LAKE KAWAGUCHIKO, JAPAN —We rush across the busy intersection opposite Tokyo Station and scamper down a street lined with glass and steel towers hoping we haven’t missed the tour bus to Fujisan, better known to westerners as Mt. Fuji.
Out of breath, we bolt through the door of the hotel from where the bus departs and are glad to see a large number of tourists still milling about. Phew! We’ve arrived in time.
A tiny women soon appears holding a tea towel-sized red flag at the end of a thin pole and instructs us to follow her to the waiting coach.
“I will carry this banner high all day so you can easily find me in the crowds,” says the diminutive Sakura as we settle into our immaculate seats.
“Oh, and if you are wondering,” she continues, “my name means ‘cherry blossom’ and it’s among the most popular names (for girls) in Japan.”

Above: The lack of snow late in the year these days has experts worried that Mt. Fuji may be ready to erupt.

After a few more instructions and a head count of the passengers, Sakura orders the driver to close the door and we begin the 100km drive to Japan’s most popular tourist attraction.
The quickest way to get to Fujisan from Tokyo is by Shinkansen (bullet train) — it takes about 30 minutes (then an another 30 minutes on local buses) — but most tourists opt for the longer bus experience — 2.5 hours — because it’s cheaper and includes stops at small towns and places of interest near the treasured volcano.
The driver expertly weaves his gleaming new bus through the traffic-clogged streets of Japan’s beautiful capital, stopping briefly in front of the city’s historic landmarks so passengers can snap a quick picture from their seats.
As we rumble through Tokyo’s Chiyoda District and pass the Imperial Palace’s Sakurada Gate, some passengers plead for the driver to stop so they can get off and take pictures in the early morning sunlight.
Sakura firmly denies their request.
“We have a tight schedule to keep,” she reminds us.
After navigating a spider’s web of highway ramps, we find ourselves on the Chūō Expressway, the main thoroughfare connecting Tokyo with the Mount Fuji area. The road is one of the most travelled in Japan because it cuts through the mountainous prefectures of Kanagawa, Yamanashi, Nagano, and Gifu, where the stunningly beautiful Japanese Alps are located.

Above: Each November parents arrived in the Mt. Fuji area dressed in traditional outfits as part of an annual event.

Not long after entering the freeway, cone-shaped Mt. Fuji, with its gradual slopes and wide skirt silhouetted against a cobalt blue sky comes into view.
Necks crane as Sakura tells her attentive audience the national symbol stands 3,776m at its highest point and is one of the most photographed landmarks in the world. Some, though, feel cheated that the iconic peak is not frosted with snow, as is normally depicted in pictures.
Sakura’s face flushes with concern.
“It is troubling that there is no snow on the peak at this time of year (late November),” says the guide. “There has been less and less snow the past several years and this is concerning to experts because it could mean the volcano may be getting ready to erupt.”
The last time that happened was 1707.
The bus driver veers off the Chūō Expressway at Yamanashi and takes the more scenic Kawaguchiko Route, which leads to Mt. Fuji and the beautiful Fuji Five Lakes area.
We are suddenly surrounded by thick forest and the air is perfumed with the smell of sulphur rising from the area’s many hot springs.

Above: The impressive Shiraito Falls are fed by the runoff from Mt. Fuji.

As we climb into the clouds, the bus shares the tight, winding road with other large coaches and lots of hikers — hundreds of thousands come here from around the world each year to climb Japan’s holy mountain, which was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013.
When we reach Lake Kawaguchiko, Sakura allows us to stretch our legs and soak in the uninterrupted views of Mt. Fuji, which is being magically reflected in the calm water’s of Japan’s second largest lake.
The Kawaguchiko area is a popular weekend retreat for residents of Tokyo because of its remarkable beauty and easy proximity to the capital. Thanks to its bullet train connections, Kawaguchiko is also perfect for day trippers staying in Tokyo.
It’s here you can climb aboard the Mt. Fuji panoramic ropeway (gondola), which glides over the lake and affords passengers breathtaking views of the mountain’s majesty. The Kawaguchiko Music Forest Museum is another popular tourist stop — its rose garden is filled with over 720 varieties and is especially beautiful in June when the flowers are in full bloom.
In recent years, a major draw to Kawaguchiko has been Fuji-Q Highland, an amusement park that’s very popular with millennials. Its three thrilling rollercoasters — Fujiyama, Takabisha and Eejanaika — have all earned Guinness World Record status, and, combined with the park’s giant mazes and haunted houses, provide visitors with an entertaining day of fun.
The paths leading to Lake Kawaguchiko on this day are filled with young families in traditional dress — parents and their children proudly model their lavish hand-made kimonos (for females) and hakamas (males) for the tourists.
“On Nov. 15 each year, children, aged 3, 5 and 7 all across Japan dress up in traditional garments and are taken by their parents and grandparents to shrines to participate in an ancient ceremony called Shichi-go-san,” Sakura informs the group.

Above: The traditional towns near Mt. Fuji feature lovely parks filled with temples and gardens.

Back on the bus, the guide says our final stop will be Shiraito Falls in nearby Shizuoka Prefecture. Located in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, the stunning 200m-wide arc-shaped falls cascade 20m into a picturesque gorge surrounded by thick vegetation.
A narrow path leads us to the base of the natural wonder, which is fed by the underground snowmelt from one of Mt. Fuji’s lava walls. Considered a sacred place in the Fuji cult and protected since 1936, the rapids feature hundreds of large and small falls that tumble into the gorge like silk strings. The sight is only enhanced in the autumn months by the rainbow of fall foliage surrounding the area.
As the bus heads back to Tokyo and Mt. Fuji’s brilliance fades in the window, I’m reminded of the old Japanese proverb: “He who does not climb Mt. Fuji is a fool …”
Well, he who does not visit Mt. Fuji by bus is also a fool.

• Buses to Mt. Fuji leave daily from various locations around Tokyo. The return trip costs about $50 (Cdn) and takes around 5.5 hours.