The second half of my break was spent in Shizuoka, near Mt. Fuji. Coincidentally one of my students was in the area to visit her hometown Fujinomiya at the same time and graciously invited me to spend the day with her and her family (husband, sister, and ten-year-old son). I’d never heard of Fujinomiya before but I’m so glad that I had the chance to visit since I probably wouldn’t have done so if it weren’t for my student.
My student, JM, prepared an itinerary for me the week before we met up. She also gave me an English tourist guide of Fujinomiya. I was so touched by her kindness and attention to detail!
Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha
We started off the day at Fujisan Hongu Sengen Shrine, which is part of the World Heritage List’s Fujisan Cultural Site. It’s a short walk from Fujinomiya Station and has a great view of Mt. Fuji near the entrance.
Tea Farm
Next, we drove to a nearby tea farm. Shizuoka is known for its green tea and its farms can be seen everywhere. I’d never seen a tea farm before coming to Japan, but like most things here, I’ve formed a new appreciation for them. I love how simple they look. The low-to-the-ground shrubs seriously make the most perfect rows of vegetation I’ve ever seen. And they smell great too.
Fujinomiya Yakisoba
Fujinomiya is famous for its yakisoba (fried noodles), so of course we had to go there. I’m not going to lie, Fujinomiya yakisoba is probably the best I’ve had in a long time. The noodles’ chewy and springy texture was perfect.
Idebok
After lunch we visited a local organic dairy farm called Idebok which is famous for its ice cream. I think its double scoops should also be added to its distinction as it was the most epic double scoop I’ve eaten. Idebok had a lot of interesting original flavors but I settled for their most popular, milk, and strawberry.
Shiraito Falls
Shiraito Falls is considered one of Japan’s top 100 waterfalls. The entire area surrounding the falls is gorgeous and you can see a smaller waterfall, Otodome, along the way to Shiraito.
Lake Tanuki
Lake Tanuki is a popular camping location in the area. The lake is rather small, about 4 km around, but provides more than it lets on. We rented bicycles and rode around the lake which was the perfect way to see the area. I’ll never forget how clear the lake looked surrounded by mountains.
Twice a year, the sun can be seen exactly on top of Mt. Fuji from Lake Tanuki during sunrise. This occurrence is known as “Diamond Fuji” and many people gather to watch the rare event.
Sushi!
What would a trip to a coastal prefecture be without sushi? JM and her family took me to a local conveyor belt sushi restaurant. This particular one had a main belt that pushed each table’s order on to a mini personal belt in each booth. I’m really going to miss this when I go back to the States.
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Before traveling around Japan I never realized how stressful a trip could be, especially being carless. Worrying about transportation, safety, communication in a foreign country, and time management really adds up. It was so nice to be driven around by people I knew who knew where they were going. I was so grateful that I could turn my brain off and just enjoy everything around me completely.
I loved the personal touches that my hosts would put in throughout the day, especially their anecdotes of the places we visited or passed like how JM used to walk a certain street we were on for a school trip or where her elementary school was.
JM’s son, Ka-chan was adorable. I’ve never met a more adventurous, curious, or friendly child. He would just go up to a random person and start talking to them. And being the friendly, non-discriminatory kid he is, he also ran up to any dog and tried to befriend them as well. I can still hear Ka-chan’s barking sound that he made each time he saw a dog. I hope he never changes :)
To JM and her family, thank you so much for the tour! Fujinomiya is a beautiful city and I’m glad I got to visit.
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