Back in November of 2022, I took a weekend trip down to Lake Kawaguchiko to see Japan’s most iconic mountain, Mount Fuji. I specifically wanted to see it at this time due to the autumn colors that were supposed to be at their prime at that time. There certainly was plenty of color, but not quite as all-encompassing as I expected it to be. I had one day (Saturday) to squeeze in as much as I could. I managed to do so, but not without plenty of sweating and heaving up big, twisting hills and hundreds of steps.

As you might imagine, the main star of this blog entry is Mount Fuji, but I also tried to capture the autumn colors around the lake area, too. This was also the last weekend for the local autumn leaf festival. Although the day was sunny and the mountain was visible, there was still a haze in the air surrounding it.

Momiji Corridor

The Momiji Corridor is a popular spot to see the colorful leaves. This is also located close to where many of the art and food vendors are. I initially thought that it was going to cover a larger area than it actually did. Another case of internet photos making sites seem not quite as they are. Although it was smaller than expected and crowded, I still managed to enjoy the colors.

Kawaguchi Asama Shrine

The next place I headed to was (according to Google Maps) about a 45- minute by walk (uphill) to get to the main shrine before continuing further up the winding hill to get to the hilltop view overlooking the surrounding valley. Along the way, I was able to soak up plenty more sun and colors.

I managed to huff it in less than thirty-five minutes, and my legs didn’t let me forget it. It was a bit disheartening to see vehicles along the way easily making their way up the road. When I finally arrived, I was once again a bit taken aback by the bareness of this spot. I had assumed that there was something else here besides the arch. Alas, the only other thing here was a small coffee shop with a seating area up a flight of stairs that overlooked the valley. The other thing that I was not thrilled to see was a line of people waiting for their turn to take a selfie. I decided that no matter how impatient I was feeling, I should just wait my turn; otherwise, my huffing it up the hill would seem rather pointless.

Tenku-no Torii

After concluding that I indeed deserved a treat for my determination, I gladly got an iced mocha and perched myself on a chair to relax for a bit.

On the way back toward the Momiji Corridor, I took some more photos of the other side of the tunnel.

Upon exiting from the corridor, you are required to walk through the artist stalls before getting back to the main road. I remember back in China, whenever I would leave a tourist site, the last part of the site usually forces you to go through their enormous gift shops full of gaudy toys and souvenirs. So, at least this market was full of local artists and their crafts.

Nagasaki Park

Along the way, I stopped by one of the most popular spots to take photos of the entire lakefront area. It is sometimes referred to as the “Momoji Tunnel,” and it is a small spot along the lakefront where the maple tree branches bend down to visually surround Mount Fuji when sitting under them.

Oishi Park

At last, I reached my final destination (at least for the lake area). This spot is typically known for the colorful flower arrangements, but that is during springtime. Autumn here still presents some colorful flowers and plants, but it is not quite the same as seeing the springtime lavender and reddish-purple thistle-like plants.

I had not eaten any lunch since I thought it might take too much of my time when trying to pack in all of that walking and photo-taking. I did, however, decide to grab a chocolate ice cream cone before trying to find the tour bus back toward Kawaguchiko station. After all, I still had one final destination before the day was done.

Arakura Fuji Sengen Jinja Shrine

With just enough energy left (which was not much, let me just say), I got on the local train toward the shrine. The purpose of going here is to walk up the steps until you get to Chureito Pagoda. Like many tourist sites in Asia that involve seeing a shrine with a famous view, I had to huff it up many, many steps until arriving at the base of the pagoda area. At one point, I passed by a small family with a young boy who was crying and pleading to not have to continue all the way up. On the one hand, I sympathized with him. On the other hand, I was lugging my backpack with my camera while I was sweating, my knees were aching, and I was constantly panting, so I only had limited compassion at that moment.

I sound like a broken record, but once again, I thought there would be more to this site than just the pagoda, but I was wrong. Seeing the crowds of other tourists did not make the situation any better.

At any rate, this site is also known for its springtime views that include the sakura (Japanese cherry blossom trees). However, this was autumn, so the blossoms were long gone by this point.

Regardless, I had finally made it to the last stop, and I was not going to leave until I had taken my photos.

Finally, the long day was over, and I slowly made my way back to the train station. The warm, sunny day had turned into a chilly autumn night. Since I had not eaten lunch, I wanted to eat at some local place that served the area’s famous noodles. At first, there did not seem to be many options near the station. There was one place across the street, but the line of people standing outside waiting in the cold did not thrill me. Eventually, after not being able to find any other restaurant nearby that was open, I decided to bite the bullet and stand in line. Luckily, I ended up not having to wait too long.

When I was giving my order, I was told that at least two of the items I wanted were no longer available. This was disconcerting since the menu itself was not very extensive. I finally decided on ordering horse meat sashimi and the famous local noodle soup called “houtou.” It is referred to as thick, flat udon noodles cooked in a rich miso soup (almost like a stew) with vegetables. The noodles are not actual udon noodles since they are made more like dumplings. It was filling and just what I needed to end the day.

That Sunday morning, there was not much for me to do other than eat another rather unsatisfying breakfast and wait to head to the bus station. While at Kawaguchiko Station, I decided to use the bathroom, and I saw a sign on the stall wall with a fun little animated rabbit telling guests how they should proceed. Animation really is a thing in Japan, even for adults, apparently.

For a one-day trip around the lake, I think I did quite well in terms of seeing all of the sites I wanted to see. I would have preferred not to have to go so quickly, but I only had one day, and I was on a mission!

I think it would be nice to come back here in the spring to see the greenery and sakura, but I will have to see if I have more time to spend doing this at a more leisurely pace.