What to know
Lake Yamanakako (山中湖) is the largest of the Fuji Five Lakes and the second most developed after Lake Kawaguchiko. Small towns dot its western and eastern shores, with hotels, minshuku, campgrounds, and restaurants in between.
Excellent views of Mount Fuji can be enjoyed from around the lake, especially along the less developed northern shore. A prime viewpoint is Panorama Dai, an observation spot next to a small parking lot halfway up the mountains southeast of the lake. It is not served by buses; you can walk there in about 30 minutes from the "Mikuniyama Hiking Course Iriguchi" bus stop.
Lake Yamanakako is a favorite among Japanese outdoor enthusiasts for boating, fishing, water skiing, windsurfing, and other water sports, as well as camping, tennis, and more along its shores. Many sports camps around the lake fill with student athletes during summer holidays.
Several public hot spring baths are available around Lake Yamanakako. Benifuji no Yu at the western end offers good views of Mount Fuji from its baths, while Ishiwari no Yu near the eastern end does not.
More than a dozen highway buses per day connect Shinjuku Station and Tokyo Station with Lake Yamanakako. The one-way trip takes about 2.5 hours and costs around 2,500 yen.
Buses on the Kawaguchiko-Gotemba-Mishima Line run once or twice per hour between Kawaguchiko Station and Lake Yamanakako. The one-way ride takes about 30 minutes and costs 890 yen. These buses serve the lake's western end and southern shore as far as Asahigaoka, but do not connect to Hirano at the eastern end.
Visitor information
Practical details to check before planning this stop.
- Hours
- Closed
- Admission
- English name
- Original name
- Lake Yamanakako
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