00:00Towering over Japan at almost 4,000 meters Mount Fuji isn't just a mountain
00:04it's a symbol a bucket list destination and technically an active volcano today
00:10we're taking you on a complete guide to exploring Mount Fuji from the best
00:14lakeside spots to hidden ice caves nostalgic museums and even relaxing
00:19onsens in this video we'll show you everything you need to make your trip to
00:23Mount Fuji unforgettable it's so beautiful my goodness
00:30Oh
01:01Mount Fuji is about a two to three hour drive from Tokyo depending on traffic or you can take
01:07a direct train for a smooth ride straight to the Fuji Five Lakes region. Okay we just parked the RV
01:13at the train station in Fuji Kawaguchiko. We're gonna go for breakfast here this morning. It's
01:18got incredible views of Mount Fuji. Another beautiful bluebird day. Oh I can't believe it.
01:25As you're driving out of Tokyo surprisingly you can see Mount Fuji from very far away.
01:31The pure size of Mount Fuji really shocked us. I didn't think you'd be able to see it like that.
01:39Oh my gosh. That's huge.
01:50It's so beautiful my goodness. We're gonna be so close to it. I didn't know you could get this close.
01:58For our trip we hired a camper van with Tokyo RV campers which gave us the freedom to explore at
02:04our own pace and stay overnight near the lakes. We explored a couple of roadside stations and
02:09eventually settled on Narasuwa Michi no Eki which is a roadside station with surprisingly few crowds.
02:16Okay I think this might be the best place to come if you're traveling with children or even just for
02:23yourself. There's an incredible lookout space here of Mount Fuji and a massive playground with the
02:31backdrop of Mount Fuji. It's so beautiful. Lila's gonna love it. There's it's for all ages. There's
02:39swings here. Oh my gosh. Let me just show you. The campsite had probably the best playground view
02:46of anywhere we've seen in the world. Mount Fuji is right there and there's heaps of restaurants close
02:52by making it a really convenient spot to base yourselves. This is crazy. I didn't think we were
02:58gonna get this clear of a view of Mount Fuji without like fighting a line of other tourists or something
03:05but there's so many different viewpoints that you can see it from. We've got another one for tomorrow
03:10morning that we're gonna catch it at sunrise but like there's no one here and you can just sit here
03:16and not battle with other people to see it. It's incredible. Definitely worth the hype. My goodness like
03:24breathtaking.
03:32One popular activity in Mount Fuji is the cable car ride which offers amazing views of the mountain
03:38and is very very affordable. Surprisingly it's only 1000 yen per adult kids ride for free so that's like
03:47six or seven dollars US to ride it which is really cheap for the view you get. We didn't ride
03:51it this
03:52time because it was a little bit too busy for us. It was on a weekend and there was a
03:56massive line
03:57around the corner but it's a great option if you're looking for a quick panoramic view and if you want
04:02to get some great content of Mount Fuji. Yeah it is something that you can do though and the view
04:07looks
04:07incredible. It also looks like there's a viewpoint up the top so that's just something to consider if you
04:12want to get like a good view of Mount Fuji. Quick tip though try to visit in the morning as
04:17generally
04:17Mount Fuji tends to be in cloud cover towards the later afternoons.
04:31We visited Oishi Park which has seasonal flowers and sweeping views of Lake Kawaguchiko. It's perfect
04:38for a peaceful walk or photos with Fuji in the background. It's overlooking Lake Kawaguchiko.
04:45It's so pretty here like perfect time of year to come. I bet in summer would just be absolutely
04:50amazing. There's also a lot of food vendors like ice cream stores, fried chicken nearby so you can
04:56stop and have a snack along the way. I just meant to put this on like butter and it's ice
05:00cream.
05:02And yes we did ride the swan boats in Lake Kawaguchiko. It's a really fun and relaxing way to enjoy
05:08the
05:08lake while also soaking in the reflection of Mount Fuji and if you have kids it's a great family fun
05:13activity. How's this Lila? It's making like duck sounds. Is that just the pedals making that sound?
05:35It's the rubber on rubber. We're like drifting pretty heavy. Wow this is such an incredible view though.
05:50If you're planning a trip out here to Mount Fuji one thing you'll realize pretty quickly is just how
05:56much you rely on your phone. Whether it's checking train times, finding the best restaurants around
06:02Fuji or even tracking down campgrounds with views like this. Having data makes a huge difference.
06:09Because once you leave Tokyo things get a bit less straightforward. There's fewer signs in English,
06:14more local spots and a lot of moments where you just need to quickly look something up.
06:20Okay we got a little bit distracted and a little bit cocky thinking we like had this all sorted
06:25and we missed an exit. So that's actually why we've been using eSIMs when we travel and on this trip
06:33we've
06:33been using SIM local. It basically means you can land in Japan already connected, no lining up at the
06:39airport, no swapping physical SIM cards, none of that. Everything's absolutely set up before you even
06:45arrive. What we like most about it is that it just works in the background. So you've got data for
06:51maps,
06:51bookings, translations, all that stuff you end up using constantly on a trip like this. And if you're
06:57travelling beyond Japan, they've also got regional plans that work across multiple countries. Which is
07:03what we usually go for when we're moving around a lot. So if you're planning a Japan trip, especially
07:08somewhere like Mount Fuji where you're exploring different areas, having data sorted before you land
07:13makes things way easier. We've left a link for you down below in the description where you'll get 5%
07:19off at checkout.
07:29After exploring the town, you're going to want to stop for something to eat and we found one of the
07:33best ramen diners we've ever been to in our lives called Renge Ramen. Okay, now we're going to head
07:38somewhere nearby that's cozy for dinner. Lloyd found somewhere, we're going to see if it's any good.
07:43And it's about 15 minutes from where we are now sun setting. It's so beautiful. I love it here.
07:50It's a local diner known for its rich, comforting bowls of ramen and it's a perfect refuel after a day
07:56outdoors.
07:57How many ramens is this now, honey? I think I'm at seven or eight. I've had
08:02one meal that I didn't have a ramen.
08:07So we've been really lucky finding great ramen joints in every place with me.
08:15So we're going to have one last ramen here at Mount Fuji and then we're going to hit the road.
08:19Prices were extremely reasonable and the food was absolutely delicious. The service was very quick
08:25and everything was in English as well as Japanese, which made it very easy.
08:37For a bit of a different experience while you're in Mount Fuji, you can also check out the nostalgic
08:42toy museum. It's full of vintage Japanese toys and it's surprisingly fun for both adults and kids.
08:56If you're more on the adventurous side, the ice caves nearby are an absolute must. They're actually
09:01very close to the Michi Noeki where we stayed. Walking through these naturally frozen tunnels
09:06feels like stepping into another world. Absolutely incredible. Unfortunately, our daughter was too
09:11small. You do have to be over the age of six in order to be able to walk through the
09:17ice caves and
09:17that's because everything is extremely narrow and quite slippery. So you cannot carry a child through
09:23the ice caves and there are places that are really tight squeezes where you have to crouch down.
09:28Wow, it's very slippery. I can see why they don't let toddlers in here. You have to be over four
09:34years old and I think a hundred centimeters tall. It's pretty cool though.
09:47Not much room.
10:02Mandy would have hiding this.
10:10Not great if you have claustrophobia either. It's about one meter tall. Crouched down through
10:20this section here. I don't know how long this lasts for either. Entry was very cheap and there
10:27wasn't much of a line at all even on the weekend. And of course after all that exploring don't miss
10:31out on one of the many nearby onsens that offer sweeping views of Mount Fuji. There's honestly
10:37nothing better than soaking in a hot spring while looking at this absolutely epic view in the
10:43distance. And if you're up for the challenge you can hike Mount Fuji yourself. Trails are generally
10:48open during the official climbing season offering a once in a lifetime experience as you ascend the
10:54iconic peak. You can climb up and back in just a few hours. From lakeside strolls and swam boats to
11:00ice caves, nostalgic museums and steaming onsens, Mount Fuji has something for everybody. With
11:05options like trains, camper vans and guided hikes planning your trip has never been easier. Whether
11:10you're chasing adventure or just some peaceful time in nature, Mount Fuji is ready to welcome you. If
11:16you enjoyed this guide hit like and subscribe for more Japan travel tips and tell us in the comments
11:20what's your dream Mount Fuji experience.
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