This article is based on a visit made on Friday, 11 May 2018.
Edit 9 October 2019: Updated prices to reflect the increase in Japan's national sales tax.
Previously on Sekai Ichi, my private tour of the Fuji Five Lakes stopped at a
shrine and a
waterfall, both relatively off the tourist radar. This proved to set the tone for the rest of the day, as we would continue to focus mainly on places that were out-of-the-way, but no less interesting for it. After lunch, our guide drove us west of Kawaguchi-ko to the next of the Fuji Five Lakes, Sai-ko (西湖).
As the middle of the Fuji Five Lakes, Sai-ko captures no superlatives. It is not the biggest, nor the smallest, nor the deepest. But it is the area which Chris calls home. He knows the people around there, and the people know him. He even found these stones along the lake shore, tinted blue with titanium, and gave them the official name of "saikolite".
Chris made a quick detour to his house. And on the way to that, he stopped to make a prayer at this
Jizo statue, washing it with a bit of water as part of his reverence.
Chris says this mini-temple or shrine (I forget which) in his backyard is very special to him.
Another bunch of wisteria.
Lake Sai is surrounded by mountains to the north and south, blocking Mt. Fuji from most of its shore...
...Except for this spot on the west end. This is another of Chris's favourite Fuji-viewing spots, and it instantly became mine as well. I love how the two gently-sloping banks of mountains form a near-symmetrical form for Fuji-san to rise up from. It even reminds me of the
Paramount Pictures logo, if you've seen any of their movies (and you probably have).
Here's a panorama version of the same shot. It looks even better, I say. Click
this link to see it in full resolution.
At our stop here, we met a couple from Argentina who were travelling the area on bikes. There were also a bunch of local fishermen, one of whom let us take his picture. Such a friendly fellow!
On our way along, we passed Iyashi-no-Sato (いやしの里), a village which had been destroyed by typhoon-triggered landslides in 1966. Forty years later, the houses were rebuilt, and the place re-opened as an open-air museum.
At Iyashi-no-Sato, each of the houses offers something different, such as shops where you can purchase or try making local handicrafts, and restaurants where light regional dishes are served. Some houses even function as mini-museums, such as one about erosion control. But I wonder, do people live here as well? The way this little child and his father paid attention to us while sitting around made me imagine that possibility.
Of course I had to get my own picture taken, in particular back at the shores of Sai-ko. Going back to the biker couple we met at this very spot, Chris recommended and directed them to the spot where we were to go next. Namely, that would be Yacho-no-Mori park, at the entrance of the Aokigahara forest. See what that was like, next time on Sekai Ichi!
Iyashi-no-Sato
Hours: Open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, or from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM from December to February. Admission ends 30 minutes before closing time.
Costs: ¥350
Address: 2710 Saiko-nemba, Fujikawaguchiko-machi, Minamitsuru-gun, Yamanashi-ken 〒401-0332
Access: From Kawaguchi-ko Station, take the Green Line
(G) bus to Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nenba (西湖いやしの里根場, 40 minutes, 2 per hour, ¥710).
Website:
(Japanese)
