Travel with Blueginger: February 2020

“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes memory.”

Continue from where we stopped at the last blog in Kamakura, we are heading Yamanashi (Mt Fuji) which is then the core of our holiday.

Before we reach Mt Fuji station located in Fujiyosida, we had a stopover at Ebina(海老名駅) located in Kanagawa first, because BF want to visit a GTR specialist shop here.

If not for him, we will never have the chance to visit here at all.

Short introduction ... Ebina is home to over 150 factories, the main commercial business here is electrical appliances, metal and machinery products.

The city was once known for its broad rice paddies, but agriculture now mainly on the cultivation of strawberries, tomatoes, and ornamental plants. So this is a big and busy station.

Upon our arrival here, the first thing to do is to rent storage lockers but all the bigger lockers are taken up. We are left with 2 choices - either drag all our assets together to the place BF want to go OR I stay behind wait for them in a café while taking care of all our assets. So we chose the latter.

This is my salted caramel ice coffee while waiting for them.

So where the boys been to ?

VERUZA - Nissan GTR specialist shop.

Address: 505-10 Yamagiwa, Atsugi, Kanagawa 243-0803, Japan

As per live extract from Boss, he was so proud that not only BF bought him to the correct place, he went in to greet the staff and seek permission to admire the beautiful GTR. He like GTR a lot especially Skyline of the GTR series.

Well, I believe boys are just boys, they must be very excited to see the powerful monsters right in-front of them.

This is purely GTR shop, and we will be visiting a Skyline GTR shop in days time. Stay tune if you are also another monster lover.

We took a train from Sagami line to Mt Fuji station.

We are back on the track again, to kill the time, let's talk about Mount Fuji which is located in Yamanashi(山梨).... The title of this trip is "Our Spiritual Healing Trip, it is referring to Mt Fuji where we will be here for 5 days taking in all the good stuff Mt Fuji is going to bestown us.

Yamanashi is located inthe central Chubu region of the Honshu island. The northern half of Mt Fuji and the Fuji 5 lakes regions are located here too.

Kofu is the capital of this region which is surroundedsurrounded by many of the highest mountains in Japan including the highest, Mt Fuji located on the southern border with Shizuoka. We did not visit Kofu this round is it is quite a distance from our home base which is Fujiyoshida.

Mount Fuji (富士山), a sacred mountain, located on Honshu is the highest active volcano in Japan at 3,776.24 m that last erupted in 1708.

Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone, which is snow-capped for about 5 months a year, is commonly used as a symbol of Japan.

Mt. Fuji took on its current shape about 5,000 years ago. She lies about 100 kilometres south-west of Tokyo and can be seen from there on a clear day, personal experience from my past trip in region, I have seen it myself from Hakone and Tokyo.

The grand 5 lakes that surround Mount Fuji which are called "The Fuji Five Lake" (富士五湖, Fujigoko) - Kawaguchiko, Saiko, Yamanakako, Shojiko and Motosuko. Among the lakes, Lake Kawaguchiko is the nearest to Mt Fuji and also the easiest access and offers the most things to see and do for foreign travellers.

Finally we are here at Mt Fuji station, attached to Q-STA mall, there is a bus station here as well which serves routes to all over the Japan.

Our Accommodation in Fujiyosida.

Matsuya is right behind of the curtain.

Tatami is very warm and comfy. The mattress and the blankets are so soft. I always like Tatami. But Boss feels that it is too close to the floor thus he think it is hard. Well, he is the boss so he got a delicate skin.

I like the location of this place very much.

Use this link to get some discount : https://www.airbnb.com.sg/c/bluegingerl?currency=SGD

The whole stretch of streets is full of dining options, Matsuya is my left neighbour, Daiso is my right neighbour and Don Quijote is few minutes walk away.

Our super early dinner at 藍屋富士吉田店

Address: 403-0017 Yamanashi, Fujiyoshida, Shinnishihara, 2 Chome−33−11, Japan.

This restaurant is located directly opposite my accommodation.

This is umbrella lockers for customer to keep their umbrella safe from being stolen or taken away by mistake.

This is a super old school shoes cabinet. To lock it after placing your shoes, remove he light brown rectangle flat shape wooden key.

And here is the interior and our yummy dinner.

Don Quijote Fujiyoshida

Address: 1590 Matsuyama, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi 403-0016, Japan)

Just about 5 minutes walk away from Blue restaurant. This is always my favourite shopping place for cosmetic, kitchenware, food.

Daiso Fujiyoshida

Address: 1390-1 Matsuyama, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi 403-0016, Japan

Mt Fuji is actually at the background of this photo but it is cloudy to see it.

They are hungry again supper at KFC.

Address: 2 Chome-33-12 Shinnishihara, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi 403-0017, Japan

Located next to Blue restaurant. Last meal of the night before we end our night early for next busy day.

Their happiest moment whenever it come to food.

And this is what they peeped on the previous photo.

It is only 1030pm here but it is very cold outside.

We decided to go to bed early for our next busy day.

It will be a long 4th day for us today.

Breakfast at our nearest neighbour - Matsuya

Address: 4203-3 Kamiyoshida, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi 403-0005, Japan

Our first stop : The Perfect Shot

This is the best shot of Mt Fuji located in Shimoyoshida area. We purposely come here at early 7am where there is no traffic nor crowds.

Look out for Hostel & Salon Saruya in google to find this place.

Mt Fuji is actually at the backdrop but she is shy today. If you see clearly, the shape is there.

Here is the photo that I got from goggle which showed what I meant on "The Perfect Shot".

Another 15 minutes walk from the location of "The Perfect shot" we will reach " The Best Postcard shot". Along the way, we cant help to stop by for some good shots. In the end we took near 30 minutes to reach.

Here are our collections within this 30 minutes walk.

Next stop : The Best Postcard shot - Arakurayama Sengen Park

Address: 3353-1 Arakura, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi Prefecture - about 10 minutes walk from Shimyoshida station.

A mere walk about 10 minutes from Shimoyoshida Station, then you will be greeted by 398 steps, and you will reach Arakurayama Sengen Park. If you get tired while walking up the steps, you can turn around to look at Mt. Fuji in the distance. Thinking of the beauty that awaits you at the summit will energize you once again!

This is a must-visit location if you are here. A public park where you can enjoy the great fine view of Mount Fuji and commanding a panoramic view of Fujiyoshida.

This is the grand entrance to the park.

I turned around just wana snap boss but in the end saw this great view.

And we choose the walk up via slope from the middle of the trek...

There are signs to look out of wild animals. Look out for wild bears!

Here we are at the mid of the hill, to catch a breath and the beautiful scenery here.

Here we switched to the stairs.

Finally we reached the peak... This is what I saw when I turned around.

My Perfect Postcard Shot.. Fujisan was shy.. But we are happy with this. It is indeed very beautiful.

Chureito Pagoda(built in 1962, is about 19.5 meters high) and Fuji Sengen Shrine(a popular shrine for the local to worship on the 1st day of New Year) are also located here. If you cannot recall about this pagoda, I believe you will have seen that Japanese postcards or magazine that are printed with the picturesque scenes of Chureito Pagoda, Mount Fuji, and either cherry blossoms or snow.

if you are lucky, you will be treated the perfect postcard view of Mt Fuji and the pagoda which is an iconic spot in japan.

Here is the photo that I got from goggle which showed what I meant on "The Perfect Postcard Shot".

While walking towards to Shimoyoshida station, it is also a peaceful and scenic strolls where there are so many cute things to hold our steps.

No Man manage stall.

You take the item you want and place the money in the box. This is a common sight in Japan. We saw many of these when we were at Sakurajima on our last Kyushu trip.

Shimoyoshida Station(下吉田駅)

Small station with a small train museum.

We are here to take a train to Mt Fuji station, plan to take a bus up to Mt Fuji's station 5.

Back to Mt Fuji station, BF is so excited to see Thomas and train here.

Here is what the bus station ticket office looks like - it is located right outside of Mt Fuji station.

After exiting the train station, we went to the bus ticketing office which is located next door.

We want to buy the bus ticket to Mt Fuji station 5. But luck is not with us today. Mt Fuji's station 5 is closed.

Though we did not manage to visit Mt Fuji Station 5 but I like to take the chance here to share with my readers on the homework I had done for this place. Here is my brief introduction :
Mount Fuji station 5 (富士山五合目) From Mt Fuji train station, take an hour bus rude to the Mount Fuji station 5, it is also known as The Fuji Subaru Line 5th station. Round trip at JPY2300 per person. At 2,300 meters high, Mt Fuji 5th station offers an incredible views over the Fuji Five Lakes and Hakone National Park. Easily accessible by road, the 5th station lies at the midpoint of the Yoshida Trail to Mount Fuji's summit which is a very popular hiking destination from people all around the world. With an estimated 320,000 climbers scaling the mountain during the two month summer season (from 1st July to 31st August) annually. Even if you do not want to climb the mountain like us, the Fuji Subaru 5th station is a tourist destination itself. Populated with shops, cafes, restaurants, a temple and couple of observation decks and a post office too! The place here is like a small village with most staff are able to speak some English. Please do prepare plenty of cash here as there is no ATMs up here at all. Credit cards can be used only for purchases of JPY1000 or more. Nevertheless, a currency exchange machine can be found here. Look out for the observation decks at Komitake Shrine which is located behind of the shopping street. You can see Fujiyoshida and Lake Yamanaka from here! Here are the photos I found in google on this place.

So we advanced purchased our bus ticket to Tokyo after seeing the seats are pretty limited.

Well, since we are not able to visit Mt Fuji station, we have a break at Coffee Salon (珈琲茶論)

Address: 2 Chome-3-6 Kamiyoshida, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi 403-0005, Japan

Located right opposite of Mt Fuji station. This cafe is manage by an old couple. They even have a comic library here and these are all owner's collection since young.

The egg sandwich - the best I ever had.

After lunch we head to Fuji-Q-Highland Park.

Address: 5 Chome-6-1 Shinnishihara, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi 403-0017, Japan

Situated in the Fuji Five Lakes area at the bottom of Mount Fuji is Fuji-Q-Highland, a popular amusement park. The park is famous for its record-holding roller coasters as well as its other elaborate and anime-themed rides. One of Japan’s most popular, the park is constantly adding new attractions and activities. There are four main roller coasters. Fujiyama, which was the tallest and fastest ride in the world when it was unveiled in 1996, Eejanaika, which has the most inversions of any roller coaster; Dodonpa, which holds the record for the fastest accelerating ride and Takabisha, which is the steepest roller coaster in the world. Other popular attractions include their anime-themed rides, their mazes and their Thomas the Tank Engine-themed area. In the winter months, there is also an ice rink on-site.

BF bought the one day pass at JPY5600.

*** Admission is free for this theme park, which means you are free to enter the park for a stroll or photo taking. And pay on per ride basis when you see the ride you want. But if you want to try all rides, it is sensible to purchase a day pass.

Facial Admission Registration

Here is Fuji-Q-Highland, all guests are require to register their facial image with their facial recognition system upon entering the park. This is done so to prevent the loss, damage, manipulation to the pass. Well, I think this is cool. Below is the one in one of the ride.

There are a lot of very scary rides here. Here are my videos and photos of them.

Lunch at Restaurant Bohatei

Special menu : Yamanashi's sauce Katsudon - JPY1100.

Naruto Village

One of the best selling manga series in the history. If you are a fan of Naruto, do not miss this place if you happen to be in Mt Fuji. Remember admission into Fuji Q theme park is free!

My Boss is a big fan of Naruto and he mentioned a few times that he want to come here. And once he is here, he released the 9 tailed child in him and want to take picture with everything here.

Thomas Land

This is the world's first theme park based on Thomas & Friends. It's a best place for Thomas fans to spend a few hours here. But I think the area is quite small and not much variety of games to entertain the kids.

BF went up to the Ferries Wheels.

And now he is on the Flying Chair ... but BF is on another "moderate" height one.

Ice-Skating rink

Additional JPY1000 if you have the admission ticket to the theme park, if not it will be JPY1500.

BF's best moments of the day.

Dinner at Kappa Sushi which is opposite our accommodation.

Address: 2 Chome-32-11 Shinnishihara, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi 403-0017, Japan

My boys think that this is an ordinary average sushi restaurant. They had much better one in Japan before.

Nobody can speak English here and we took a long time to figure out how to order. You place your order via ipad and the train will bring your food to you.

Our 5th day here is Japan and it is New Year's eve.

Host hung this decorative orament on our door. This is called "Shimekazari" which are hung at the entrances to homes and businesses during New Year's season to ward off evil spirits. It is actually made of dried straw of rice plant which is a sacred item in Japan. At breweries or temples, you will usually see a much bigger ones. If I come across it while shopping, I will buy one go back Singapore for coming Chinese New Years in weeks time.

Breakfast at our nearest Neighbour Matsuya again as BF had fallen in love with the hamburger breakfast set.

Mt Fuji is very clear today. This shot is taken right in front of one of our neighbouring restaurant.

And yes, Mt Fuji is located behind our accommodation.

We took a supposed 15 minutes walk from our accommodation to Mt Fuji station.

Walking through the quiet neighbourhood gave us a tranquil feeling and the residents are so friendly that they will greet us. These are some great snap we took in the neighbourhood.

Finally after near 30 minutes of walk and photo taking breaks, here we are at Mt Fuji station.

Glad that this cafe is open for our coffee boost.

Mamenoki (豆の樹)

Address: 2 Chome-7-3 Kamiyoshida, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi 403-0005, Japan

Another family run coffee house in an old school setting.

Took a train to Kawaguchiko station(河口湖駅) and this is what greeted us upon landing at the train platform.

This is the most busiest station in Yamanashi as this is where all tour bus start as it is nearest to most lakes.

I been hearing so much about this station and now I am here standing right in front of it.

This place is rather small, but it have all the needs for all tourist. Café, shops, information counter, train station, bus station and even baggage storage service etc . By the way Mt Fuji is right behind this station.

Today we will tour the red line which is the busiest line here.

The lake that surrounds this route is Lake Kawaguchi - the nearest lake to Mt Fuji.

Lake Kawaguchi (河口湖Kawaguchi-ko) is located in the border of the towns of Fujikawaguchiko and Minobu, in the southern Yamanashi Prefecture.

The most popular lake out of the five, it has the most developed tourist infrastructure. The area also serves as a major hub for those wishing to climb Mount Fuji during the climbing season (July and August). It was added to World Heritage List in 2013. A popular resort, with many lakeside hotels, windsurfing facilities, camp sites, and excursion boats are also found here.

Here come our red bus.

Our first stop to alight is the Ropeway but apparently the queue was too long that we gave up. Plan to return later in the noon for the sunset if time permits.

We end up going to stroll by the lake here where the boys pedal on swan boat.

JPY2000 for 30 minutes, there are several jetties here to board.

We went back to the same bus stop and board the red line bus to the last stop where is the most beautiful view of Mt Fuji.

Natural Living Center and Oishi Park(Lavender Products, Lavender ice cream) - The last bus stop of the Red Line.

Address: 2585 Ōishi, 富士河口湖町 Fujikawaguchiko, Minamitsuru-gun, Yamanashi 401-0305, Japan.

Here also offer another perfect spot of Mt Fuji as well, Oishi Park is just outside of the Natural Living Center. Flowers are expecting to bloom at different season.

If you are lavender product lover, this is the right place for you. There are many foods and fragrance-related products using the blueberry and lavender in a shop.

Some street food vendors available here.

Lunch at Sansuien (山水縁) Japanese Restaurant

Address : 1472 Oishi, Fujikawaguchiko, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi 401-0305, Japan

Located just 2 minutes walk from Natural Living Center.

Mt Fuji limited edition coke - Mt Fuji's design sold here at JPY150 each.

Took the bus back to the Ropeway.

Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway

Address: 1163-1 Azagawa, Fujikawaguchiko, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi 401-0303, Japan.

The queue is much better compared to earlier, we got a nice queue number.. waited for about 20 minutes for our turns.

Portable cages for your furries friends is available to borrow for free here.

Our Ropeway is here!

And the spectacular view while we were riding up.

There is an interesting story here! When I arrived at the top of Mt. Kachi-Kachi in Yamanashi, you will no doubt wonder why there are so many statues of a rabbit and tanuki raccoondog. The statues show the rabbit bullying the tanuki. There are many stories about tanuki from ancient times and tanuki statues are everywhere in Japan. Believed to be tricksters and originally seen as evil creatures, the tanuki is ironically now the symbol of generosity and prosperity. They have become one of the most famous creature in Japanese folklore and their figurines are common in stores and souvenir shops.

Here is why the rabbit is bullying the tanuki. The Tale of the Tanuki starts off with an old man catching a tanuki. The old man hangs the tanuki on a tree who then convinces the old man's wife to set him free. In return he offers to help her make mochi rice cake. The tanuki, however, kills her after she sets him free.With his shape-shifting abilities, the tanuki then decides to play a horrible trick on the old man when he returns. Now, the rest of the tale can be a bit gruesome so its available online if you would like to hear those details. Essentially, a rabbit, who the couple were friends with, decides to play tricks on the tanuki hence all the statues showing the rabbit avenging the death of the old man's wife.

Here is my nice shot of the moon with Mt Fuji.

Back to Kawaguchiko station, took a train back to Mt Fuji station.

The cold makes us tired and hungry that we want to go back rest.

So we had our dinner at Matsuya again before we retreat back to rest.

Happy New Year on our Day 6 here.

All our neighbouring restaurants are closed. End up to the near by convenience store for ready made breakfast.

Our first meal on New Year Day but we are still very happy as we have one another together.

Time to go out again, today we will take another route. Supposed to be 15 minutes walk and we took a much longer time due to the scenery we saw along the way.

Glad that this coffee shop is open on New Year Day.

Tearoom Anzu (杏)

Address : 2 Chome-6-6 Matsuyama, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi 403-0016, Japan

Managed by an old lady who is in her 80s, she is still so healthy and elegant.

This is a small coffee shop that barely 10 seats, part of the shop is selling bags and clothes.

They even have hand made cakes as well.

This tissue box simply caught my eyes, so beautiful.

Finally we are here at Mt Fuji station again.

While waiting for train, we killed time by snapping photos again.

Finally I got a better views and better photos on Kawaguchiko station.

Today we will tour the Blue line. The queue is much much shorter than the Red line.

We rode for near 60 minutes and alight at the 2nd last bus stop.

Walk down the stairs which is right next to the souvenir shop and cross the road you will see :

Lake Motosuko (本栖湖)

It feels much colder here than Lake Kawaguchiko that Boss needed to cover his nose.

The crowd is lesser than so the place is much quieter.

Kodaki Fuji View Point

Mt Fuji changed her look again. Look, she is with a scarf now.

Fugaku Wind Cave (富岳風穴)

Address: 401-0332 Yamanashi, Minamitsuru District, Fujikawaguchiko, Saiko 青木ケ原 2068-1, Japan.

Fugaku Wind Cave, 201 meters long with an average of 8.7 meters high, is found in the Aokigahara area. It is actually originated from one of the lava tube from the 864A.D. eruption of Mt Fuji. It is called as wind cave is because natural freedom of air circulations is found inside the cave. The walls are mostly made of Basaltwhich has low viscosity and low silica content resulting in rapid lava flows that can spread over a great areas before cooling and solidification. And the best fun part of the Basalt wall is... there is no echo at all inside the cave. We had tried and tested.

Another 5 minutes walk from here, we will reach the ticketing booth to the cave.

This tour can be done in 15 minutes, the steps to the cave is pretty steep. Inside the cave, icicles are formed even in hot summer and it was a natural fridge in the past that it was used to keep the eggs of silk worms.

It is dark and wet inside.. At some point inside the cave is pretty short that we have to bend our knees to walk.

Actually the main reason BF want to come is because the Wind Cave is located inside of the notorious Aokigahara Sucide Forest.

Aokigahara (青木ヶ原), also known as the Sea of Trees (樹海, Jukai), is a big forest on the northwestern flank of Japan's Mt Fuji, thriving on 30 square kilometres of harden dried lava laid down by the last major eruption of Mount Fuji in 864AD. Parts of Aokigahara are very dense, and the porous lava absorbs sound, helping to provide visitors with a sense of solitude.

Today this forest is known as Aokigahara Sucide Forest because it is one of the places chosen by those who want to end their lives.

The incidence of suicides has worried the authorities who, in their effort to reverse the situation, have placed posters at the entrances of the forest offering help to visitors. The place is very silent. It is a very dense forest and the trees prevent the wind from entering the place while shaking the tops of the trees. Wildlife is almost non-existent and there are many little caves found inside the forest as this forest was formed during a volcano eruption. Given the hardness of the soil, the trees of the Suicide Forest do not bury the roots, but branch off the surface, giving rise to striking root and leaf formations. The forest is very leafy and dense, so the wind affects only the tops of the trees, and with very very little wildlife. All this gives the Aokigahara certain tints of mystery and a high probability of getting lost in it.

In the open paths of this forest, you find posters in which you invite, through inspirational phrases, to reconsider their intention to take their own lives. They are written in Japanese, with white signs on a brown background and may contain messages such as: “Your life is a valuable gift from your parents. … Do not keep it. Share your problems. Please, seek help and do not go through this place alone” and the phone number of the Suicide Prevention Association is indicated on the poster.

Those who visit the place with the intention of taking their own lives, go into the forest, through unmarked paths, to abandon themselves and lose themselves. In some hidden place or dense corner in the forest, they give up their lives, either by ingesting drugs or toxic substances or by hanging. Every so often, the police, accompanied by volunteers from the area, organize raids to search for human remains. The degree of decomposition of the dead bodies that are usually found is diverse, depending on the time elapsed since the commission of suicide.Rescuers go into the forest and, if they find a body, they remove it from the forest and transfer it to the police station. It is common for a body to be left unnoticed in the forest for many many years.

We are only at the tip of the Aokigahara Sucide Forest, the place is really vey dense and the air was very still. The trees with roots growing out instead in the soil created some eerie feel here.

We are heading back to Kawaguchiko station, it will be another 30 minutes ride.. Let's talk about bus in Japan.

In Japan, you board the bus from the rear door and alight at the front door where you pay for the fare or show the driver the ticket.
Not to worry if you do not have enough change, there is a coin changing machine attached to the payment machine. The drivers here are very polite and helpful.

Our Late Lunch at Kawaguchiko station

Shaw's Sushi Bar & Dining

Address : 3632-7, Fujikawaguchiko, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi 401-0301, Japan.

The menu here is very expensive.

We ordered the simpliest Teriyaki Chicken rice at JPY2500.

The portion is very big and it is very delicous therfore it is worthed the high price!

Sun already went down. It's getting dark, time to go back pack our bags to jump town.

Our last shot at Kawaguchiko station.

At Q-STA mall which is attached to Mt Fuji station, there is a viewing deck at level 6 where we took the last look of Mt Fuji here in Yamanashi.

Pringles Claw machine, hahaha I think you can only find it in Japan.

This is another interesting one - Popcorn making machine.

Simple dinner at Mcdonalds which is located opposite our accommodation before going back to pack our luggage.

Bacon and Pork Burger + Teriyaki Chicken Burger - we do not have these on the menu of Singapore's Mcdonald.

Our 7th day is here and it is -2 degrees here but thank to the sun, it made us feels better.

We ask the host to book cab but instead Host come to pick us to bus station. So kind of him.

Last meal in Yamanashi before jumping city.

Back here again to Coffee Saloon because the sandwiches are so yummy.

Heading to Shinjuku now.

There are charging cables attached on our seats.

We have come to end of Yamanashi blog here.

See you at the next blog of Tokyo and Chibai where we explore Doraemon Museum, Narita Aeronatical Science Museum, the fairy tale cave of Kameiwara and a Nissan Skyline specialist shop requested by BF.

Here are the links to my other blogs for our trips to Japan throughout these few years, to know more about what we had done here, you are most welcome to visit them at :