Mt. Fugi and the incredible roads that lead to it...

Mt. Fugi is a place I have always wanted to see. It stands over 12,000 feet and has a beautiful snow pack at the top...woke up super excited to see it. We took the country roads there, much more to see along the way then the highway. The roads were mixed with small towns with lots of character and picturesque countryside. First stop 7/11. In Japan, 7/11 is more than just a quikie mart....they have great meals. Loaded up on everything from chips to "American dogs" also known as corn dogs in the states. Everything just tastes better here. It's hard to explain unless you try it but the food has so much more flavor...even a corn dog. I just can't get over how great the food is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We stopped several places along the way to take pictures and all of the cherry trees were blooming. The countryside is a good mix of open fields with farmland and huge mountains with so many different breeds of trees all super close together, making it hard to know where one tree ends and another begins. The mountains are steep and the trees even grow on the rim of the mountain.

Fugi was playing hide and seek with us...you would turn a corner and could not see and then bam...there it is again. We got out at a lake...the views were incredible. There was a visitor center and ice cream. The specialty was blueberry ice cream...so stinking gooooooood! Walked along the paths, eating our ice cream and enjoyed the views. The trees lining the lake were cherry blossoms but had not received their blooms yet. I could imagine how georgous it is when the blooms are the foreground to Mt Fugi. ;)

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

We took the drive up Mt Fugi...it was only open to station one. It was so worth it though, you seemed so close that you could reach out your window and touch it. As we were driving, all the sudden we heard music. We realized it was coming from outside and the car was creating the sound. They had carved grooves in the asphlat in a way that when your car drove over it, a song was played. It was awesome. 

We started driving the countryside again and arrived at the spot that turned out to be my favorite. It was a small lake, Lake Saiko pronounced psycho, so you know we were having fun with that name:). It was a small lake with a few people fishing but other than that, we were the only people there. We walked a little further up the hill because Christie has turbo vision and she saw thatched roofs and thought something interesting might be up there. She was right. It was an old village that was on the hillside over looking Fugi. Each house had a roof made out of a straw material and the doors were traditional slider doors. Each hut has turned into a souvioner shop, each having a different theme...pottery, food, silks. The rows of huts are separated by a stream with small waterfalls and a watermill. When we reached the top of the village, there was a perfect view of Fugi framed with the huts surrounding it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

Time to start heading home, this time taking a mountain road home. It reminded me of Tahoe. A rocky stream and tons of pine trees. We have Japanese Curry for dinner, which is delicious, and head back to the house for the night. Japan has stolen my heart...love the environment and people...and so glad I am sharing all this with incredible people.