See a Cotton Candy Mount Fuji at Hakone-Mototsumiya Shrine
or anyone travelling to Japan, Mount Fuji is a must-see. With its iconic blue slopes and white peaks, it is the symbol of Japan’s heart, and its cultural and artistic significance is perfectly captured in numerous scenic photos. The question is, what is the best photogenic place to see Mount Fuji?
For anyone travelling to Japan, Mount Fuji is a must-see. With its iconic blue slopes and white peaks, it is the symbol of Japan’s heart, and its cultural and artistic significance is perfectly captured in numerous scenic photos.
The question is, where is the best place to see Mount Fuji?
I often thought about this myself. However, I’m not after not any average-looking iPhone photo. I wanted a one-of-a-kind experience with this giant mountain. And I found it, a beautiful moment with Mount Fuji floating amongst the clouds in a changing blue and purple sunset near a traditional mountain shrine.
Want to know where? Come with me on a quest to reconnect with nature and spiritual wonder as I reveal where I took my cotton candy-coloured photo of Japan’s most iconic mountain.
When to go for the best view
elieve it or not, a view of Mount Fuji isn’t as easy as you might think.
To ensure your trip is worth it, there are a few things to consider
about seeing Mount Fuji before heading off to the Hakone region:
SEASON
Depending on when you visit the different seasons will also affect what Mount Fuji will look like in the distance. For me, Mount Fuji looks the best with its snow cap so winter, autumn, and early spring are the best time as summertime is way too hot for the snow to form.
I took these photos in late December and the winter climate had the perfect conditions for the perfect view. The skies in Japan are much clearer during the wintertime and the sunset’s glow also casts beautiful pastel colours onto the mountain.
WEATHER
Another factor to consider is the weather. Mount Fuji tends to hide in any cloud cover or haze probably caused by the city during the day. Going on a clear day that has
measured cloud cover under 10% is ideal for optimal visibility. Check the hourly weather forecast of the Hakone area to help prepare when to go.
TIME
Mount Fuji also can only be seen during the early morning and late afternoons. The sweet spot to go to Hakone-Mototsumiya Shrine to see the sunset is between around
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM in winter. Try to get there a little earlier as the cable car to go to the top can be crowded.
Summer View
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Spring View
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Winter View
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Autumn View
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Other Places of Interest
lthough Hakone-Mototsumiya Shrine is the original shrine, it is, in fact, one of three shrines that collectively make “Hakone Shrine.”
The two other spiritual places located at the base of Mount Komagatake are Kuzuryu Shrine and the “newer” Hakone Shrine.
The newer Hakone Shrine is instantly recognizable because of its popular waterfront
tori gate built in Lake Ashi. It is said to worship a 9-headed dragon god that lives at the bottom of the lake where the tori gate stands. The water that surrounds Mount Hakone is also said to have cleansing properties and the shrine sells bottles of the clean water to take home called 龍神水 or Dragon God Water.
The other shrine, Kuzuryu Shrine, is a good luck shrine for money and business but it is also popular for women as a shrine for marriage success.
How to Get To Hakone Mototsumiya Shrine
Use the Hakone Komagatake Ropeway
箱根駒ヶ岳ロープウェー
Adult: Round-trip 1080 yen One-way 640 yen
Child: Round-trip 540 yen One-way 330 yen
Starts at 9:10AM (both directions). Ends at 4:30PM (ascent) and 4:50PM (descent).
The ropeway operates every 20 minutes (during busy times every 10 minutes).
If you want to know how to get to the other shrines mentioned, you can use our handy interactive map below.
Hike to the Top
If you are feeling adventurous and want to hike up Mount Komagatake, here is a map of the walking trail from nearby Owakudani Valley and the scenic spots you can see on the way.
