Take a cruise on the "Shiratori Lake" boat and admire the breathtaking view of Mount Fuji

▲Visitors can take the "Shiratori Lake" sightseeing boat on Lake Yamanaka to enjoy the majestic view of Mount Fuji.

Text and photos / Excerpted from "A Scenic Stroll Around Mount Fuji’s Most Spectacular Views," Mountain Culture

Located on the edge of a forest, Yamanashi Prefecture's "Fifth Station of Mount Fuji" is known as the "border between heaven and earth." Due to traffic restrictions in summer and winter, taking a bus from Mt. Fuji Station or Kawaguchiko Station is the best option. Even if you're not there to climb the mountain, you can dine at shops that also serve as mountaineering refuge huts. These shops operate from mid-April to mid-December; or you can write a letter at the simple post office while enjoying the mountain villages, lakeside scenery, and misty landscapes; under the right conditions, visitors might even greet the morning sunrise high in the mountains.

▲ The "Shiratori Lake" boat circumnavigates Lake Yamanaka, the largest of the Five Lakes of Mount Fuji.

For transportation, there is the "Fuji Lake" bus that departs from Mt. Fuji Station, passes through Fujikawaguchiko, goes to Narusawa, and then circles Lake Yamanaka. There is also a bus from Kawaguchiko Station to the "Tenka no Chaya" teahouse featured in Osamu Dazai’s "One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji," offering stunning views along the way up the mountain. Additionally, you’ll find the "Shirasu Udon" noodle shop in Fujikawaguchiko and the "Watanabe Udon" shop in Narusawa. If you have access to a car, you can also go on a udon specialty tour.

▲ Visitors can choose to take the "Shiratori Lake" sightseeing boat to enjoy the spectacular views of Mount Fuji.

Lake Yamanaka Sightseeing Boat

The "Shiratori Lake" (Yamanakako Village), a sightseeing boat that circles Lake Yamanaka — the largest of the Five Lakes of Mount Fuji — was designed by Eiji Mitooka. Passengers can enjoy the magnificent view of Mount Fuji from the boat cruising on the lake. Lake Yamanaka is also famous as the southernmost wintering spot for the whooper swan, a migratory bird.

① 8545-1 Fujisanzan, Narusawa, Minamitsuru District? 0555-72-1355
② 5617 Shimo-Godake, Kamiyoshida, Fujikawaguchiko, Minamitsuru District? 0555-72-1475
③ Narusawa, Minamitsuru District
④ 514 Ueno, Narusawa, Minamitsuru District? 0555-84-2462? 11:00–14:00 (closes when sold out)? Closed Wednesdays
⑤ 1464 Yamanaka, Yamanakako Village, Minamitsuru District? 0555-62-0548
⑥ 506 Hirano, Yamanakako Village, Minamitsuru District? 0555-62-0130? 9:30–16:15 (hours vary by season), December–February (operates during New Year holidays and Diamond Fuji period)
⑦ 506-296 Hirano, Yamanakako Village, Minamitsuru District | Mishima Yukio Literature Museum & Tokutomi Soho Memorial Hall? 0555-20-2655? 10:00–16:30 (open weekends and holidays, closed the next day), closed December 29–January 3, irregular closures (inventory days) ※ Open during Golden Week
⑧ 2739 Kawaguchi, Fujikawaguchiko Town, Minamitsuru District | 0555-76-6659? 9:00–sunset? Open year-round (closed in bad weather)