Where To Get The Best View of Mount Fuji

Above, a view of Mount Fuji from a bullet train. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Of all of the eight times I've been to Japan, the only times I've been able to get decent enough views of Mount Fuji were during G-TOUR in 2004 when we were actually on the side of the mountain (at the timberline) and during the fireworks festival at Lake Kawaguchi and during a 2015 shinkansen trip to Kyoto and Osaka.

Above, the top of Mount Fuji from the timberline. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The mountain, during other times, was obscured by cloud cover.

However, Time Out Tokyo has an article on five of the best places to view Mount Fuji.

They begin with:

The highest peak in Japan at 3,776m, Mt Fuji is stunning for its elegant, perfectly symmetrical shape. It is the icon of Japan, one that many tourists want to see on their trip to Tokyo. While it’s possible to get a glimpse of the mountain in the capital – when the weather is super clear – you should travel slightly out of the city to the areas surrounding the mountain for the perfect view. 

Of course, the best is still to go hiking up the mountain in summer from July to September. But if you’re not keen on the physical workout, these five scenic spots in Yamanashi and Kanagawa – easily reachable from Tokyo as a day trip – are your next best bet for a spectacular view of Mt Fuji. Just try to get there early in the morning or late afternoon as the mid-day clouds tend to block the view (especially in the summer).

To read more, go here.