Day 5
At the foot of Fuji
Morning
The road from Takayama to Fujiyoshida
Four hours of driving east to Fujiyoshida, following Suruga bay and then climbing to the plateau of the five lakes. The volcano grows larger and larger on the left.
Afternoon
Arakurayama Sengen Park
Three hundred and ninety-eight steps lead up to the Chūreitō pagoda, a war memorial put up in 1963, which offers the most reproduced framing in Japan: the red pagoda, the town below and the cone of Fuji behind. The cherry trees in April and the maples in late November make it busier still. Arrive early.
Evening
Kitaguchi Hongū Fuji Sengen-jinja
The shrine at the historic start of the ascent by the northern face, founded in the 8th century: an avenue of giant cedars, moss-covered stone lanterns and a gate behind which the old pilgrimage path begins. It is the finest place in the area, and one of the least visited.