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Tuesday was probably the best
day on our trip (although every day was
wonderful). We had been looking forward to it
for ages - our trip to Mt. Fuji. We had wanted
to go in April, but just didn't have the time.
We were determined to fit it in this time, and it was
simply wonderful! |
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We were very lucky
with the weather. The day before had
been cloudy and the day after it
poured. But, it was warm and clear the
day we had decided to go. We drove
through some beautiful countryside to a
viewing station. From there, we were
able to take photos of the peak. As you
can see, there were some beautiful
autumn colours about too. |
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After a short stop at the
viewing station, we began to make our way up to
Level 5, the highest area reachable by road. As
we drove up we could see more and more signs
that Mt. Fuji was indeed a volcano. Huge
boulders could be seen by the road. The ground
below Level 5 was very fertile and covered in
vegetation. But as you looked up to the summit,
there was no vegetation - just grey and black
rocks and pebbles. The view from Level 5 was
stunning. We stood above the clouds looking down
at the surrounding Japanese Alps. |
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Level 5 has definitely been
designed with tourists in mind. As you get off
the bus, you get a coupon to take into a store
to exchange for a lucky bell. Conveniently, you
have to go all the way through to the store to
the back to make the exchange and of course, get
distracted on the way. There are several stores
there selling mainly cakes and biscuits and of
course, souvenirs. Located nearby is a Shinto
Shrine where people come to celebrate the
opening of the mountain each spring. As you can
tell, we took lots of photos at Mt Fuji. It was
too beautiful not too! |
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