May 29, 2021
Lake Kawaguchiko is one of the popular tourist spot around Mt. Fuji, because it has many beautiful spots. It was actually a long time ago when we brought our MTB to cycle around there, but there were some favorite places that I still remember now, so I dig into my old photos to make this album. I would like to introduce to you some of my most favorite places. They are not very well-known, but absolutely stunning and mind-blowing.
Kawaguchi Asama Shrine has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2013, because there are seven Japan cedars in the the ground of the Shrine. All of them are over 1,200 year old, and over 40 meters tall. Two of them even have connected roots. In front of these ancient cedars, we looked tiny.
The Shrine is built among many ancient trees. It was very quiet, not busy and crowded like other shrines, which made it more heavenly. We could enjoy the old building and ancient trees around in peace.
When you walked up some stairs and little trail between the woods, you would come to some traditional red gates. One of them is right in front of Mt. Fuji. It looks so perfect! Also, around the Shrine, there were some quiet trails and waterfall!
I like this ancient Shrine so much. It is so special. A monk at this Shrine even gave me a lucky charm that I still keep in my wallet. Inside this charm, there is a piece of No.7 cedar, which is over 1,200 year old!
Handmade Wooden Model Workshop
Nearby Kawaguchi Asamajinja, there is a little handmade wooden model workshop, which is hard to miss! The name of the workshop is just that, only written in Japanese. However, there is a Japanese Zero plane parked at the garden of this workshop. Therefore, I said you cannot miss it!
The Japanese Zero plane was so realistic that I really thought it was a real old plane at that time! Only when I read other people’s posts that I realized it was a wooden model too!
The workshop was closed at that time, so I couldn’t look inside, but according to other people’s posts, the owner was an elder man who wanted to be a pilot of Zero plane during the war, so later he started the hobby of creating wooden models of various warplanes and warships. This Zero plane was a 1:1 model that he handmade. It is so fascinating.
At last, if you have chance to visit around Mt. Fuji, please remember to try a bowl of Hodo! Hodo is miso soup udon with meat, pumpkin and other vegetables inside, popular in the Yamanashi prefecture.
