The classic way to visit the Fujisan WHS would be to hike up to the summit at 3770 m. But for normal hikers, this is only possible in July and August, when the mountain huts are open and reservations are accepted. Many hikers stay overnight in a hut and climb the summit in the early morning to see the sunrise. This is considered a very special spiritual experience. However, the trails can be very crowded. Despite the very short season, around 300.000 visitors climb Mount Fuji every year. If you visit Mount Fuji in summer, be aware that the summit is snow-free and this was still the case when I visited in September. It is a surprising and unusual view, you will rarely find photos of the snow-free Fujisan in the Web.

I visited Japan in late September / early October 2019, so hiking to the summit was not an option. But at least I wanted to enter the major core zone, the Fujisan Moutain Area, and visit one of the main temples at the foot of Mount Fuji. Thus, I chose the Fuji Five Lakes region and spent two days in Fujikawaguchiko on the shore of Lake Kawaguchi. Kawaguchiko is the starting point for climbing Mount Fuji on the Yoshida trail, but also a popular recreation area for Tokyo. Several bus lines connect the main sights of the region. But the weather was fine (the Fuji summit was cloudless most of the time) and so I decided to explore the area by rental bike.

First, I went to the Togawa Oshi House, a pilgrim’s inn built in the 18th century. “Oshi” were a kind of priest who take care of worshipers and offer them accommodation. The house can be visited with an audio guide, items are shown that illustrate the life in such an inn, like dinnerware and pilgrim clothes. A second Oshi House (Osano House) is just down the street, but is closed to the public.
The Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen-jinja (photo), also known as Fujiyoshida Sengen Shrine, is the traditional starting point for the Yoshida ascending route to Mount Fuji. It is located within the main core zone of the WHS. The large gate at the entrance indicates the significance of the shrine, it is one of the largest Torii gates in Japan. However, the complex is quite small: the ornate main hall and a few auxiliary buildings, all painted in red. Not to be overlooked are the three "protectors" of the shrine: tall cedar trees, said to be more than 1000 years old. I liked very much the atmospheric location in the middle of an old cedar forest.
Just behind the main hall you can find a Torii gate that marks the trailhead of the Yoshida route. And while it was not possible to get to the summit, I took the opportunity to hike at least the first kilometers at the beginning of the trail.
Not far from Fuji Sengen shrine are two sites with lava tree molds: The Yoshida site is closed, but the Funatsu Lava Tree Molds are accessible. A lava tree mold is formed when a tree is enclosed by flowing lava. The tree burns as the lava solidifies, and leaves a hollow space. These caves are sacred places because they are said to resemble the inside of a human body. A shrine was built in front of the Funatsu tree molds and I was surprised to find the entrance to the cave in the back of the worship hall. Actually, it is a combination of several lava tree molds, five at least, with a total length of about 70 metres. The first section is accessible, but it is narrow and low, you have to bend over. A strange but fun experience.
Oshino Hakkai Springs was my last stop on the first day. Oshino village is the location of eight spring water ponds, which are filled with underground meltwater of Mount Fuji. The water is filtered through the lava layers and is very clear and pure - and very cold. As a proof you can put your hands in a basin at one of the ponds and try how long you can stand it. Oshino is a popular tourist destination, the ponds are surrounded by souvenir shops and restaurants. Not very authentic and therefore no surprise that the ponds were inscribed as separate locations and not as a continuous area. One of the ponds is within an open-air museum, and the scenery is said to have been preserved as in the past. However, in my opinion it is not worth the entrance fee, and all in all Oshino is rather disappointing.

On the second day I went on a bike tour around Lake Kawaguchi and Lake Saiko. Kawaguchiko is the most developed of the five lakes and popular with tourists and locals, especially in the cherry blossom season. There are also two inscribed shrines: Kawaguchi Asama-jinja, which was built after a severe eruption in the 9th century, and Omuro Sengen-jinja, located directly at the lakeside and considered the oldest shrine in the Mount Fuji area. Both are certainly of historic importance but not outstanding.
From the western lakeshore, you have to climb a height difference of almost 100 metres to get to Lake Saiko. That was the only exhausting part of my bike tour. The shore of Lake Saiko is less densely populated than its larger neighbour. The lake is surrounded by forested mountains, very calm and peaceful, I only met a few hikers and some fishermen.

I think I properly ticked off the Fujisan WHS: I visited 15 of the 25 locations (though counting eight ponds feels a bit like cheating), I entered the main core zone twice, and I visited one of the important shrines and two of the Five Lakes. Still, it would be tempting to climb the Fuji summit, although that would mean coming back in the summer and seeing the summit free of snow again.

Getting there
I arrived at Kawaguchiko station by train from Tokyo's Shinshuku station (there are also bus lines). A direct connection has recently been launched, which takes less than 2 hours for the entire route. But be aware that the last part from Ōtsuki is not covered by the JR Pass, you have to buy an extra ticket.