Ever since it was registered as a World Heritage Site, Mt Fuji’s popularity has been increasing. You’d think the winter is off-season, but it’s in fact the best time to see the snow-covered Mt Fuji. Of course, you’d prefer to avoid the cold and wait for the morning or evening sun inside your car. I will introduce some great spots for taking photos of Mt Fuji which will easily make you feel like a nature photographer.
A quiet observatory with a beautiful panorama to Mt Fuji’s mountain foot and the surrounding fields
This place is Ashigara Pass, located on the border of Kanagawa and Shizuoka prefectures. From there you can enjoy a great panoramic view of Gotemba, Suruga-oyama’s fields and the beautiful Mt Fuji. The pass is part of a park, so on warm days you can even bask in the sun. The road from Kanagawa’s side was under renovation for years, but now there are two traffic lines and driving is safe. From Shizuoka’s side the renovation works are still continuing, but the road is good and safe too. When you descend from Shizuoka’s side you will encounter an “oath bell” and a monument of popular historical novelist Jiro Nitta called “The Oath Hill”.
Lake Yamanaka’s panorama observatory is popular among photography fans, you can even see the Southern Alps
This place is quite popular among photography fans, but many others don’t know about it. Drive from Lake Yamanaka’s Hirano shore through Mikuni Pass to the way that leads to Suruga-oyama and midway you will see a small parking lot with an observatory. From there you will enjoy the view of Lake Yamanaka, Mt Fuji to the left and the Southern Alps in the distance. It’s one of the best observatory spots around Fuji Five Lakes. However be aware that the road near Mikuni Pass is often frozen over in the winter, so avoid the time right after a snowfall, drive up to the observatory and then turn back to Lake Yamanaka.
If you’re lucky you might see the reflection of Mt Fuji from Lake Yamanaka’s northern shore
The so-called Marimo Road goes along the northern shore of Lake Yamanaka. There you will find the parking lot of Nagaike-Shinsui Park with a panoramic view to Lake Yamanaka and Mt Fuji. This parking lot is free so you can park your car facing Mt Fuji and enjoy the view from your seat. The morning glow feels like you’re in a giant cinema. When the lake water is calm you might even see the perfect reverse reflection of Mt Fuji on the surface.
A little known but great observatory nestled along Route 137 which links Fuji Five Lakes with Kofu Basin
This is an observatory along National Route 137. It’s a rather small and hidden observatory at a part of the road where cars run with high speed, so it’s easy to miss if you don’t check the exact place in advance. You will see Lake Kawaguchi’s town and Mt Fuji rising beyond the forested hills in what often looks like a three-dimensional fiesta.
Another little known good spot is the observatory at Futaba service area on Chuo Highway
It’s right inside the grounds of the service area, but most people stop here mainly for shopping and eating so they often ignore it. But a picture is worth a thousand words, so climb up and see for yourself. You will see clearly not only Mt Fuji, but also Kofu city, Mt Kai-Komagatake and Mt Yatsugatake. The observatory is at the outbound line of Chuo Highway but you can reach it on foot also from the inbound line.
Other good locations for using a tripod is at Mt Fuji’s southern side
The spots I introduced are mainly on the eastern and northern side of Mt Fuji, but there are plenty of great and easily accessible observatories on the west side too, such as near Asagari Kogen and Omote-Fuji. I will write about them during the other seasons.
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