Lake Yamanakako
| The Good | The Not-So Good |
| Great Views of Mt Fuji | Buses are not frequent |
Main photo source here (Big Ben in Japan).
Lake Yamanakako is fairly developed lake to the east of Mount Fuji, with a number of hotels and hot springs, accessed by bus or car. There is very little to do other than enjoy outdoor activities, walking in nature or the views of Mount Fuji.
You can find out all about Lake Yamanakako at the official tourist information site. The buses from Lake Kawaguchi stop by at the tourist trap of Oshino Hakkai.
Other major point of interest are the two well-known hot springs of Benifuji no Yu (map) and Ishiwari no Yu (map). Below is a photo of Benifuji no Yu, which has baths with direct (albeit only just if you actually sit down in the baths) views of Mount Fuji. Ishiwari no Yu has no views of Mount Fuji so probably best to give it a miss (you can go to hot springs anywhere in Japan so no need to spend time doing it there).
NOTE: Always be careful when a hotel or other facility offers “views of Mount Fuji”. Often it is a partial view from certain locations only. Don’t assume sitting down in a bath will give you a view, or that your hotel window will give you a full, unobstructed view. Confirm before booking.
Views of Mount Fuji
You can see Mount Fuji from all parts of the lake but the best views are on the east shore looking over the lake, especially from Panorama Platform (there is no way to get there other than by car – or you could walk).
Due to the lake’s slightly higher elevation, it can sometimes freeze over in winter providing opportunities for ice fishing.
Access to Lake Yamanakako
You can take a bus from Lake Kawaguchiko or get there directly from Tokyo or Gotenba Premium Outlets. JR Bus does not offer a route directly to Lake Yamanakako however you can go to Gotemba Premium Outlet and travel on from there. The JR bus English website does not allow you to select a ‘place’ as a destination without first selecting the ‘prefecture’. Most tourists will not know Gotenba is in Shizuoka. Select as below from Tokyo station or Shinjuku station.
