake Kawaguchi is easily accessible, with many art galleries and museums, as well as hotels and private residences by its side. The northern shore of the lake is a perfect place to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Mount Fuji.

Lake Kawaguchi (河口湖 Kawaguchiko), located at the northern foot of Mt. Fuji, covers an area of about 5.6 square kilometers and is The Second Largest of the Fuji Five Lakes. Strolling along the paths around the lake, the vast green waves and the surrounding hills make you feel relaxed. The sightseeing trail on the north shore and Kawaguchiko Natural Living Center are both best places to enjoy the magnificent Mt. Fuji Scenery. Mt Fuji and its reflection in the lake is called “Reversed Fuji”, which is a most famous sight in Lake Kawaguchi.

Kawaguchiko Natural Living Center And Oishi Park

Stunning Fuji and Sea of Flowers

The Kawaguchiko Natural Living Center is located on the north shore of Lake Kawaguchiko, by the Oishi Park, where flowers are planted in all seasons, and is a perfect place to look out over Mount Fuji. Kawaguchiko Natural Living Center offers food, coffee, and a variety of blueberry specialties where visitors can make their own jams.

Red Leaves and Mt. Fuji

In addition to the natural beauty of Lake Kawaguchi, there are a number of museums, shrines, temples, and other tourist attractions, as well as a variety of hotels, shops, and restaurants. For example, Fuji Omuro Sengen Jinja Shrine, which is the oldest shrine on Mt. Fuji, and the Kawaguchiko Art Museum, which mainly collects Mt. Fuji paintings and photography.

Fuji Omuro Sengen Jinja Shrine

The Oldest Shrine in Mt.Fuji

Fuji Omuro Sengen Jinja Shrine, built in 699 AD, is the oldest shrine on Mount Fuji. The shrine is surrounded by a dense forest and has buildings such as the Hongu Shrine, the Satomiya Shrine, the Zuishinmon Gate, and the Archive. The vermillion Hongu Shrine was originally built at the second station of Mount Fuji, and was relocated here in 1973.

Manywhere Trivia:
How would you describe the importance of Mount Fuji in Japanese people’s minds? Let’s say it’s like the Alps and the Mediterranean Sea combined, as it to European people.

Lake Kawaguchi is easily accessible by many highway bus lines and is connected to Tokyo by train, making it the starting point for most visitors to visit the Fuji Five Lakes. A 700-meter-long Kawaguchiko Bridge spans the north and south of the lake, linking the main roads on both shores, and is the only bridge over a whole lake in the Fuji Five Lakes.