Lakes · Yamanashi
Fuji Five Lakes
富士五湖ふじごこFuji GokoFive lava-dammed lakes at the northern foot of Mount Fuji
The Fuji Five Lakes (Fuji Goko) are Yamanaka, Kawaguchi, Sai, Shoji and Motosu, five lakes strung along the northern foot of Mount Fuji in Yamanashi Prefecture. Formed where lava flows dammed valleys, all five are components of the Fujisan World Heritage property and classic viewpoints of the mountain.
Overview
The Fuji Five Lakes form an arc of about 30 kilometres around the northern foot of Mount Fuji, from Yamanaka-ko in the east to Motosu-ko in the west. They lie at elevations between about 830 and 980 metres, in the village of Yamanakako, the town of Fujikawaguchiko and, at Motosu, partly in Minobu.
Each lake has its own character. Yamanaka-ko is the largest and highest, shallow and popular for water sports. Kawaguchi-ko is the most developed, with hot-spring hotels, museums and the classic view of Fuji across the water. Sai-ko, Shōji-ko and Motosu-ko lie in quieter surroundings on the edge of the Aokigahara forest; Motosu-ko's view of Fuji appeared on the reverse of the 5,000-yen and 1,000-yen notes of earlier series.
In 2013 all five lakes were inscribed as components of the World Heritage property 'Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration' – as places of ritual purification for pilgrims and as viewpoints that shaped the image of Fuji in art.
Landscape and formation
The lakes formed where lava flows from Fuji blocked valleys draining the Misaka and Tenshi mountains to the north. The most recent reshaping came with the Jōgan eruption of 864, when the Aokigahara lava flow poured into a larger lake called Senoumi and divided it into today's Sai-ko and Shōji-ko. Sai-ko, Shōji-ko and Motosu-ko are thought to be connected underground and share almost the same water level of about 900 metres.
The lava plateau of Aokigahara, covered in dense forest, contains lava tubes and caves such as the Fugaku Wind Cave and the Narusawa Ice Cave.
Highlights
Yamanaka-ko
山中湖Yamanaka-koLargest and highest of the five, near the Kagosaka Pass; known for 'Diamond Fuji' when the sun sets on the summit in winter.
- 河口湖Kawaguchi-ko
The main resort lake, with Ōishi Park on the north shore and a ropeway to the Tenjō-yama viewpoint.
Sai-ko
西湖Sai-koQuiet lake bordering Aokigahara, where the kunimasu salmon lost from Lake Tazawa was found surviving in 2010.
Shōji-ko
精進湖Shōji-koThe smallest lake, known for the 'Kodaki Fuji' view in which the hill Ōmuro-yama appears cradled by Fuji.
Motosu-ko
本栖湖Motosu-koThe deepest and clearest lake, source of the Fuji view on the reverse of earlier 5,000-yen and 1,000-yen notes.
Aokigahara
青木ヶ原樹海Aokigahara JukaiForest on the 864 lava flow between Sai-ko and Motosu-ko, with lava caves and marked nature trails.
Ecology
The lakes are relatively young and support mostly introduced fish, including black bass, smelt and trout. Sai-ko is of special interest for its population of kunimasu, a salmon endemic to Lake Tazawa and presumed extinct until its rediscovery. Whooper and mute swans live on Yamanaka-ko. The Aokigahara forest of hemlock, cypress and moss grows on thin soil over lava.
Flora
Aokigahara forest
Hemlock, Japanese cypress and dense moss cover on the young lava plateau.
Moss phlox fields
芝桜shibazakuraPlanted fields near Motosu-ko form a pink carpet below Fuji in spring.
Fauna
- クニマスkunimasu
Black kokanee originally endemic to Lake Tazawa, surviving in Sai-ko from eggs transferred in the 1930s.
Swans
A resident group of swans is a familiar sight on Yamanaka-ko.
Culture
Before climbing Fuji, pilgrims of the Fuji-kō confraternities performed purification rites at sacred waters around the mountain – a circuit of eight lakes and ponds (Fuji Hakkai) that included the five lakes. Their reflections of Fuji – the 'upside-down Fuji' (sakasa-Fuji) – became a theme of woodblock prints and photography.
Sakasa-Fuji
逆さ富士sakasa-FujiThe mirror image of Fuji in still water, best seen on calm mornings at Kawaguchi-ko and Motosu-ko.
Kohan no Haru
湖畔の春Kohan no HaruOkada Kōyō's 1935 photograph of Fuji from Motosu-ko, the model for the banknote image.
Kitaguchi Hongū Fuji Sengen Shrine
北口本宮冨士浅間神社Kitaguchi Hongū Fuji Sengen JinjaTraditional starting point of the Yoshida climbing route in Fujiyoshida, near Yamanaka-ko and Kawaguchi-ko.
History
864
The Jōgan eruption's Aokigahara lava flow divides Senoumi into Sai-ko and Shōji-ko.
1935
Okada Kōyō photographs Fuji from Motosu-ko; the image later appears on the 5,000-yen (1984) and 1,000-yen (2004) notes.
1936
Fuji-Hakone National Park is designated, including the five lakes.
1966
A typhoon-triggered landslide destroys the village of Nenba on Sai-ko; it is later rebuilt as an open-air museum.
2010
Kunimasu are confirmed in Sai-ko.
2013
The five lakes are inscribed as part of the Fujisan World Heritage property.
Through the seasons
Spring
Cherry blossom at Kawaguchi-ko in April; moss phlox near Motosu-ko from mid-April into May.
Summer
Fuji is often hidden by haze; water sports, camping and fireworks over Kawaguchi-ko.
Autumn
Maple corridors on the north shore of Kawaguchi-ko colour in early to mid-November.
Winter
The clearest views of snow-capped Fuji; Diamond Fuji at Yamanaka-ko and an ice festival at Sai-ko.
Routes and trails
Aokigahara nature trails
Marked trails through the lava forest between the Fugaku Wind Cave, the Narusawa Ice Cave and Sai-ko.
Mount Kachikachi ropeway
Short ropeway from Kawaguchi-ko to the Tenjō-yama viewpoint, with a trail continuing along the ridge.
Fuji Five Lakes by bus
Retro buses and local bus lines connect the lake shores from Kawaguchiko Station.
Practical notes
- Kawaguchiko Station, the terminus of the Fuji Kyūkō Line from Ōtsuki, is the main gateway; direct express buses run from Tokyo (Shinjuku) in about two hours.
- Fuji is most often visible in the early morning and in the colder months.
- The area can be crowded at weekends and in holiday periods; conduct and parking rules apply at popular viewpoints.
- Stay on marked paths in Aokigahara; the forest is easy to get lost in off-trail.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Fuji Five Lakes?
Yamanaka-ko, Kawaguchi-ko, Sai-ko, Shōji-ko and Motosu-ko, five lakes at the northern foot of Mount Fuji in Yamanashi Prefecture.
Which Fuji lake has the best view of Mount Fuji?
Kawaguchi-ko is the most accessible; Motosu-ko gives the view once shown on Japanese banknotes, and Yamanaka-ko is closest to the mountain.
Are the Fuji Five Lakes part of the World Heritage site?
Yes. All five were inscribed in 2013 as components of 'Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration'.
How do you get to the Fuji Five Lakes from Tokyo?
By express bus from Shinjuku to Kawaguchi-ko in about two hours, or by train via Ōtsuki and the Fuji Kyūkō Line.
When is Mount Fuji most visible?
From late autumn to early spring, especially in the early morning; in summer it is often hidden by cloud.
Related
Sources
- 1.Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration (opens in a new tab) — UNESCO World Heritage Centre
- 2.富士箱根伊豆国立公園 (opens in a new tab) — 環境省
- 3.山梨県 (opens in a new tab) — 山梨県
- 4.統計FAQ 日本の湖沼の面積 (opens in a new tab) — 総務省統計局