Must-see attractions in Fuji Five Lakes

Fuji-san is among Japan's most revered and timeless attractions, the inspiration for generations of poets and the focus of countless artworks. Hundreds of…

A necessary preliminary to the Mt Fuji ascent is a visit to this atmospheric shrine (8th century, rebuilt 1800s) dedicated to Sakuya-hime, the goddess of…

Fuji-Yoshida's oshi-no-ie (pilgrims' inns) have served visitors to the mountain since the days when climbing Mt Fuji was a pilgrimage rather than a…

In a Gaudí-influenced building above the lake, this charming museum displays the kimono art of Kubota Itchiku (1917–2003). You might see Mt Fuji in the…

On a serene wooded hillside facing Mt Fuji is this faithful re-creation of a peasant village that was washed away by a landslide in 1966. Visitors can…

Despite being known as the Bat Cave, this 350m-long complex has neither bats nor caped crusaders. Nevertheless, it's still fun to scramble over the…

A symbol of Mt Fuji worship, this gate was first constructed in 1788 (though the present one dates to 1955), and in clear weather frames picture-postcard…

The flashy South Hall of this visitor centre has imaginative, interactive displays detailing the spiritual and geological history of the mountain, as well…

One of the classic Fuji postcard views has this five-tiered red pagoda in the foreground surrounded by cherry blossoms. It's actually a war memorial,…

Not for the claustrophobic, the Narusawa Hyōketsu (ice cave) was formed by lava flows from an eruption of Mt Fuji in 864. It takes about 10 minutes to…

The Wind Cave (also known as the Lava Cave) was used to store silk-worm cocoons in the past. Getting a combination ticket for this and Narusawa Hyōketsu…

Should the weather thwart your chances of seeing the real thing, this contemporary gallery space contains a fine collection of Mt Fuji paintings by…

This small-scale brewery has been producing sake using Mt Fuji spring water for 21 generations. Tours (9.30am and 3pm; 40 minutes) provide a fascinating…

There are good views of Mt Fuji from this lookout building, especially popular in autumn when the Aokigahara Forest is a sea of red. It's a 30-minute walk…