Weekend Fuji Five Lakes Trip

When I planned this trip at the beginning of the month, I continued to monitor the weather. Because if you want to get a good shot of Mt. Fuji, the weather is a big factor. Up until Thursday night, it showed cloudy for the weekend. So I wasn’t hopeful about the trip. But I didn’t want to cancel it.

Luckily the weather changed and it was two perfect days to visit all five lakes. I say lucky because not only was it clear but also all the snow on the road melted. I don’t have a car equipped to drive on snow so if the weather didn’t change I would have had a difficult time. But God was kind and I got two beautiful days to go around the 5 lakes. Other than the five lakes I also visited Chureito Pagoda from where one of the most iconic pictures of Fuji is taken. The travels were great but I also had 2 really great conversations. More about that on a different blog. A bit about the lakes and what to keep in mind.

Lake Kawaguchi and Lake Yamanaka:

For both these lakes, it's better to visit during sunrise or after sunrise. You will get a nice reflection of Mt Fuji if it’s not windy. Try to reach early since these two are the most popular lakes. I went to Yamanaka first and then Kawaguchi. Both had its unique views. I took a lot of photos and flew my drone in both lakes and I got some really good shots.

Lake Shoji-

As suggested by my Airbnb host Aki it's the best spot to capture the sunrise. The recommended time is December or January to get the sun near Mt Fuji. But if you don't want to capture the sunrise it's better to go in the afternoon. In the afternoon the sun shines on Fuji and you get a much clearer view. I couldn't fly my drone here sadly because of crazy winds. This was Day 2 and although the sun was out the wind was too much.

Lake Saiko-

Just like Lake Shoji, it's better to visit in the afternoon if you want to get a clear view of Mt Fuji. Lake Saiko was a bit different than the other lakes. You didn’t get an unobstructed view of Fuji. there were some mountains in from of Fuji but it had its own beauty.

Lake Motosu-

Finally, my personal favorite lake. Perfect for camping in summer. I am planning to camp here once every month in summer. If anyone's interested let's go. Trust me, it's the best spot for camping. You can watch my video at the camp.

If you are planning to visit the lakes I highly recommend staying at the Private Annex hosted by Mr. Aki and his family. He was a great host and a really nice person to talk to. He can also help you guide around the area with tips and hidden spots. The best part is the view you get from the room. Check @tohru_1970 on Instagram.

It wasn't all easygoing. I almost lost my drone at lake Saiko and couldn't fly it at Lake Shoji due to the heavy wind. But my gallery is full of different angles of Mt. Fuji.