For more than two decades, I have been exploring the Mt. Fuji region, and I am drawn to FujiSan – as Winnie The Pooh is to ‘hunny’.  Mt. Fuji, the iconic symbol of Japan, is a must visit region in my opinion, and the most popular places to visit around Fujisan are the Fuji Five Lakes, composed of Yamanakako, Kawaguchiko, Saiko, Shojiko, Motosuko lakes.   To tell the truth, there is a sixth lake, Tanukiko.  The lake is an artificial body of water that was created in 1935 by using a nearby river creating a lake as a reservoir for agricultural use.   The average tourists are herded to Lake Kawaguchiko and some venture to Lake Yamanakako, but the other lakes have limited public transportation making them inaccessible unless you drive or use a taxi which can cost hundreds of dollars, and that cost added to an international flight to Japan, 5-star lodgings, and per diem expenses means that 95%+ of the people visiting Mt. Fuji have an experience limited to two of the Fuji Five Lakes.  On my Mt. Fuji Photography Workshops or any of my Japan photo tour, I never use public transportation because of how limited it is, but some of my colleagues who run on the beaten path photo workshops use it, but even my colleagues comment on how bored they are just making money, from the garden variety of international tourists who stick to the beaten tourist path. 

Annually I run Mt. Fuji photography group workshop tours as well as private photo tours, but my visits to Japan’s iconic peak are not limited to workshops specifically devoted to them.  I also include Mt. Fuji on my annual Cherry Blossom, Autumn Leaves, and my Hokkaido wildlife and landscape photo tours as well.  As I mentioned, I’ve visited it for more than two decades, and since its’ in my back yard I will be visiting it for a few more.  Everyone know the impactful symbol of Japan FujiSan, which is a known locally as a renowned power spot, so I include it in almost all of my Japan photo workshop tours.  When visiting Hokkaido and the birding photo ops including the Shima Enaga (Aegithalos caudatus), Steller’s Sea Eagles (Haliaeetus pelagicus), White-tailed eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla), Blakiston’s Fish Owl (Bubo blakistoni), Red-crowned cranes (Grus japonensis), and others, I feel it’s paramount to introduce the iconic symbol of Japan to visiting photographers.  Even when the project’s focus is in winter with Snow Monkeys (Macaca fuscata) in Nagano or even during my annual cross country Cherry Blossom photo workshop adventure.  Mt. Fuji has been worshipped for over thousands of years, even before this island nation was called Japan, beginning with the First Nation’s People, the Ainu. The Ainu understood Mt. Fuji’s inherent cultural and spiritual value. Mt. Fuji stands almost unchanged for ages except for a few major eruptions changing the view of the volcano, but it still represents something larger and more meaningful than the nation itself. It carries the essence of the people and the natural world. The Ainu know this and lend the appropriate revery to Japan’s iconic peak. Fujisan became a sacred Shinto owned volcano in the year 864 by Fujisan Hongū Sengen Taisha because the powers that be used their faith to interpret the guiding force behind the continuing volume of the lava flow, that lasted for over a week.  Interestingly there were never legal documents giving the shrine ownership of Mt. Fuji from the Japanese government, really it was a handshake agreement and not legally binding.  The 864 lava flow phenomenon created the Aokigahara Forest, The Sea of Trees; it’s a phenomenal, legendary forest that spans two thousand and four hundred hectares across the Northwest base of Mt. Fuji, the trees in the forest grow in volcanic planting pots, as there is no soil in the forest, also there are countless caves throughout.  I highly recommend sticking to the walking paths if you visit the forest or you may never be heard from again, especially if traveling alone, as it’s easy to get turned around in the forest to say nothing of the razor sharp volcanic lava tubes with openings spread out all over the labyrinthine forest.   My recommendations come from over 25 years of personal experience exploring the forest and the Mt. Fuji region. 

First time visitors could spend two years exploring the region, and they still would be lacking the depth of knowledge and experience to share in the regions cultural importance and its part in Japan’s rich history.  As a local professional photography teacher and explorer I’m more than happy to share my experiences and knowledge of the region with friends and participants on my Japan photo workshops. Many locals will tell you Mt. Fuji is a vortex power spot region, and I know the most sacred Zen Buddhist and Shinto Shrines and said to be power spots on in and around Mt. Fuji and the fuji five lakes. 

After moving to Japan, I immersed myself in a cultural and sociological educational cram session, and as an amateur historian, I hold my own with directors and university professors.  But this hasn’t just happened in Japan.  I’ve done the same thing on every continent I’ve set foot on for any real length of time, a global traveler and explorer.  My devotion to learning about culture and history is part of the reason why I am equal parts frustrated and amused by my colleague’s use of part-time tour guides whose expertise in Japanese culture extends about 100 kilometers from their hometown or what they learned during secondary education and on the news. Locals claim that they are ‘Japanese’ and therefore are well-read in their entire nation’s history, climate, and language, but I have found this rarely to be the case.  When first coming to Japan it took me five years to feel comfortable hosting Photography Workshops to learn the lay of the land, but now my workshops include my annual Cross Country Cherry Blossom workshop, an Essence of Autumn Leaves workshop, my most popular Hokkaido, and, of course, my Mt. Fuji photography workshop adventures.  In closing Japans 6,852 islands cover approximately 381,000 square kilometers (147,116 square miles) and measure nearly 3,800 kilometers (2,361 miles) from north to south, with 6,852 islands, it’s not as small as most think, and I have explored several hundred Japanese islands.  Annually I explore a dozens more, often accompanied with private photo tour clients joining me on their Japan adventure of a lifetime.