Fuji Five Lakes

In the shadow of Mt Fuji: great trips from Tokyo

Mt Fuji may dominate the horizon southwest of Tokyo, but it is just one of many reasons to stray out of Japan’s exciting capital. The prefectures of Kanagawa, Yamanashi and Shizuoka, which surround the famous volcano, offer visitors an intriguing mix of sights and activities.

The charming coastal city of Kamakura on Sagami Bay was the seat of the shogunate and shikken (regency) during the Kamakura period (1185 to 1333), making it Japan’s first feudal capital. Its history is entwined with the proliferation of Buddhism in the country and there are several outstanding temple complexes here, the most famous of which is Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū. Commissioned by Minamoto Yoritomo and dedicated to Hachiman, the god of war, it dates back to 1191. The city was subsequently built around this shrine, and its original 1.8km-long sacred promenade from the sea – Wakamiya Ōji (Young Prince Ave) – is still in place. Once the preserve of shoguns and important dignitaries, Wakamiya Ōji now forms the backbone of the modern street network. As the avenue nears the complex, the central pine-lined core remains pedestrianised and makes for an atmospheric approach. The arched bridge behind the San no Torii gate was also reserved for the shogun, with others (like visitors today) having to cross another. The canal beneath the bridges symbolically links two ponds, which are said to represent two feuding clans during Yoritomo's reign. Although strictly a Shintō shrine since 1868, Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū was also a Buddhist temple for centuries.