On the third day of arriving at Mr. Fiji, my friend and I were actually running out of things to do. We decided to consult the Visitor’s Center who recommended us a half-day visit to Oshino Hakkai Ponds. I had no idea what to expect, but based on the name, I guessed it had something to do with ponds. Nonetheless, I would recommend anyone in Mt. Fuji to make a half-day trip at least to see the beautiful sights of Mt. Fuji with eight different ponds. It is a located located between Lake Kawaguchiko and Lake Yamanakako and has developed into a touristy small village with some souvenir shops and local shops selling delicacies.
Two Different Ways to get to Oshino Hakkai Ponds from Kawaguchiko Visitor’s Center (updated August 2019)
Method 1: Take the Mt. Fuji Heritage Loop Bus, known as the blue-line bus (1030 yen, unlimited rides for 1 day). Note that they only have a limited amount of buses each day. Note there are no unlimited rides for December to February. (map below). Also, this loop bus is operated by another company and has nothing to do with the red/green/blue Kawaguchiko Sightseeing bus. To purchase the loop bus pass, visit the train station (see map below and locate the blue line).
Method 2: Alternatively take the Fujiyoshida/ Oshino/Yamanakako Sightseeing Bus which runs from Kawaguchiko to Oshino Hakkai (green line on the map below)
WHAT TO SEE AT OSHINO HAKKAI
8 Different Ponds
There are a total of 8 different ponds to see at Oshino Hakkai with one of the ponds restriction (admission fee needed). The other 7 ponds are smaller in size, some with great views of Mt. Fuji… others are just.. very plain. Feel free to spend a morning here and stroll around. There are shops to look at as well as fruit stalls.
Mt. Fuji Views
Expect to come across from awesome views of Mt. Fuji. Go see something similar to the photo below it involves walking away from the village. It’s not difficult to find this spot, if you go “pond searching” you will come across this area.
Thatched Houses
These houses are everywhere at the Oshino Hakkai village. Most of these thatched houses are small shops that are either selling some form of souvenir or the other. Mostly, they involve food- fruit (plenty in this village!), chicken skewers, or other snacks and delicacies. Some houses have a small windmill at the same and are surprisingly in working condition.
Here are some other photos of the small village and what you can expect to see. The weather was beautiful that day. Expect sunny days 90% of the time in Tokyo/Mt. Fuji in January.
WHAT TO EAT AT OSHINO HAKKAI
Oshino Hakkai has become quite a touristy area and many of the shop owners can speak Chinese now. As for a recommendation on where to eat, I didn’t find any restaurant that was particularly amazing. I did stop by the restaurant right across the mill and eat a soba noodle lunch. It was quite delicious actually (Note: the piece of beef isn’t a part of the set. My friend ordered a steak and she gave me a piece)
