Best Mount Fuji Viewpoints: Chureito Pagoda to Lake Motosu

2. Honcho-dori in Shimoyoshida

Not far from Shimoyoshida Station, Honcho-dori is an old shopping street that runs straight toward the mountain, so Fuji rises directly above the far end of the road. It is a real street with real traffic and people living on it. Photograph from the pavement, never stand in the road, and do not block doorways.

3. Lake Kawaguchi

The most developed of the five lakes has the widest choice of viewpoints:

• The north shore. Oishi Park looks across the water to the mountain, framed by seasonal flowers: lavender in early summer and kochia bushes that turn red in autumn. Along the same shore, the Momiji Corridor is a tunnel of maple trees that peaks in November, when the trees are lit up in the evenings.
• Ubuyagasaki. A small cape with a shrine, and one of the best places around the lake to catch the "upside-down Fuji" reflected on still water, usually early in the morning before the wind picks up.
• Kachi Kachi Ropeway. A short walk from Kawaguchiko Station, the ropeway climbs Mount Tenjo to a lookout with the lake below and Fuji straight ahead.

4. Lake Yamanaka

Lake Yamanaka, the largest of the five, sits on the mountain's eastern side and is famous for Diamond Fuji, when the setting sun sinks exactly onto the summit and flares like a jewel. At Yamanaka this happens from around mid-to-late October to the end of February. Because the sun sets further south as winter approaches, the right spot moves along the shore from day to day. The Panorama-dai lookout on the hillside southeast of the lake gives a sweeping view of lake and mountain together, and Nagaike Park on the north shore is a favourite for reflections on calm days. See our guide to Diamond Fuji at Lake Yamanaka for how to pick a spot for a given date.

5. Lake Motosu

Lake Motosu is the westernmost and deepest of the lakes, and much quieter than Kawaguchi. It is the view printed on the back of Japan's previous 1,000-yen note (and an older 5,000-yen note): Fuji rising behind the far shore with the lake in front. The classic angle is from the Nakanokura Pass, reached by a steep hiking path up from the lakeside road. On the way, stop at neighbouring Lake Shoji, where Fuji appears to cradle a smaller peak in front of it.

When to go

Visibility matters more than season. Mount Fuji hides behind cloud more often than first-time visitors expect, especially in the hazy, humid months of summer. From late autumn through winter the air is clearest, and the mountain wears its snow cap until early summer. At any time of year, your best chance is early in the morning: clouds tend to build around the summit from mid-morning, so a view that was perfect at 7 a.m. can be gone by noon.

Practical tips

• Check the webcams before you set out. Several live cameras around the lakes show whether the summit is clear. A cloudy forecast is a good reason to switch your day around.
• Dress for altitude. The lakes sit high enough that dawn is cold even in spring and autumn. Bring a warm layer and gloves for sunrise shoots.
• Respect private land and local rules. Many lakeside gaps are private property. Park only in marked car parks, and check drone rules before you fly.
• Start early in peak seasons. Cherry blossom weekends and autumn-leaf holidays mean long queues on the pagoda stairs and full car parks by mid-morning.

Plan your trip

For a day trip, leave Tokyo early, stop at Shimoyoshida for Chureito Pagoda and Honcho-dori while the air is still clear, then spend the afternoon on the north shore of Lake Kawaguchi or up the ropeway. If you stay overnight, you can shoot sunrise at a lakeside reflection spot, visit Motosu and Shoji in the morning, and finish at Lake Yamanaka for sunset.