Easily and fully enjoy the scenery of Mt. Fuji
Mt. Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan and its huge and beautiful appearance has made it symbolic of Japan from other countries. Annually, many climbers go crazy about the sunrise and the scenery that can be viewed from the peak. There are many overseas tourists and in 2013, it was registered as a World Heritage site which has increased the number of visitors from abroad.
There are 4 climbing routes to get up Mt. Fuji. Subashiri is one of those routes and is known as the 2nd-easiest one of the four (the others are the Yoshida, Gotemba and Fujinomiya Routes). Subashiri 5th Station is the starting point for the Subashiri route at an altitude of 2000 meters. It can be accessed by taking the Tozan Bus from Gotemba Station. The small station has 2 shops, a tourist information center and a washroom. The wooded area continuing up to the 7th Station goes along a gentle slope, and if you go off the trail, you can view the sunrise and the shadow of Mt. Fuji from any point of a relatively serene climb. There are mountain cottages so you can fully appreciate Mt. Fuji by staying there and then enjoying the sunrise. Subashiri 5th Station is a place where you can easily take in the changing beauty of the mountain throughout the seasons with spring cherry blossoms, the lush greenery of summer, the fall foliage and the snow scenery during winter.
Enjoying the scenery from Kofuji
There is a tourist spot known as Kofuji about 20 minutes away from Subashiri 5th Station. The small peak has an altitude of 1979 meters, and if you walk on the path to Kofuji, it continues into some sharp ups and downs. It’s not a difficult mountain-climbing trail, but you must be careful to wear sneakers and not stray off the path. Continuing on, you will reach Kofuji. If the weather is favorable, it is a picturesque spot where you can view Lake Yamanaka and the peak of Mt. Fuji.