Mount Fuji

We had spent a couple of days in Tokyo and would return later in the trip for further exploration when we hoped to be in time for the cherry blossom.

We were now off to the Fuji Lakes area in the hope of capturing a cloudless picture of the great Mount Fuji.

Our mode of transport would be the legendary bullet train, called the Shinkansen (literally new [shin] mainline [kansen]. The trip would take a mere 35 minutes as it is only about 130km, so not really enough time to eat a bento box of food, so that treat would wait until our next, longer, journey.

The train pulled into Shingawa station in Tokyo bang on time, as you would expect.

People waited either side of the doors in an orderly queue to allow disembarking passengers to exit quickly. No barging in or standing in the way here. As a result, the whole process was efficient and quick. In the train itself, everyone sits quietly, minding their own business. No-one talking loudly, or playing some video on their phone without headphones here. I really could live here, such is the consideration people have for others.

What is also remarkable, is the dedication of the various staff; the guard on each train leans out of the window watching vigilantly as it departs; the staff walking through the carriages look left and right as they do so to ensure everyone is obeying the rules and everything is as it should be. And as they reach the end of the carriage, they turn and bow. Again, the service here is a source of personal pride.

We disembarked at a place called Mishima, and took a local train to pick up our hire car, and then proceeded to drive a little to see how the cloud conditions were to see Fuji itself.

The volcano is notorious for changing cloud conditions. In fact, as with the cherry blossom, there is a whole system set up specifically for forecasting, and which includes real-time webcams.

We were going to be in the area for three days to give us the best chance of seeing it. On this first day, the mountain was visible but with large clouds swirling around the top, so after an hour or so, we made our well to our accommodation.

The hotel we had chosen, mainly through lack of choice as we booked the trip so late, turned out to be excellent – the Fuji speedway hotel. Half motor museum, half hotel, this was to be a luxury stay, with bedrooms which gave us a view of Fuji itself along with its onsen, allowing us to wallow in the hot spring waters whilst gazing at it.

The next day was a similar picture, so we decided to visit an art gallery in Hakone. We could also have eaten some black eggs there, which are cooked in the sulphurous hot springs and would add seven years to our respective lives, according to local legend.

On the final day, I woke up at about 4 am, and looked out of the window.

Mount Fuji was clear of clouds! We had to move quickly and within 20 minutes, we were on the road in the dark heading towards Lake Kawaguchi. On the way, the rising sun began to shine on the top of the mountain giving an awesome pink hue to it.

We reached our viewpoint, and got out of the car with all our equipment. It was absolutely freezing, so I was glad of Uniqlo’s heattech vests, gloves and hat, together with the warm pads which I had stuck at strategic locations on my body.

My hands were so cold, I could barely get the filters on and off the camera, but I was pleased to get the shot below – it made it all worthwhile.

Standing there, though, meant more to me than just getting the shot. A photo simply cannot convey the majesty of this towering giant. To Japan, it holds spiritual significance as one of three holy mountains, and as I stood there looking at it, quite emotional, I could see why.

It is breathtakingly beautiful and immensely powerful and I don’t think I will ever forget how it made me feel.

As we packed up, we drove a little further on, and turned into a car park. Joy of joys, there was a bank of vending machines, one of which served hot tea. You know, the Japanese really think of everything.

It was time to return the hire car before heading to our next destination, Hiroshima.

I will tell a little story and you will see why in a moment: where I live, there is a narrow section of road where two cars simply cannot pass one another, and quite often drivers end up in a stand off, refusing to move and sit there hooting, shouting and gesticulating at each other until one of them gives in.

On the way to the car hire place, I made a small error of judgment at a crossroads which meant as the lights changed, I was blocking some of the traffic. If this had been London, the picture I painted above would have occurred.

In Japan, however, no-one said anything. They sat there quietly waiting; what a contrast to the rage we in the West experience every day, in real life, social media etc.

Now, of course, I don’t know what everyone was thinking but whatever it was, they kept it to themselves. I knew I was in the wrong, and I didn’t need anyone to point it out, thank you very much, and nobody did.

Anyhow, I returned car and we made our way to Mishima to pick up the Shinkansen for the next part of our journey.