Yamanashi · Fuji Five Lakes / OshinoNo.214★★★Open in map →
Oshino Hakkai
— Mount Fuji's eight spring ponds
Eight crystal-clear ponds fed by snowmelt from Mount Fuji, set in a traditional farming village. All eight are a designated component of the Mount Fuji UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Below the southern slopes of Mount Fuji, in the village of Oshino, eight ponds well up from a vast underground aquifer — groundwater that filtered down through layers of lava and earth from the snowfields above, a journey said to take about 20 years. The ponds are scattered across the village and vary in size and character. The clearest and deepest — Waku Pond — was once used for purification by Shugenja pilgrims preparing to climb Fuji. The spring water holds a constant temperature of about 13–14°C year-round, keeping the ponds a vivid blue-green even in winter. On clear days, Mount Fuji frames the scene from the north.
Background & history
Pilgrims climbing Mount Fuji during the Edo period would stop at the eight springs to purify themselves before beginning the ascent — a practice that gave the group its collective name, Hakkai (Eight Seas). The Japanese government designated the springs as a Natural Monument in 1934. In June 2013 all eight ponds were inscribed as a component part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site 'Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration', listed as components 13–20 of the property.
What to look for — in walking order
- Waku Pond (Wakuike)
- the deepest and clearest of the eight, once used for pre-climb purification by Fuji pilgrims
- Sokonashi Pond (Sokonashiike)
- the 'bottomless' pond, so clear the bottom seems to disappear; the largest of the eight
- Traditional thatched farmhouses
- several old farmhouses (thatched-roof gassho style) still stand around the ponds and frame the landscape
- Fuji framing
- on a clear day the summit of Mount Fuji appears directly behind the ponds, best in the morning before cloud builds
How to enjoy it
Morning visits give the clearest views of Mount Fuji before clouds gather. The ponds are spread within a short walk of each other and the whole circuit takes about an hour at a relaxed pace. Entry fees for individual ponds vary; some can be viewed from the surrounding path at no charge.
How to actually get there
- Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal → Kawaguchiko Station (Fujikyu Highway Bus, ~1 hr 45 min).
- Kawaguchiko Station → Oshino Hakkai Iriguchi bus stop (Fujikyu local bus, ~15–20 min).
- Bus stop → pond cluster (walk, ~5 min); circuit of all eight ponds takes about 1 hour.
- Shinjuku Stn →(highway bus)→ Kawaguchiko Stn →(Fujikyu bus)→ Oshino Hakkai
- From Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal (Busta Shinjuku), take the highway bus to Kawaguchiko or Fujisan Station (about 1 hr 45 min; Fujikyu Highway Bus runs roughly every 30–60 min). From Kawaguchiko Station, take the Fujikyu bus toward Oshino and get off at Oshino Hakkai Iriguchi bus stop (about 15–20 min). From the stop it is a 5-minute walk to the first ponds. Total about 2 hours.
- Return the same way via Kawaguchiko
- Return on the Fujikyu bus to Kawaguchiko Station, then take the highway bus back to Shinjuku. The last highway bus from the Fuji Five Lakes area runs in the late evening; check the timetable when you board the outbound bus.
Before you go
- Cash
- Bus tickets can be purchased at Busta Shinjuku or online in advance. IC cards are not accepted on the Fujikyu Highway Bus. Individual ponds have small entry fees (typically ¥200–300 per enclosure); some can be seen freely from the surrounding footpath.
- Closing days
- The ponds are busiest during Golden Week (early May) and on autumn weekends. Some of the surrounding souvenir stalls and snack shops may be closed on weekdays in low season.
- Another way
- By train: JR Chuo Line from Shinjuku to Otsuki (~1 hr), then Fujikyu Railway to Kawaguchiko or Fujisan Station (~50 min), then bus (~15–20 min to Oshino Hakkai Iriguchi). Takes about 2.5 hours total.
- After you get off
- From Kawaguchiko Station, board the Fujikyu bus toward Oshino; alight at Oshino Hakkai Iriguchi and walk 5 minutes to the pond cluster.