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FOOD & FUJI

Layover in the Land of the Rising Sun

By Where We Wander

I hadn't set my alarm, but at 4:30AM something stirred me awake. Lying on the floor of our simple, tatami-clad room, all I could see was the early morning sky... and Mount Fuji. For the first few seconds I didn't even realize what I was looking at. Dawn had just broken over Lake Kawaguchi and street lights were being dimmed as the clouds above the world's most famous volcano began to glow with spectacular shades of purple and pink. Sleepy and cozy in our yukata robes, we sat by the window sipping steaming green tea and watching the sky grow brighter in the Land of the Rising Sun.

When we arrived at Fuji Ginkei the night before, the cloud cover was absolute and rain was coming down in sheets. On a clear day every room in this ryokan / traditional inn comes with million-dollar views, but Mount Fuji is notorious for hiding behind clouds for days on end and I knew that cutting our trip to the Philippines short just to catch sight of the elusive mountain came with no guarantees. The odds, it turned out, were definitely in our favour. For the next three days we were blessed with blue skies and Fuji-san, as the locals respectfully call it, appeared so close I felt I could touch it.

I could have spent the entire day soaking in the hotel's rooftop onsen / hot spring, but for a different vantage point we wandered through the surprisingly quiet town to catch a quick ride on the Kachi Kachi Ropeway up to Tenjoyama Park. Located near the summit of Mount Tenjo, the park is dedicated to a somewhat grim folk tale about a rabbit who set a raccoon on fire to please the farmer who considered raccoon a pest. Victorious rabbit memorabilia can be found at the summit, along with a 360-degree observation deck. We didn't linger at the park for long and instead enjoyed a forested walk back into Kawaguchiko.

The path we walked is known as Hydrangea Route, since the forested hills come alive with hydrangeas flowering in July and August. Unfortunately for us it was too early in the season, but we still enjoyed the occasional azalea and the unmistakable spring scent of new leaves. The feeling of zen was definitely within reach as we climbed creaking bamboo steps and discovered whimsical water fountains and small shrines hidden in the forest. Although the air was still damp from the rain and the trails were slippery, the sky was a brilliant blue and we had epically panoramic views over the entire Five Lakes region.

Sakura blossoms were gone by the time we arrived, but we were right on time to see the delicate moss-like carpet of pink, white and lavender shibazakura flowers that Mother Nature rolls out each spring in the foothills of Mount Fuji. Or at least that's what a quick image search on Google would have you believe. In reality, the Japanese leave nothing to chance. The blooming fields belong to Fuji Motosuko Resort, which is not actually a resort, but a massive garden with more than 500,000 meticulously planted flowers surrounded by parking lots and admission gates. The plants reach peak bloom between April and May when the last snow can still be seen at the summit of Mount Fuji.

No one adores flowers more than the Japanese, so park visitors were only slightly fewer than the flowers we came to see. Crouching down by the ground, practically prostrated at people's feet was the only way to catch a few uncrowded shots. Still, the sun was shining, the skies were blue and the festive atmosphere was all around, including a small army of food trucks that offered everything from horse meat hamburgers to frozen fruit treats. It's not often we find ourselves in a sea of flowers pink enough to induce instant happiness — so all in all the day was definitely a success.

In the evenings kaiseki dinners awaited us back in the ryokan. Designed around seasonal and regional food specialties, these multi-course meals are equal parts art and gastronomy. Usually only one course was sushi or sashimi and the rest ranged from familiar items — such as rare beef tataki, shabu shabu hot pot and crispy tempura — to the very unusual foods like natto / fermented soy beans, shirasu / microscopically tiny sardines, and sazae no tsubuyaki / grilled sea snails. Every meal was served with generous helpings of rice and noodles, all manner of fish roe, and incredibly creative variations of both tofu and seaweed — boiled, roasted, marinated — you name it!

A relaxed chef's table experience — particularly while staying at a ryokan — kaiseki is very common in Japan and loved by local and foreign travellers alike. The appeal is that an artful dining ritual is automatically included with your stay, and each of the 10-12 courses is served at the discretion of the chef. As someone who likes to try new foods and is pretty open to a variety of flavours, I appreciated the opportunity to taste dishes I would never know to order otherwise. We never went hungry, although some of our menu usually remained unfinished. Sometimes even the more adventurous eaters can’t figure out how to pair fish-flavoured custard with a side of gently grilled snail.

Before flying home we spent a single evening in Tokyo. Our goal for the night was singular: to taste the best raw fish we could afford! We came prepared with the list of the best places and painstakingly translated menus but, as it turned out, we were missing the most important thing: a reservation! Every place on our wish list was fully booked and there was nothing to do but start walking and see where our feet take us. It ended up being a great finale to our trip as we witnessed a little bit of authentic weekday routine in the Ginza district of Tokyo — rush hour, happy hour, dinner time and late night street life — all in a span of a single evening.

We got lost more than once before arriving at Sushi no Midori, where it took a little while to confirm that we were at right place, and a while longer yet to figure out how to get a table. A testament to Japanese efficiency and love of electronics, by the front door stood a ticket machine where we procured a number that revealed the order in which our party would eventually be seated. The restaurant had just opened and already our number was 309, which translated into a 3-hour wait — officially making this the longest wait for a meal in my life. We killed time at a neighbourhood bar where happy hour menu didn't need translating: 2-for-1 Heineken is universally understood.

It was 10:30pm when we finally sat down to dinner. We were the only foreigners in the house, the menu was strictly in Japanese and sake was poured generously from the biggest bottle I've ever seen. We tried everything we could understand on the menu, and a few things that we definitely didn't understand. Not a word of English was exchanged, but somehow the food and sake kept coming. Our last few hours in Japan remained very happy and the sushi was indeed excellent.

We left the restaurant well after midnight and it took us almost an hour to walk back to the hotel, but we didn't want to catch a cab and call it a night. We saw people in suits riding their bikes at 1am, eclectically dressed bar goers lining up at a kiosk serving steaming noodle bowls, and someone buying flowers from a street vendor. Our quick stop in Japan was all about seeing Mount Fuji, but these last few hours in Tokyo ended up being the cherry on top. The next time we land in this city, it won't be just a layover.

Japan: 5-day layover itinerary

DAY 1: Arrive in Tokyo and travel to Kawaguchiko (Fuji Five Lakes).

Fuji Ginkei Ryokan offers a choice of traditional tatami rooms, or modern {bed}rooms, and front row seats to watch sunrise over the famous volcano from their steaming rooftop onsen (separate for men and women and like all proper onsen in Japan must be enjoyed fully nude).

It is worth booking breakfast/dinner package with accommodation. Small towns in Japan shut down early and it can be difficult to find something to eat in the evenings. Plus, ryokan dining is an experience in itself!

transportation notes:

Tokyo is served by two airports: Narita (NRT) and Haneda (HND). The majority of long-haul international flights arrive at Narita, while Haneda serves as a hub for domestic and shorter-haul flights within Asia.
There are many ways to reach Fuji Five Lakes region, but the easiest one is via a direct bus from Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal, which is located in the centre of Tokyo.
The best way to get into Tokyo city centre from Narita is via Narita Express, a fast train that connects the airport and major train stations within the city. Tokyo Station is considered the central train station and can be reached in under an hour. Shinjuku Station is a 90-minute ride and is directly connected to the Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal. From the bus terminal it's a 2-hour ride into Kawaguchiko.
JR Pass can be a good investment if staying in Japan for more than 4 days and planning to travel by train between different cities and regions. Some train lines and bus routes are not covered by the pass (like the aforementioned direct bus to Kawaguchiko), so it's worth checking ahead.

DAY 2-3: Explore Kawaguchiko and surrounding area, including: Lake Kawaguchi (walking trails, bike rental, pedal boat rental, boat ride), Kachi Kachi Ropeway up to Tenjoyama Park (panoramic views, hiking trails) and Fuji Motosuko Resort (seasonal flower fields/displays/festivals).

+ An extra couple of days in the area would allow for visiting Sengen Shrine, Saiko Iyashi village, Itchiku Kubota museum and Ide Sake Brewery.

DAY 4: Take the bus back to Tokyo. Overnight at Hotel Ryumeikan, conveniently located near the central train station for easy access to cuisine, entertainment, bright city lights and shopping. Sushi no Midori location in Ginza is the answer to the late night sashimi cravings when staying in the area.