Shiraito waterfall

Shiraito means white silk threads and that's exactly what these falls look like. The pool of water into which they fall glows a lovely blue green in the sun. Behind the falls are dark woods, and behind that the peak of Mt. Fuji.


This is one of many popular tourist destinations around Fujinomiya. The area around the falls is good for hiking as there are great views of Mt. Fuji. Lake Tanuki is just one of the other places to see nearby, about a one hour trek (5 km) or shorter bus ride. Generally, the falls are crowded during summer but if you go on a weekday, you can have a less touristy experience. Like most other places of interest in Japan, food stalls and souvenir shops abound.

Regular buses leave from Fujinomiya Station. The earliest bus is at 7:15 a.m. on weekdays and 7:35 a.m. on weekends. The latest bus back to Fujinomiya Station is at 7:47 p.m. on weekdays and 5:10 p.m. on weekends. The entrance to the falls is a two minute walk from the bus stop. Here is a map in case you're driving.

Mt. Fuji Fifth Station

There is a lot of information out there about how to get to Mt. Fuji from Tokyo. But if you actually live in the area around Mt. Fuji, you may not know that there are direct buses that go to the Fifth Station (Fujinomiya Trail), the starting point for most people who climb. You can catch the bus from Shin Fuji Station, Fuji Station or Fujinomiya Station. It costs 3000 yen for a return ticket (2310 yen one way).

It's pretty cool taking a bus up into the sky and looking out over the clouds. It's also a good option for those who aren't interested in climbing but just want to set foot on Mt. Fuji. There are a restaurant and gift shop at the Fifth Station so you can hang out for a while before heading back down. It's pretty chilly even in summer.

Information on the Fujinomiya trail can be found here, including bus schedules. Note that bus times vary depending on the time of the year, with more buses available in the peak climbing season in July and August.

View from bus

View from Fifth Station

Bus stop at the Fifth Station

Restaurant at the Fifth Station

AEON Mall Fujinomiya

Fuji City has its own AEON Mall, but AEON Fujinomiya is bigger with a lot more options. A main feature is the huge JUSCO department store where you can get just about everything for your home and bigger sizes of clothes and shoes to fit the foreign frame. Prices at JUSCO are quite cheap for Japan.
There are several restaurants and fast food joints, an impressive Dojima electronics store, purikura and Kaldi Coffee - a chain store that sells foreign foods. There you can get treats from the US, Australia, the UK, Canada, China, Southeast Asia and other places. There are also ingredients to cook Mexican and Indian food. You can pick up real hot sauce and real cheese too (a luxury not available in the average Japanese grocery).

AEON Mall Fujinomiya is a short walk from Fujinomiya Station. If you arrive by train, exit to the left and go down the stairs. The exact location is here.

Fujinomiya Station

Fujinomiya Station is easy to get to from Fuji either by JR train or by bus from Yoshiwara Chuo Station/Fuji Station. Besides being able to catch buses around Fujinomiya, you can also connect to some of the best tourist sites in the country from here. For example, during the climbing season you can catch a bus to Mt. Fuji Fifth Station.

You can also get buses about once an hour to Shiraito waterfall, Taiseki-ji temple, Makaino Farm, Asagiri Highlands, Fuuketsu wind cave, Lake Tanuki, Lake Motosu, Lake Kawaguchi (and the very picturesque Fuji Five Lakes region) and Fujikyuu Highlands amusement park. I'm sure there are many more places along the way but I haven't explored them all. It's just a beautiful part of the country, inaccessible by train, and the buses from Fujinomiya Station will get you there.

Buses depart from Fujinomiya Station to Fujikyuu Highlands (with stops at Shiraito falls, Asagiri Highlands, Lake Motosu, Fuuketsu wind cave, Midori no Kyuu Kamura green village, Kawaguchi Station etc) at: 8:35, 9:05, 9:50, 10:35, 11:35, 13:05, 14:55, 15:45 and 17:05. The last bus back from Fujikyuu Highlands is at 17:35.

Lake Tanuki

I've decided to post things that may not be in Fuji City, but are still easily accessible and worthwhile (in my opinion). I'm very much in love with nearby Fujinomiya and sometimes wish I lived there instead. One of my favorite places there is Lake Tanuki. It's a man made lake that's famous for a mirror reflection of Mt. Fuji.

Lake Tanuki is great for fishing, biking, walking and camping. There are some really good camp facilities like showers and cooking areas. There are also a lakeside restaurant and nearby temple. It's a nice walk to nearby Shiraito waterfall, too. A Japanese colleague warned me not to go in summer because an overgrowth of algae makes it a little smelly. Here are some pictures of my visit this spring.



Transportation to Lake Tanuki is easy. You have to go to Fujinomiya Station first, either by bus from Yoshiwara Chuo Station or by JR train. There's a bus from Fujinomiya Station to Shiraito falls and Lake Tanuki. I think it's platform number 2 but please check to make sure. Also be sure to check the bus times back. The last bus back from Shiraito falls to Fujinomiya Station is at 5:10 p.m. on weekends and is probably much earlier from Lake Tanuki. You can always walk from Lake Tanuki to Shiraito falls and catch a later bus like I did.