Kawaguchiko Autumn Adventure Part One

Disclaimer: This trip occurred before the Omicron variant was discovered. COVID-19 health regulations were followed to the best of our ability.

Autumn is my favorite time of year in Japan. It doesn’t have the humidity of summer, the biting chill of winter or the endless sneezing caused by the allergies of spring. Having been cooped up for yet another summer and Silver Week due to COVID-19, my best friend and I decided to get away from Tokyo to view the autumn leaves of Kawaguchiko, Yamanashi.

Kawaguchiko is the second largest of the five lakes that surround Mt. Fuji; a picturesque, quiet town where you can slow down and breathe the fresh clean air, allowing the stunning scenery of red, yellow and brown spotted mountains to invigorate you.

Getting to Kawaguchiko

Travelling to Kawaguchiko can be a 1-day trip from Tokyo, with access provided by highway bus or train. We decided to extend our time by making it a 2-day trip.

For this adventure, we decided to take the highway bus from the newly opened Shinjuku Busta (cue “Ghostbusters” theme) station—also known by its former name “Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal”. A return ticket will set you back ¥4000.

For those who like to carefully schedule their itinerary, it’s useful to know that buses leave every 30 minutes but stop at slightly different stops along the way. You can plan your trip to alight or descend at a stop closer to where you live rather than traveling all the way to Shinjuku. This could come in handy when you’re trying to avoid inevitable traffic jams.

After a pleasant 2-hour journey we arrived at Kawaguchiko station, the final stop for both trains and highway buses. The station has many lockers to store your luggage or omiyage, a souvenir hall, an information desk and a free foot onsen.

Fuji Five Lakes

The Fuji Five Lakes area has a bus service which doubles as a tour bus. There are 5 routes, assigned by colors, which will take you all over the Fuji Five Lakes area. A 2-day ticket will cost ¥1500 for unlimited rides on all 5 routes. This is great value, however, due to COVID-19, travel times have been reduced or updated. The timetables in English have yet to reflect these changes, so you will need to cross reference with the Japanese timetables.

The first buses of the day leave at 9:00am and only run until 6:00pm. Make sure you keep track of your final bus time or you may be stuck until the next day. This is the countryside so transportation services such as taxis or Uber will be difficult to find.

After purchasing our 2-day bus passes we caught the red line bus to our hotel to drop off our bags and begin exploring the beauty of Lake Kawaguchi and the autumn leaf covered mountains.

The first stop on our list was The Mount Fuji Panoramic Ropeway. A return ticket will cost ¥900 per adult but you do have the option of hiking one or both directions.

Try to go as early as possible in the day for the clearest view of Mt. Fuji. As the day heats up, clouds often form which obstruct the view. If you’ve never seen Mt. Fuji up close before, this is one of the best places in Japan to witness her awe-inspiring beauty.

Unfortunately for us, the clouds had already hidden Mt. Fuji, but we were able to get a lovely view of the area looking at the lakes and town below.

We then decided to walk around the lake and try to find a restaurant to try houtou—the famous local noodle dish. Houtou are like a flatter udon-style noodle in a hearty vegetable broth full of pumpkins and potatoes. It makes a perfect warming meal in the cooler months. The lunch set we chose included a tempura rice bowl, miso soup, pickles and salad for ¥2250.

Fujikawaguchiko Autumn Leaves Festival

Looking for a bit of exercise after a fulfilling lunch, we headed towards the Fujikawaguchiko Autumn Leaves Festival site. From mid-to-late November you can view the stunning momiji (Japanese maple leaves) which surround the lakes. There is also a momiji tunnel (also known as the Maple Corridor) made from over 2000 maple trees.

As the leaves fall, they create what appears to be a red stream. When the sun goes down (which can be as early as 4:30pm in autumn), the maple leaves are illuminated which adds a majestic, Christmas feel to the event.

Kawaguchiko Craft Park and Play

The sun was still up by the time we reached the festival so we decided to spend some time participating in local craft making at Kawaguchiko Craft Park and Play.

The crafts available are accessible to curious crafters of all levels, great for artists and non-artists alike. The craft(s) you make will also double as a unique souvenir. For those not craft minded, you can also experience bouldering, ninja shuriken (throwing stars), ninja cooking and mochi pounding.

If the weather has turned bad or you just need a break from the festival, this shop is a great place to recharge. A list of craft and play experiences are listed on the Kawaguchiko Craft Park and Play website.

Kawaguchiko Craft Park and Play
3118 Kawaguchi, Fujikawaguchiko Town, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi Prefecture 401-0304
0555-20-4123
9:30am-17:00pm
*Reception hours vary depending on the experience.

My friend and I decided to try sandblasting. We each bought a glass for around ¥2500 and were taught how to create and transfer a design to be sandblasted.

The teacher spoke only in Japanese but as this was a practical demonstration, it was easy to follow. We were also given written instructions in English. The craft itself wasn’t difficult, but it did take a good 90 minutes to complete. Regardless, I am still very happy with the souvenir I created to commemorate this trip.

After the craft experience we headed to the Momiji Tunnel. Be warned, it was packed with people, so you will have zero chance of getting a selfie without strangers in the shot. I recommend going to enjoy the festival food and local crafts, but if photography is your thing, you’ll have a better chance taking pictures of the illuminated trees along the lake or streets.

Time had gotten away from us and the last bus was running late, so we decided to trek back to our hotel on foot, enjoying the town’s lights reflecting on the lake. 

Dino Diner

Due to COVID-19 and our hotel’s location, dinner choices were limited. There is no Uber Eats, so you will need to plan ahead.

After a quick Google search we came across Dino Diner, an American-style diner only a 10-minute walk from our hotel. If you are intrigued by Americana, this is the place for you. Every inch of this diner is covered with American knickknacks collected over decades. It is definitely a labor of love. As the name suggests, this diner specializes in American diner food such as hamburgers. No complaints of food quality or flavor which were amazing, but the real reason to come here is for the décor.

Dino Diner
1167 Kodachi, Fujikawaguchiko, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi 401-0302
0555-73-8242

Tired but full, we walked back to the hotel for a well deserved rest. I enjoyed the hotel’s onsen, which was filled with mineral-rich water pumped directly from the volcanic source and then slept as soon as my head hit the pillow, dreaming that I might get a clear view of the shy mountain of Fuji the next day.