6th Day Fujikawaguchiko area

We decided to spend 2 days in Fuji Area for 2 reasons:

1. To have more chances of seeing Mt. Fuji

2. To make most out of it since bus ride is 2 hours one way.

TIPS:

1. Avoid weekends. Visit the area on weekdays to have lesser local tourists. It's not that Japanese are rude, they are actually polite and nice but this is for your enjoyment. Less local tourists, more enjoyment.

2. Purchase bus tickets days before your planned trip. On peak days, buses are full and chances are you will not be able to take the slot you want.

This is where we bought ours. Ticket is 2000 yen per one way. While the child's rate is 1000 yen. https://www.highwaybus.com/gp/inbound/inbPlanList?lineId=110

3. Leave your luggage from where you are staying in Tokyo area. Just bring clothes for your 2nd day in Fuji.

4. Better check-in at a hotel near Kawaguchi station. Why? Kawaguchi station is where the buses and trains are coming from in the Fuji five Lakes area. Also, there are a lot of nearby restaurants and convenience stores.

If you cannot find a hotel near kawaguchi station, you can rent lockers in the train station and leave your bags. You only need your passport, money, camera or phone with you.

Why I advise you not to check in first? Getting and from Kawaguchi station will eat time. Check in procedures also take time, and you don't want to waste your time for this.

Your Fuji tour starts in Shinjuku Expressway Bus terminal.

Head to Shinjuku train station and exit at the new South gate of JR line. You need to get to street level, and cross the road to the building in front. Go to 4th floor for your bus. Arrive early so you will have allowance for getting lost.

Section B (blue) covers Hakone, Shizuoka and Fuji Five Lakes. This is where you should go to when you arrive in the Bus terminal. There's a display board showing the bus number, departure time and your boarding gate. Take note of the gate number and wait near it.

Your bus number is indicated in your ticket. 

We took a bus from Shinjuku going to Kawaguchi Station. 

Bus Fare : Adult 2000 yen , Child 1000 yen 

Upon arriving at the Kawaguchi station, we bought our Fuji Bus Passes. 

Bus Passes : Adult 1500 yen , Child 750 yen

There are 2 buses included in the Fuji bus Pass (2days), the Greenline (Saiko area) and the Redline  (Kawaguchi Area).

The pics posted have their bus stop numbers indicated and arranged according to the Bus Route. Do not be confused of the numbering as they are not in sequence. Please note that bus stop numbers could change in time but the name of the Bus Stop remains. This I learned when reading to old blogs and realized that the bus stop numbers were different.

The Greenline bus circles Lake Saiko and there are stops you won't be passing going back to Kawaguchi station. Please see bus route map in their official Page . Click on the link below:

http://bus-en.fujikyu.co.jp/heritage-tour/detail/id/1/ 

This is the recommended itinerary for 2 days. Note that we wore different clothes on other pics because they were taken the 2nd day when we had a clear mind strategy. The itinerary provided is what we should have taken if we just knew back then. 

Bus intervals are at 30mins.So better have the schedule handy to budget your time. The bus stop has that information as well.

Note that this is still dependent on traffic and volume of people. I've read somewhere that on peak days it could take longer. This is the reason we picked Monday and Tuesday for our Fuji Trip.

Day 1 Fuji Itinerary

Bus stop 48: Iyashi no Sato (Greenline)

Iyashi no Sato  stands on the site of a former farming village on the western shores of Lake Saiko. With thatched roof houses and with the Mt. Fuji as background, this place should be included in your Fujikawaguchi tour. We made this as our first stop as this is 47mins away from Kawaguchi station.

The houses here are all for the tourist's service, there is a noodle house, restaurant and souvenir house. We did not eat our lunch in one of the houses as none of them suit our taste. We head back to that small eating place near the bus stop, serves two purpose : eating while waiting for the bus. 

Total time spent: 2hours

Entrance fee : 350 yen (Adult), 150 yen (Child)

Perfect spot for picture taking.

Tree outside one of the souvenir shops.

Bus stop 49 : Saiko Wild Bird Forest (Greenline) 

This is just a sightseeing bus stop. We only spent 30mins to take pictures, just in time for the next bus to arrive. 

Total time spent: 30mins

Entrance Fee: FREE

Bus stop 51 :  Wind Cave and Ice Cave (Greenline)

Fugaku Wind cave

In the past, this cave was used as a natural storehouse and refrigerator, as the temperature inside stays at a relatively constant zero degrees Celsius throughout the year.

From Wind Cave, you need to walk about 20mins going to the Ice Cave. The trail is part of the Aokigahara Forest (Suicide Forest). Well, if you have the time to read some facts about it and why it has become so popular, google is your friend. Honestly, I got scared on parts when I do not get to see other groups but for most part, I find it enjoyable. Though, I have thoughts on what if we get lost?...what if we get stuck inside? ..lol

Some areas in the forest are dim.

Some are sunny.

You'll see warning signs saying No Entry! 

I do not understand but it seems not a good idea to cross the wire.

Narusawa Ice Cave

Ice cave entrance

Ice cave was more fun than Wind Cave. We did not expect to be having quiet an experience. With all the duck walking and tight spaces. Note that we were required to wear helmets inside. They were provided before getting inside the cave.

The road from the Ice cave going to the bus stop. Must have been 10 to 15mins walk. Once you hit the highway, you turn left to reach the bus stop. 

You have the option to take the forest the same way from which you took going from Wind Cave to Ice cave.  But we just tried this one to see another view. 

Total time spent: 1.5 hr

Entrance  Fee :  (both attraction ) Adult  350 yen , 200 yen Child. 

Bus stop 45 : Bat Cave Bus Stop (Greenline)

This bus stop is for the Bat Cave Attraction. We did not enter the Cave as I saw a sign that says Lake Saiko. It was on our first day and realizing that the view could be promising, we did this on the next day. And true enough, it was worth it. From the bus stop just go to the left and follow the signage. It was a short 2min walk. 

                

      

You'll pass this tree from the Bat Cave Bus stop to Lake Saiko. The Lake Saiko Bus stop (Red Line) is across this. 

Pic taken from the picnic table going back to the road

There's a picnic table you can sit on and relax while enjoying the view. This spot is just so perfect and there not much people here. We had it to ourselves. Pass me the beer or coffee -- I can stay for hours here. 

Total time spent: 30mins (but if we had the choice, we could have spent an hour here)

Entrance  Fee :  FREE 

Bus stop 28 : Shikishima no Matsu (Fuji view hotel) Greenline

I honestly do not know what to see in this bus stop. My friend who visited the fuji area 3 days ago recommended this place. I was hesitant at first when I saw it is a bus stop for the hotel but when I saw the yellow and red leaves, I got excited. 

Just lower your voices to respect the hotel guests. 

Total time spent: 30mins

Entrance  Fee :  FREE 

You can now head back to your hotel to rest after the day's activity you probably deserve a ramen for all that walking.