5 Places To View Mount Fuji

One of the highlights when visiting Tokyo is to see the Japan's icon - the mighty Mount Fuji. Fujisan (富士山) is Japan's tallest mountain at a height of 3,776 metres tall and it is beautiful because of it nearly perfect symmetrical volcanic cone. I was lucky to have spotted the snow-capped Mount Fuji several times during my 14 days trip to Tokyo by Singapore Airlines in late May 2013. Some of the scenic views I've had to pay for and planned for, others were simply caught by full surprise.

Alright, I shall reveal where you can get a glimpse of Mount Fuji.

1. Check into Yamadaya Hotel

Yamadaya hotel is situated near Lake Shoji and has a great view of Mount Fuji right before it. Almost all the rooms can see Mount Fuji when the sky is clear. According to the hotel owner, the best time to watch Mount Fuji is during winter season (Dec - Jan) when sky is blue but the temperature can be freezing cold at minus 10 degrees. How cold is negative degree weather? I can't imagine. But I'll definitely return to Yamadaya Hotel for its authentic and delicious Japanese cuisine and scenic views of lake shoji and Mt. Fuji during Spring or Autumn season.

Price: Room rate for 1 Japanese room with two meals (two persons) - 19,400yen

2. Visit Fuji Shibazakura Festival

It's Shibazakura (Pink Moss or Moss Phlok) blooming season in late April to May. For flower lovers, a visit to Fuji Shibazakura Festival at Fuji Motosuko resort is a must where you will witness about 80,000 blooming red, pink and white flowers filling up 6 acres of land. For crazy flower fanatic like me, I visited the place twice. First time, the place was raining and my mood was foul. I returned to the park the next day and I was rewarded with good weather and a glimpse of Mt. Fuji as a perfect backdrop for the pink moss. Wow… the view was simply stunning.

Price: Entrance fee to Fuji Shibazakura Festival - 500yen per adult

3. Kawaguchiko Bus Station

It is the bus station where you take local buses to visit Fuji Five Lakes like Saiko (西湖, Western Lake), Lake Yamanaka (山中湖), Lake Kawaguchiko (河口湖), Lake Motosu (本栖湖) and Lake Shoji (精進湖). We spotted the cloudy Mount Fuji at the bus station by pure chance.

Price: Free

4. Lake Yamanaka

We moved from Lake Shoji to Lake Yamanaka (山中湖) and stayed in this cozy hostel - Hotorinite Hotel. The hotel owner gave me a free rental bike to ride and I cycled along the Lake Yamanaka in an evening. To my surprise, I saw some white swans resting near the lake and the mysterious silhouette of Mt. Fuji.

Price: Free to visit Lake Yamanaka

5. On the Plane

This has to base on sheer luck. The SQ girl told me that she flies the route from Haneda, Japan to Singapore regularly and out of 10 months, she probably has seen a clear view of Mt. Fuji from the plane once or twice.

Price: Priceless...