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  • I’m currently at one of the most  photographed locations in all of  

  • Japan and in this episode I’m going to  show you how and when to get here and  

  • so many other great locations  in this area. Let’s go!  

  • In my last video, we arrived hereat Kawaguchiko station.  

  • If you haven't seen that video, take  a moment to click the card above to  

  • go back and see how we got here. Kawaguchiko station is kind of your main  

  • hub for getting around this area. Inside the station, youll be able to  

  • find connecting transportation to the  many local sites in this area.  

  • In this video, I’m going to take  you to, and show you how to get to,  

  • several of the most popular and most  photographed locations in this area as  

  • well as some insider tips to make the best  of your stay in the Kawaguchiko area.  

  • If youre like me, although it  may be a little more challenging,  

  • you prefer to avoid package tours and do  things on your own schedule and pace.  

  • So this video is going to be focused on this  type of travel. If youre looking for more of a  

  • package tour, there are many companies around  Japan who can assist you with this.  

  • When you first arrive at Kawaguchiko station, I  recommend checking with the tourist information  

  • office. They can direct you regarding the local  travel options such as public and private buses,  

  • as well as train schedules to see the  many sites around the area.  

  • After getting all your information, you can  then decide what fits your style best.  

  • I also recommend staying in the area for at  least two days. That way you can take your time  

  • and absorb the culture and surrounding area. But here’s a free tip from an insider: instead of  

  • staying in Kawaguchiko, I recommend staying in the  neighboring Fujiyoshida area, and here’s why:  

  • While Kawaguchiko is your travel hub for the  area, unfortunately lodging is much more expensive  

  • and everything seems to shut down after 5 pmFujiyoshida, on the other hand, is less expensive  

  • and continues to offer great restaurantsbars, and several after-dark activities.  

  • You can also walk to several of the famous  areas that I’m going to show you today.  

  • So, Let's get to it! Let's go see the  Kawaguchiko area of Mt. Fuji!  

  • We visited the area during the fall Momoji  Festival, and since it was after dark,  

  • we decided to make this our first stop before  heading to our Hostel in Fujiyoshida.  

  • For obvious reasons, the area is famous for  its fall leaf colors and festive atmosphere  

  • during the Momoji Festival.. Cheerful voices, along with the  

  • enticing fragrances of local food trucks  and street food, filled the air.  

  • Of course, everything was delicious and  all at a very reasonable price.  

  • If you visit the festival during the  daytime, you can catch live music and  

  • people enjoying the koyu season. But day  or night, you're sure to have a great  

  • time. If  

  • youre interested in visiting this area  I’ll put a Google pin to it below.  

  • After visiting the Momoji  Festival on Lake Kawaguchiko,  

  • we took the 6 minute train ride to  Mt. Fuji Station in Fujiyoshida.  

  • From there, we took a 5 minute walk to our hostel  and went out for more dining in this area.  

  • We visited a local restaurant called Sakigake  

  • and had a delicious dinner with sushibeer, and local sake! The food and staff  

  • were amazing! I highly recommend trying  it. Check for a link to it below.  

  • After dinner, we retired back to our  Hostel because we had to get up very  

  • early the next morning to do everything  we wanted to do while in the area.  

  • and yes, you guessed it. There's  a link to the Hostel below.  

  • If you want to see a more detailed video of the  Hostel, please check out my previous video.  

  • Since Mt. Fuji is prone to getting quickly  covered by clouds as the day progresses,  

  • we decided to get up before dawn to ensure  we got some amazing photographs.  

  • Yeah, that was another insider tip. Get  out EARLY to get your best photographs  

  • and not have to fight the massive  crowds of other tourists.  

  • Also, as the sun moves west, Mt. Fuji will  become backlit and unless youre a real pro,  

  • itll be difficult to to capture  those amazing colors.  

  • This will be especially important when Sakura  are in bloom during the spring.  

  • Our first stop of the day was a place that  youve probably seen in pictures, but may not  

  • know how to get to. This is the location of some  of the most famous photographs of Mt Fuji.  

  • This is the Famous Honcho Street of FujiyoshidaThis location is NOT advertised and not on any  

  • tour bus stop. So, youre getting an inside scoop  today. I’ll put a Google pin to it below.  

  • Just a short walk from this spot, you'll find the  most photographed location in all of Japan.  

  • Since this is such a popular spot, signage  for finding it is easy to follow.  

  • But I’ll also put a google pin to it below. It’s a good hike up the hill and/or stairs,  

  • so just take your time and don’t overdo  it; especially in the summer months  

  • This is the Famous Chureito Pagoda with Mt. Fuji  in the background. This location is especially  

  • popular when sakura are in bloom. So  again be sure to get here EARLY!  

  • After taking in these amazing views of Mt Fuji,  

  • we decided to actually GO to  Mt. Fuji’s 5th station.  

  • So we made the trek back down to the  bus ticketing office at the Mt. Fuji  

  • train station to buy discounted tickets. You could actually use your Pasmo or Suica  

  • card for this, but youll get a much better  price if you pay for your tickets this way.  

  • The round trip ticket cost just ¥2,300, and  one leg of the trip takes about an hour.  

  • You could also catch the bus from Kawaguchiko  station, but here’s another insider tip!  

  • Since Kawaguchiko station is the 2nd bus stop  on the trip, if you board from Mt. Fuji Station,  

  • you're more likely to have a seat and not  have to stand up during the trip.  

  • The ticketing agent told me that I’ll  catch the bus at 9:30 at stop number  

  • 5. This is just right outside the  office and very easy to find.  

  • As I said, the bus ride to Mt. Fuji takes about  one hour. So, if you took my advice and got a  

  • seat, just sit back and enjoy the views. As I’ve mentioned in other videos,  

  • talking while on Japanese buses and trains  is kept to an absolute minimum.  

  • If you talk loudly, youre sure to stand  out as that obnoxious tourist.  

  • Before you know it, youll be arriving  at Mt. Fuji’s 5th station.  

  • The 5th Station is a small area where you  can buy a few souvenirs, get a bite to eat,  

  • and even send a few postcards from the post office  that has Mt. Fuji’s own unique postmark.  

  • We visited in the fall, before the first snow.  

  • Also be aware that if the weather is unfavorablethe 5th station could actually be closed.  

  • But just take your time, enjoy the views, visit  the shrine and offer a prayer or two.  

  • If youre feeling a little more  adventurous, they even offer  

  • different levels of horseback riding to  fit your budget or adventure level.  

  • And if youre ready to hike to the  summit, you can do that too.  

  • But for us, we had to head back down the mountain  

  • to get to the next stop on our  Kawaguchiko adventure.  

  • The next place well be visiting is the  traditional Japanese village of Saiko-no-Sato  

  • Nenba. I know that’s a big name to remember, so  again, there’s a google pin to it below.  

  • This small village of thatched roof  structures is sure to take you back  

  • in time. Now a world heritage site, it was  originally established over 500 years ago.  

  • If youre ready to experience a full  immersion, you can even suit up in  

  • authentic Samurai armor or kimono. If youre not renting a car, again, the  

  • cheapest and easiest way to get here  is by bus from Kawaguchiko station.  

  • It’s about a 45 minute ride from the  station, and the fare is only ¥710.  

  • There’s a link to the green, redand blue bus schedules below.  

  • After a full day visiting the area, we were very  hungry. This area is famous for Houtou udon. It’s  

  • a flatter and firmer udon, and it’s delicious. So  be sure to try it while youre in the area.  

  • This was a full day and we were ready  for a good night’s rest before wrapping  

  • up this Kawaguchiko excursion the next day.  

  • On our final day, we were sure to wake  up early again to beat the crowds and  

  • catch the best views of Mt. Fuji. Again we took a local bus from Kawaguchiko  

  • station to another traditional Japanese  village called Oshino Hakkai.  

  • This village is famous for its  crystal clear natural spring water,  

  • perfect views of Mt. Fuji, and beautiful  Japanese koi in a natural environment.  

  • As you could expect, there’s always fresh,  

  • hot Japanese treats to enjoy  from local vendors.  

  • So, Check out Oshino Hakkai. And of course,  

  • there’s a google maps pin to  this location below..  

  • Our final stop before heading back  to Tokyo was actually unplanned. And  

  • this is one of the luxuries if youre  able to travel Japan by car.  

  • If you rent a car, youll be able to experience  Japan and its culture like a local. You can go  

  • places and see things that most touriststrains, and tours will never reach.  

  • As we traveled past Lake Yamanakako, we  stumbled upon a lakeside festival with food,  

  • music, drinks, and even made  some new friends.  

  • Experiences like this are the hidden  gems of rural Japanese travel.  

  • We made friends with these fun  ladies from Ukraine who led us  

  • in a traditional Ukrainian toast. As you can see, no matter what your style  

  • or budget is, there’s plenty to  do in the Kawaguchiko area.  

  • We hope you enjoyed this videoand if you found it at all helpful,  

  • please do us a favor and hit that like  button and subscribe to the channel.  

  • Those likes and subscriptions are  what keeps this channel going for  

  • you and those interested in  Discovering Japan.  

  • As AlwaysThanks for watching. Well  see you next time on Discovering Japan.

I’m currently at one of the most  photographed locations in all of  

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