Cely 完美的一天

Yokoso Japan – Mt Fuji

Before even going Japan, I’ve pre-paid a land tour to Mount Fuji (the highest mountain in Japan) via viator.com. It’s one of our itineraries for the Tokyo trip. I am not too sure about the price comparison as I never do comparison with other agents.

I run through the schedule details, they were interesting especially the bullet train! Imagine 300km/h!

After the Tokyo Disneyland and Disneysea trip, we went to Mt Fuji.

We gotto reach to the meeting point Hamamatsucho Bus Terminal by 9am. We will be taking bus straight to the Mt Fuji 5th Station. The highest point we can reach without climbing.

The bus started right on time. There were mostly western people joined the same tour with us. I think we were the only Asian in the bus.

According to the English speaking tour guide, the journey to 5th Station Mt Fuji will take approximately 2 hours. It was after 90 minutes bus ride, they stop us at the Fuji Visitor Center for toilet break.

A simple map at the Fuji Visitor Center.

He is our English Speaking tour guide – Sasaki San. He likes to smile. He is nice. But I can’t catch what he is talking at all. I tried to pay attention to what he is trying to say, I managed to catch a few words. He was being very nice to explain the volcanoes, the culture, and some Japan stories which I did not pay attention. He did a lot of talking during the bus journey. As Kelvin, our Hokkaido tour guide said before, it’s not easy to be a tour guide in Japan. They gotto keep taking test/exams, keep themselves updates every single year. If they fail the exam for that year, they are not allow to bring tour.This is how strict and professional they all.

I salute them.

After another 40 minutes, we finally reach the 5th Station Mt Fuji. Our tour guide told us it was snowing at 5th Station the day before. Ahhh, I missed the snow!

The Mt Fuji with snow cap! According to the tour guide, he said we were lucky to see snow cap. Well, I thought it’s pretty normal to see Mt Fuji with snow cap.

It was not too cold in the morning. It never cross my mind that it will be freezing cold at 5th Station. It was windy as well. It was even colder than the Disneyland night. Both of us start shivering once step out from the bus.

We walked around and saw one shrine.

The beautiful view from higher point of shrine.

So many wishes.

Wishes board?

A typical shrine. Next to it, staircase to higher point overlooking the mountain and lake view.

Now only I noticed my nose a bit red. Because it’s very very very cold! I kept shivering.

A different angle to see Mt Fuji.

SNOW! My first time to see snow. A bit excited although it’s not really snowing. It’s just something left over from yesterday. More look like ice.

A souvenir shop. We kept ourselves warm by hiding and walking inside.

Can’t stop taking photos of the Mt Fuji.

After camwhoring with Mt Fuji at the nearest point for about 35 minutes, we were told to get back to bus and head for lunch. I’ve opt for tour with meal when I made my payment. We were having lunch at Highland Resort. It was next to a famous amusement park – Fuji-Q Highland.

It was another 30 minutes journey to go to the hotel for lunch. A Japanese style lunch.

The lunch did look appetizing.

We have variety of food (kariage chicken, toufu, scallop, egg, orange, salmon sashimi etc) with a bowl of rice next to it, and of coz the miso soup and Japanese green tea. The whole meal looks very little but quite filling.

Outside the hotel, we saw amazing view of Mt Fuji! Can’t help to snap a lot of photos. Trying with different mode.

Different pose.

Another pose.

Zooming in.

Next destination in our schedule, the Lake Ashi.

Sasaki San distribute the origami to everyone and teach us how to make Mt Fuji. He is really cute. Entertain everyone, trying very hard to explain to us. I am not sure how many people is paying attention to what he has to say.

The view along the journey.

Finally, Lake Ashi!

We took a ferry ride across the Lake Ashi. It brought us to Mt Komagatake cableway where we can see Mt Fuji at another point.

According to the staff at cableway, the cable car can fit in 80 Japanese (yes, he said Japanese). In my opinion, the cable is not very big, how can it be possible to fit in so many people. Hongkiat was a bit paranoid because the angmohs quite big size, what if the car can’t hold the weight? Haha. The staff there very confident and squeezed everyone in.

During the cable car ride, we saw beautiful autumn-ly leaves/trees.

Finally we reach to the top. We can see Mt Fuji at another side.

Again, it’s very windy. It was not that cold compare to 5th Station but still cold!

We asked some tourist to help take photo. Quite a failure. Very disappointing.

I tried to camwhore myself. (I miss my long hair suddenly, the smooth and silky hair, Haha)

We got back to the start point after 20 minutes. Because the station is closing soon. No wonder the tour guide does not allow us to stay longer at 5th station and lunch.

I bought a cute pooh bear soft toy at the souvenir shop.

Sasaki taught us another trick, do the hat with origami. Even gave out the instruction paper.

Very soon, we end our Mt Fuji tour by taking Shinkansen Bullet Train back to Tokyo. It save us a lot of time. at least 1.5 hours.

You gotto feel the fast-ness of this bullet train by standing at the platform. Feel the wind. As you can see how long is the platform from the above photos, it took only 9 seconds for the bullet train to pass by the station. The train came by silently, when I realised it is coming, I took out my camera, on it and turn it to video mode try to record the train pass by, guess what, I MISSED THE TRAIN. Oh, don’t worry, it’s not the train that is suppose to take me back to Tokyo. It was a train that pass by the station.

When we sit in the train, honestly, I couldn’t tell how fast it is. I saw the scenery keep changing but can’t feel how fast. But the train move very stable and quiet.

Something interesting, they have smoking area in the train. A lot of people have their meals on board. Save time for breakfast/lunch/dinner when they travel to/from work.

Overall, I am quite satisfied with the tour. If I were to do this whole tour by myself, I might not be able to go so many places in 1 day. I am glad that we opt the land tour. It was fun to do sightseeing like this. It might be expensive, but save time and hassle on traveling. :)

I guess I will finally compose my shopping tour next. Let’s see how.