Page 30 - Photo Review

LOCATIONS

‘Most visitors taking photos. Together, two 'retro' buses cover restaurants, souvenir shops and food vendors
most of the lakes and stop at the main tourist
around the ponds which sell vegetables,
attractions including Kachikachiyama Ropeway, sweets, pickles, crafts and other local products.
will want Lake Kawaguchi Museum, Lake Kawaguchi There's also a small open-air museum with a
Sightseeing Boat, Saiko Iyashi-no-sato Nenba traditional thatched roof farmhouse. Good views
great shots of reconstructed traditional village and the Music of Mount Fuji can be obtained on a clear day.
Box Forest. The Fujisan Fujigoko Passport is available at
Mount Fuji and, Lake Kawaguchiko with about four buses an hour. the Kawaguchiko and Fujisan and several other
The 'red' line goes along the north and east of
stations and the Asashigaoka/Yamanakako bus
while there are The slightly less frequent 'green' line operates stop. It provides unlimited use of Fujikyu buses
around the Fuji Five Lakeson two consecutive
along the southern side of Kawaguchiko and
circles around Saiko, taking in the Aokigahara calendar days and includes the retro buses
plenty of places forest and Wind Cave. You can purchase two-day and the Fujikko bus. Two versions are available:
passes for 1200 yen, which allow unlimited travel one that also includes the entire Fujikyu
that provide on both buses from Kawaguchiko station. Railway Line (3550 yen) and one that includes
If you want to visit Lake Shojiko and Lake Fujikyu trains only between Kawaguchiko and
excellent views Motosuko you must take the 'blue' line bus, Shimoyoshida Station (2550 yen).
which terminates at the Motosuko Tourist
the mountain Information Centre. A two-day ticket costs Gear to take
1500 yen and covers all three bus lines.
Travel light for maximum mobility and
To visit Lake Yamanakako from Kawaguchiko ÁH[LELOLW\ SDUWLFXODUO\ LI \RXU WLPH LV OLPLWHG
may not you must take the Kawaguchiko-Gotemba- We'd recommend taking one camera plus a lens
Mishima Line. The one way ride takes with a moderate zoom range. The illustrations
co-operate.’ about 30 minutes and costs around 630 yen. for this feature were captured with an Olympus
There are also Fujikko tourist buses which
20 ' ( 0 ,, FDPHUD ÀWWHG ZLWK WKH 0 =XLNR
depart from Fujisan Station and make an ED 12-100mm f/4.0 IS PRO lens, which we
entire circle around Lake Yamanakako. A two- consider the ideal travel kit.
day pass is available for 1340 yen. $Q DOWHUQDWLYH RSWLRQ ZRXOG EH D À[HG OHQV
Between Fujisan Station and Lake Yamanakako camera with a similar zoom range. While it might
is Oshino Hakkai, a village centred on eight ponds, be tempting to choose an ultra-zoom model,
which are fed by melt snow from the slopes of unless you're a keen birder (and there aren't many
Mount Fuji. The clear spring water is revered by birds to photograph in the area) the compromises
the locals and the area becomes crowded with you must make in lens speed and portability
visitors on most weekends. There are many simply aren't worth making.

Kawaguchiko railway station is the main departure point for all the local bus and train services as well as the terminus
for the highway buses from Tokyo. The summit of Mount Fuji can be seen clearly behind the station building.

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