Day 1
About one hour by Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo Station is Shin-Fuji Station, the closest Shinkansen stop to Mt. Fuji. Head first to Mt. Fuji World Heritage Center in the city of Fujinomiya to learn from your guide about Mt. Fuji as an object of worship and a source of artistic inspiration.
The next stop is Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha, which is worshiped out of respect for Asama no Okami, the deity enshrined here to pacify Mt. Fuji, which has erupted numerous times. As Mt. Fuji worship spread, Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha became known as the head shrine of over 1,300 Sengen shrines throughout the country. The mountain’s summit is revered as Asama no Okami’s sacred realm.
For accommodation on this day and the next, stay at an exclusively
reserved Hokusai-themed guesthouse.
Day 2
Join an eco tour with a local guide and learn all about mountain worship, how the Japanese view nature, Mt. Fuji’s cultural significance, and the people who live close to Japan’s iconic mountain.
Before breakfast, visit the serene Shiraito Falls to experience the mystique of Mt. Fuji spring water. After breakfast, take in spectacular views of Mt. Fuji and appreciate the splendor of the Japanese countryside with a stroll through the “satoyama” landscape. Try your hand at ink painting with a “nofude” ink brush in an area believed to have been visited by Hokusai himself. Meet people living in the area and discover a way of life far different to that of Japanese cities.
Day 3
Aokigahara Jukai, a vast forest that covers the northwest foothills of Mt. Fuji, grew out of lava beds that formed after Mt. Fuji erupted in 864, some 1,200 years ago. The whole area was scorched by lava flowing from Mt. Fuji. When the lava eventually cooled, new tree shoots sprouted, bringing regeneration to the forest.
With a local guide, explore the mystical “sea of trees” and lava caves. After a drive along Lake Sai, enjoy a robatayaki Japanese-style barbecue lunch before checking in to a hot spring ryokan on the shores of Lake Kawaguchi, which was created by lava flows from Mt. Fuji. The guestrooms offer spectacular views of Mt. Fuji. Your time is your own from 3 pm, so take a stroll along the shores of the lake and later relax in a hot spring. Spend two nights at this peaceful ryokan far from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Day 4
In the morning, enjoy Canadian canoeing on Lake Kawaguchi. Mt. Fuji viewed from the lake is a particularly splendid sight. Through canoeing, see nature from a different perspective and fully appreciate its energy. The programs offered by the canoe instructors are tailored to individual needs and abilities. Learn also about Katsushika Hokusai, famous for his ukiyoe masterpieces of Mt. Fuji.
Later, lunch on home-style cooking at a restaurant popular among local women. Afterwards, you are free to return to the ryokan to relax. An optional cycling tour is available if relaxing is not your thing.
Day 5
After a stop at Lake Yamanaka, which is famous for its inverted “sakasa Fuji” reflection on the lake’s surface, head to Kirin Fuji Gotemba Distillery. In pursuit of the finest whiskey, the distillery, which has a panoramic view of sacred Mt. Fuji, utilizes Mt. Fuji's underground water in the distilling process. The facility is unusual in that it produces its own malt and grain and handles the entire whiskey-making process, from distilling to bottling, itself. Tour the distillery and be sure to try a few drams along the way. If there’s something you particularly like, pick up a bottle at the distillery store.
After, enjoy a full-course lunch at an acclaimed restaurant that boasts a superb Mt. Fuji vista before checking into a hotel that has views of both Mt. Fuji and the Shinkansen. There are many eateries in the vicinity of the hotel, so use this as an opportunity to dine among boisterous locals at an izakaya.
Day 6
Travel 40 minutes by private vehicle to Hakone, a mountainous town popular among overseas visitors, to join your guide for 12km guided hike along Tokaido Hakone Hachiri. For four centuries, the Tokaido route has linked Japan's current capital of Tokyo with the old capital of Kyoto. Although Hakone Hachiri is a 32-kilometer (20 miles) stretch of the route that is notoriously tough, the tour highlights only one section of this, while offering superb Mt. Fuji views. This part of the road is also where Hiroshige Utagawa created his ukiyoe masterworks.
After dinner at the hotel, consider going out on the town.
Day 7
There are numerous places in the city of Mishima where lava from past Mt. Fuji eruptions can be seen. Today, traces of lava can be found in quiet residential areas. With your guide, who lives locally, visit such places to see. At Ayutsubo Falls on Kise River, view 10-meter-deep (33 feet) bedrock that is made up of several layers of lava that flowed from Mt. Fuji some 10,000 years ago.
Next, head to Warikozukanari Shrine, which stands on a small hill. Here, there are many red torii gates that have been placed among rugged rock fissures. This rock is also lava that flowed from Mt. Fuji 10,000 years ago. It is said that an old fox once lived in this sacred area and would often appear at night.
Your final destination is Kakita River, which boasts the largest amount of spring water in Japan—approximately 1.1 million tons per day. Most of the water here comes from rain and snowmelt from Mt. Fuji. At the nearby Kakitagawa Park, observe the “wakima” spring water pools from which water gushes out all year round. The park is also home to rare fauna and flora, such as plum blossom algae (Ranunculus nipponicus).
Mt. Fuji has been revered since time immemorial, while its grandeur and powerful volcanic eruptions have made it an object of worship and place of spirituality. Moreover, its iconic shape has inspired countless artists, making its almost perfect cone an inimitable source of creativity. In particular are the ukiyoe prints of Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige, who were able to express the beauty of Mt. Fuji to the fullest.
Experience the benefits bestowed upon Japan by Mt. Fuji, which stands alone as an object of faith and a source of artistic inspiration.