Nestled in the northern foothills of Mount Fuji, Fujikawaguchiko is a laid-back resort town and gateway to the Yoshida summit trail. It’s home to a charming musical forest and a textiles museum where exquisite kimonos are on display, while also being within easy access of the folkloric woods of Aokigahara.

Things to do

Spend an afternoon exploring the antique music boxes and mechanical organs of the Kawaguchiko Music Forest, a museum set within European-inspired gardens on the northern shores of Lake Kawaguchiko. Listen to the French fairground organ that was built in 1905, then follow the picturesque pathways that weave between the museum’s canals, chapel and rose garden.

Go hiking through Aokigahara “Sea of Trees”, which has evolved on a hardened bed of lava laid down during Mount Fuji’s last major eruption in 864 AD. Follow the trail leading to the Narusawa Ice Cave that remains frozen throughout the year while keeping an eye out for Asian black bears, Japanese mink and native bird species.

Stop in at the Itchiku Kubota Art Museum, which honours the textile artist who revived the ancient Tsujigahana style of silk dyeing. Admire his beautiful kimono creations reflecting themes of nature and the changing seasons, then see his unfinished “Symphony of Light”, a collection of 80 kimonos that form a picture of Mount Fuji.

The second largest of the Fuji Five Lakes, Lake Kawaguchi sprawls to the north of Fujikawaguchiko within Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. It’s a popular destination for windsurfing, boating and fishing and is a base for hikers attempting to reach the summit of Mount Fuji.

Getting around

Fujikawaguchiko is 1.5 hours’ drive from Tokyo and slightly further from Haneda Airport. Buses connect Fujikawaguchiko with destinations across the region and the town is small enough to explore on foot.