Takashi Kasori: Adventurer and touring journalist
The 3rd tour of the New Year 2022 with VSTROM 250 was around Mt. Fuji. At 6:00 a.m. on February 9, I departed from my home in Isehara City, Kanagawa Prefecture. Taking Route 246, I headed for Gotemba.
"Whew, it's cold."
Passing through Hadano, Matsuda, and Yamakita, the train enters Shizuoka Prefecture.
Arrival in Gotemba was at 7:15. The temperature was 5 degrees below freezing. Shivering in the cold, I looked at Mt. Fuji against the blue sky. The weather was clear. It was cold, but it was a perfect "Fujiyama day". Breakfast at Denny's in Gotemba. I feel as if I'm coming back to life after being released from the cold. But it is still cold in Gotemba!
After eating breakfast, I started a round trip around Mt. Fuji from "Gotemba→ Gotemba", going counterclockwise direction around Mt. Fuji. From Gotemba, take Route 138 north. Visit Fuji Sengen Shrine in Suburi. This is the east main shrine. Mt. Fuji rises directly behind the shrine. From Suburi, I headed toward Kagosaka Pass. Despite the icy road surface, there were no icy spots as I crossed the prefectural border into Yamanashi Prefecture and reached Kagosaka Pass at an elevation of 1104 meters. The descent from Kagosaka Pass to Yamanakako, which was thought to be the most difficult part of the route this time, was also free of icy slopes.
From this point on, I will start the "Fuji Five Lakes Tour. Fuji from the east shore of Lake Yamanaka. There was ice on Lake Yamanaka, but a small boat for smelt fishing came out after crushing the ice. From Yamanakako to Mikuni Pass. Fuji from the pass on a superb route and looked down on Lake Yamanaka. The Southern Alps mountain range is also visible. Turning around at Mikuni Pass on the Yamanashi/Kanagawa border, I returned to Lake Yamanaka and took the road along the north shore of Lake Yamanaka. From there, I was able to see a beautiful reflection of reverse Fuji on the lake.
When you get to Route 138, you will reach Fujiyoshida. In Fujiyoshida, I visited Fuji Sengen Shrine. This is the main shrine at the northern entrance. To the left of the hall of worship stands a towering Fuji Taro Cedar and to the right a towering Fuji-married couple cypress. Both are 1,000-year-old sacred trees. They are so powerful that it seems as if a God resides in it. Drive through the town of Fujiyoshida to the "Crossroads of Mt. Fuji" and the intersection of Kanatorii. Here three "Mt. Fuji National Highways" meet, National Routes 137, 138, and 139.
From the intersection of Kanatorii, take Route 137, which goes along the shore of Lake Kawaguchi. Kawaguchiko is indeed the most popular tourist destination in the Fuji-Gokko region. Fuji from this vantage point is a splendid, well-proportioned mountain. Separating from Route 137, which crosses over the Misaka Pass, I took Prefectural Route 21 on the north shore of Kawaguchi Lake. I stop my V-Strom 250 at Oishi Park. Here is a monument of Mt. Fuji, the original Mt. Fuji, is No. 1, followed by Rishiri Fuji, Tsugaru Fuji, etc., and finally No. 252, Motobu Fuji on the main island of Okinawa. This makes me want to go on a "local Fuji tour" all over Japan.
After Lake Kawaguchi, I went to Lake Motosu to see Mt. Fuji from Lake Nishiko and Lake Shojin. Fuji from Motosu Pass on Route 300. Fuji from Motosu Pass on Route 300 is so wonderful that you can't help but gasp! The weather has continued to be clear and sunny during the morning session so far, and the Mt Fuji weather has continued to be favorable. Fuji's weather is changeable, so it was something to be thankful for.
After eating "Shingen Houtou" for lunch at "Motosukan" by Lake Motosu, I headed south on National Route 139. I stopped the V-Strom 250 at the Wariishi Pass on the Yamanashi/Shizuoka border and looked at Mt. Fuji. After that, seeing Mt. Fuji from Asagiri Plateau, Mt. Fuji from Lake Tanuki, and going to see Fuji's famous Shiraitono Falls.
Mt. Fuji as seen from Asagiri Plateau
Shiraitono Falls, where melted snow from Mt. Fuji cascades down a cliff of lava flows. Hundreds of waterfalls of various sizes cascade down the cliff. The spring water flows down at a rate of 1.5 tons per second. Next to Shiraitono Falls is Otojino Falls. Compare the graceful Shiraitono Falls with the heroic Ototo Falls.
From Shiraito Falls to Fujinomiya. Here, I visited the Sengen Taisha Shrine, the main shrine of Mt. Within the shrine's precincts is "Wakutamaike/spring water pond". This is also a huge spring of water from Mt. Fuji, and it flows out as the Kanda River with a rumbling sound. This shows Fuji's tremendous power.
From Fujinomiya, I headed toward Gotemba on Route 469. On the way, I saw Mt. Fuji from the Juriki Plateau. Clouds were beginning to cover the mountain, but it was barely "safe! Fuji was visible in its entirety. I arrived at Gotemba at 15:30. Fuji was covered in clouds. The round trip of Mt. Fuji "From Gotemba→Gotemba" is 189 km. From Gotemba, I returned to my home in Isehara on Route 246.