Photographing the Most Iconic Mountain in Japan
Mt. Fuji is one of Japan’s “Three Holy Mountains” and is the highest peak in Japan.
Surrounded by beautiful foliage, temples and shrines, and tall torii gates, it attracts people from around the world.
And although when traveling I try to stay away from crowded touristy areas, I couldn’t miss this.
I had heard and seen rumors of how beautiful the scenery is, especially during the Fall season.
Fall is when the leaves begin to change colors and you’ll get vibrant oranges and reds, which makes for a gorgeous contrast within your photos.
I was determined to get at least one print worthy shot of Mt. Fuji layered in the autumn colors, bathed in the light of golden hour, to hang on my walls and put in my shop.
And this day was my chance.
It was the only full sunny day of the week and I had saved it just for Mt. Fuji.
So this marks the beginning of a travel photography series where I bring you guys along, share with you my experiences, and of course the photos.
As you can tell I’ll be narrating, not vlogging, since I prefer to stay present and focus on the moment and photography itself.
Furthermore, we’ll be going out of order - Mt. Fuji wasn’t my first stop in Japan, but it’ll be ours.
So buckle up, this is gonna be a long one, we’re gonna see many places, and there’s gonna be tons of photos.
Let’s go.
Chureito Pagoda
Our journey begins in Tokyo.
I’d been in Tokyo for about a week now and had more or less gotten used to the time difference.
Going one way from Tokyo to Mt. Fuji is a long 3-4 hour train ride, which was more than I expected - and I did not want to do that twice.
That time could be better spent drinking coffee, walking around, and eating good food.
So I brought most of my gear with me, determined to get the shots I wanted in one go.
I had the Fujifilm X-T4 with the 18-55 as my main camera with a CPL filter on the front (I think).
I needed the range on this one since I wanted to capture a variety of shots at different focal lengths and angles.
I kept the x100vi for casual shots, although I really didn’t use it that much.
And I even brought a tripod - this was the only time I brought it out in my entire month in Japan, and I only used it once.
Morning came and I arrived at the Shinjuku Station for my transfer, which was always a crowded mess.
Finding a last minute train to Mt. Fuji was tough as many of the trains that showed up on Google Maps required a reservation - and most were sold out.
So, I had to run back and forth to find a rapid or limited express line via the JR Chuo line, which would take me to Takao, then Otsuki, then Fujiyoshida.
A few confusing transfers, fare adjustments for not getting off when I was supposed to, and 3 hours later, I made it in one piece.
I exited the train in a small city called Fujiyoshida.
Located north of Mt. Fuji, it hosts many different viewpoints and attractions including the amusement park Fuji-Q Highland.
We weren’t going there though.
Our first destination was the iconic Chureito Pagoda.
It’s a pretty famous photo spot so you may have already seen images of it online.
The mixtures of the pagoda in the foreground with a tall Mt. Fuji in the background makes for some otherworldly images.
I was debating whether or not to stop here first or save it for sunset.
But seeing as it was on the way, I figured it’d be better to cross this off my list and maybe come back later.
Reminder that I didn’t have all the time in the world, I wasn’t staying in Fujiyoshida, and this was my only day here.
The pagoda itself is a short walk from the Shimoyoshida Station.
You’ll pass by a few neighborhoods where the residents are probably tired of all the foot traffic.
If you get lost, just follow the people around you - they likely know where to go.
You’ll know it when you reach the mouth of the entrance.
It’s marked by a long upwards set of stairs that leads to a large red torii gate.
And it’s filled with tons of tourists coming in and out - you can’t miss it.
The way up is about a 20 minute climb.
You’ve got two options: stairs or a long winding road.
The road itself isn’t as steep but it takes much longer to get to the top.
Luckily there are stops along the way where you can catch your breath and take photos.
It was about this midway mark where I could tell most people were huffing and puffing.
Thankfully my cardio wasn’t bad, so I was able to keep going.
The paths here are also well covered with trees and shade so you won’t feel much of the sun, unless you’re here during summertime.
A few more flight of stairs and you’ll soon reach the top.
Again, you’ll know it when you get there, it’s filled with people.
The moment I reached the top I furiously started taking pictures.
I tried to catch the pagoda from different angles, with and without Mt. Fuji.
You can tell the lighting was fairly harsh, as I was there during midday, not golden hour.
But thankfully the colors weren’t bad and we somehow made it work.
Unfortunately, it was also a cloudy day, so the view of Mt. Fuji was partially blocked.
It wasn’t terrible though.
In many cases I would have preferred a clear sky, but I think this added a bit of texture to the photos.
So here’s the shot, the one you probably see a bunch on Instagram.
This angle in particular you’ll find early on in the seating area - if you go too far it doesn’t look as good.
I believe I shot this at 23mm or 35mm (aps-c) - the pagoda is quite big so you won’t need to get very close.
The real struggle was actually navigating around the people and trying to get a shot that didn’t have tourists in it.
Everyone was trying to get photos of not only the pagoda, but also them in it.
Even at this time the place was packed, and I could only imagine how bad it’d be during sunset.
So much of what I had to do was weave and snap photos when spaces opened up.
I’ll admit, it was a bit unfortunate to see how packed this place was.
Even above the normal walking area, I saw people trespassing on the dirt of the hills, trying to get a better shot.
Tired of the crowds, I took my photos and left - there were many other places to be.
And on the walk down I took as many photos as I could of Mt. Fuji.
I tried to frame it in as interesting of a way as I could, to get a variety of shots.
This meant finding pockets of daylight, wrapping the mountain in leaves of both green and orange, and getting as many versions as I could of that.
Despite the harsh lighting and rough colors, I’m pretty happy with the results.
I think this was more or less the best we could have done given the circumstances, and returning during golden hour was no longer an option.
I had a good feeling it’d be even more crowded then, and I was not willing to fight that battle.
So I descended down the long flight of stairs and made my way to the next location.
All things considered, I’d give the Chureito Pagoda… a 7.3 - not bad, but not spectacular, especially when compared to the hype.
Chureito Pagoda Spot Score: 7.3
Honcho Street
Walking down the stairs of the pagoda, I went to hunt for a coffee shop.
I’d spent the whole morning without coffee and although I no longer get coffee withdrawals, I still wanted some.
Plus, I needed a place to relax, chill, and plan my next move.
Luckily the shop I found was close by to another popular Fuji spot: Honcho Street.
People love it because of its tall gate entrance and the background view of Mt. Fuji.
The scaling of the mountain, mixed with the retro Japanese aesthetic gives almost a fantasy-like viewpoint.
But I was in no rush.
I took my time drinking my coffee and even had a little matcha cake loaf before I continued exploring.
As I walked around, I found myself appreciating the little things of Fujiyoshida.
Normal stuff like houses, neighborhoods, and residential areas.
It was a stark contrast from the crowds of the landmark tourist spots and I liked the peace.
The architecture itself was older, weathered, and tenured, as opposed to the more modern, almost futuristic aspects of Tokyo.
I enjoyed photographing these streets as it added a wider understanding of the town than simply the famous attractions.
Once I reached the entrance of Honcho street, I was met by a large tall entrance gate, “Kanadorii”.
There were a few people already taking pictures, but nothing like the crowded mess of the pagoda earlier.
I snapped a few shots but surprisingly the 18mm (aps-c) on my lens wasn’t wide enough to capture the whole gate - I had to back up to properly get it all.
Furthermore, the streets were crowded with cars as it was early afternoon, and the sun was strong.
A better time to come would’ve been during sunrise - then you could capture an empty street with Mt. Fuji in the background and an even and pretty lighting.
But a sunrise photo session was beyond me.
I was only here for a day and even if I was staying overnight, I’d rather go somewhere else for a sunrise shot.
So I kept walking down the street, hoping to get a better angle of Mt. Fuji in the background.
It was a pretty neat street but after about 15 minutes I quickly realized there was nothing in that direction.
Based on the spot and the amount of effort it took to get there, I’d give it about a…6.9.
Nice, but not interstellar, and definitely nicer on the internet.
Honcho Street Spot Score: 6.9
So, I turned around and went to look for some food.
Public transit in this city is much more sparse than Tokyo (obviously).
There aren’t many buses or trains running around, and the few you’ll see are for the major attractions.
So walking it was.
Long walks, bright sun, and getting lost seemed to be the theme of the day.
This turned out to be a blessing in disguise though.
In my random twists and turns I soon found myself on a rooftop staring at a beautiful view of the city backed by Mt. Fuji.
I quickly pulled out my tripod and set it up to take a few photos - some of me, some of the mountain.
This ended up being the only time I used the tripod in my entire month in Japan.
It’s a useful accessory, I just find myself too lazy to bring it around all the time.
The spot I found myself in was a hidden gem, as pretty much no one was around.
I could tell few people even knew of this place, and I’d never seen it before on social media.
I wont reveal the location, to keep it from being overrun by foreigners, but you could probably figure it out if you really wanted to.
Because it was so hidden, empty, and the view was pretty good, I’d give this spot a…7.5.
Hidden Fuji View Spot Score: 7.5
By this time I was starving and settled down to eat some tonkatsu.
It wasn’t as good as some of the places I’d been in to Tokyo, but it’d have to do.
It was a late lunch and I was way too hungry to be picky.
Plus this would give me the energy I needed for the next leg of the trip.
For I was already tired, but the day was just getting started.
The Lawsons
If you’ve browsed anywhere on Instagram you’ve probably seen The Lawsons.
Lawson is a konbini, or convenience store chain you’ll find littered across Japan, along with 7-Eleven and Family Mart.
And someone someday decided it was a good idea to take a picture in front of one, and now the internet can’t get enough.
So you’ve probably seen some form of the Mt. Fuji Lawsons on your feed, typically during sunrise or sunset with the mountain in the background.
They’ve gotten so popular that they even closed down temporarily due to all the foot traffic.
I say Lawson(s), because there’s actually two: one near the Kawaguchiko Station and another one further down.
And luckily during my trip, they were open.
To get to the first Lawson requires a train ride from the center of the city.
This is the same train that takes you to Fuji-Q Highland, an entrance free amusement park.
So you can go there first and then visit the Lawsons after, if you want.
I skipped out on Fuji-Q because I was alone and amusement parks tend to be more fun with other people.
The trains that take you there are often painted in different characters and designs - which is neat.
Make sure you catch the train as soon as it comes.
Don’t wait for the next one because it’s not like Tokyo.
The train cycles are fairly long, there aren’t as many trains, and if you miss the train you’ll be waiting for about 30+ minutes, which is what happened to me.
Once you reach Kawaguchiko Station, take a left outside the station and you’ll find it quite easily.
You’ll also notice a bunch of buses here that will take you up and around the lake.
We’ll be going there later.
When I arrived it was mid afternoon, so I shouldn’t have been surprised, but it was packed.
There were mainly tourists and foreigners, taking photos outside the Lawson, which made it impossible to get an empty shot of the place.
You’d definitely have to come during sunrise on this one.
So, I did what any street photographer would do and took photos of the people taking photos.
If I couldn’t get the shot I wanted, I was gonna get something equally as interesting.
And it was funny seeing how far some people would go for an Instagram photo or selfie.
So I get it, it looks nice, but at the end of the day, it is just a mart in front of a mountain.
There were plenty of more nicer views in the area.
These crowds made it, in my opinion, one of the more overrated photo spots in Japan.
And if I’m being honest, I’d give this photo spot, about…a 4.9.
Probably pretty cool at the right time, but overhyped on social media, and overrun by tourists.
The Fuji Lawsons Spot Score: 4.9
I skipped out on the second Lawson, but saw it on the bus back from the Lake, still filled with people taking photos.
The sun had already gone down, the blue of blue hour wasn’t really there, you couldn’t see much of Mt. Fuji anymore, and yet people were still posing away.
In some ways, you gotta respect it…
Anyways I took my photos, got out, and walked to the next spot, eager to move on.
Lake Kawaguchiko
For Golden Hour I’d decided on a nearby lake, Lake Kawaguchiko.
Lake Kawaguchiko is a pretty big lake just north of Fujiyoshida and has plenty of photo worthy spots.
It was furthest on the map, so it made sense to go to the other spots first, and this one last.
Sunset was around 5-6PM, and we were making good time.
And although I probably should have taken the bus, I made my way to Lake Kawaguchiko by foot.
I had already been walking a lot during the week so I was used to it.
Plus, this gave me a good chance to take photos of the streets and scenery as I went.
Again, it’s the little views that I like the most, and there are often hidden gems you’ll find, that you wouldn’t see if you just went to the main spots.
So I let my feet carry me and my eyes capture what they saw.
Much of it was houses, perspectives, and streets.
I also took many photos of the Japanese vending machines, Jihanki as they’re called.
In my time here, I had grown a small obsession with the numerous ones littered around the country.
They were always placed in the most random of places, and there’s something different and appealing about each one.
Once I get through these edits, I might make a zine of all the Jihanki I’ve encountered - I think it’ll make for a nice book.
Anyways, after about a 20 minute walk, I reached my destination: Lake Kawaguchiko.
By this time the sun was starting to lower, it’s golden hue lighting the land around me.
I had roughly 45 minutes to get to a good spot for Golden Hour.
I had to hurry.
I quickly started taking photos of the lake and everything about the colors and contrast felt perfect.
I especially like these shots of the lake, with and without the duck boats in the foreground.
Combined with how little people were here and how little expectations I had of this random spot, I’d give it a pretty big score.
7.5.
Not otherworldly, but pretty awesome given the circumstances.
Lake Kawaguchiko Spot Score: 7.5
Now, in my time here I didn’t actually have a spot in mind for this “Autumn Mt. Fuji shot” I wanted.
I just knew I wanted Mt. Fuji, with some sort of Autumn colors.
But to find that, was beginning to look like a gamble, since there were so many picturesque spots you could go to.
Plus the lake itself proved much bigger than I expected.
There were a multitude of checkpoints around the lake, including a Fuji ropeway, and any one of them could be the perfect spot.
But the spot you pick is the spot you get.
Once you’re at a certain location, there’s no moving to another - it’ll simply take too long and you’ll lose the lighting and colors you’ve been waiting for.
So, I had to test my luck.
After getting on the bus and going the wrong way once, I hopped onto another one to make my way around the lake.
Each bus was packed, as if every single tourist was going to the same spot - and there were only a few buses circling the lake.
Many times I wanted to get off and take photos, but I resisted the temptation, determined to wait for the very last stop - Oishi Park.
Oishi Park
Oishi Park is the final stop on the bus that circles Lake Kawaguchiko.
“Oishi” means tasty or delicious in Japanese, so Tasty Park it is.
The very moment we arrived, I knew I’d made the right choice.
I just had that feeling.
Upon exiting the bus, I saw a bunch of people waiting to go back, which confused me, since I could tell the light was just getting good.
I peered over to look at the lake and saw a decent crowd of people.
I started to worry whether or not I’d be able to get a good shot.
Visiting the Chureito Pagoda and the Lawsons earlier was already a struggle, and I didn’t want to fight.
But what choice did I have, really?
So I took a quick bathroom break and made my way over to the edge of the lake.
And there it was, Mt. Fuji in all its glory, parted by the blues of Lake Kawaguchiko, met with the pinks, oranges, and reds of the fall foliage that had finally changed colors.
It was perfect.
The entire day I had struggled to find something that resembled the fall foliage.
I’d come to Japan just a tad too early - a few weeks later and many more of the leaves would have changed colors.
So I’d gotten a few orange trees here and there, but nothing that would massively resemble what you’d think of when you think of “Fall”.
But here, littered for tens of yards were a variety of bushes that had indeed turned colors.
Pinks, oranges, reds, you name it.
Coupled with the blues of the lake and the sky that cast over Mt. Fuji, it made for the perfect blend of vibrant colors.
After looking closer, it seemed like these bushes were gardened with the intention of looking this nice.
But I didn’t care - I’ll take what I can get at this point, and it was more than I had expected.
My adrenaline pumping, I ran around left and right trying get the shot at the right focal length and angle.
I wanted the perfect combination of plants in the foreground, lake in the midground, and Mt. Fuji in the background.
But of course, it was hard to know which would look better later, so I took as many different shots as I could of different colors, shapes of foliage, and combination of subjects.
This hour was a golden mess.
Not only was I hustling to get the shot, but many other people were as well.
I had to dodge the crowds to get a shot without people in it, as well as not get in the way of other people’s photos.
But it was 100% worth it.
These two shots in particular I found very “print worthy”.
I like the contrast of the pink and blues, and the shape of this bush is very nice.
But also, these photos I took with the little ball bushes also made their way up the list.
I found that having a multitude of subjects in the foreground adds a bit more depth to the image while the previous ones looked more two dimensional.
But each has an appeal of it’s own and I find both satisfying.
Now if you look closely, you can tell there’s a small cloud hanging around the top of Mt. Fuji.
Initially I didn’t like it, because it got in the way of an otherwise clear and clean shot of the mountain.
But as I looked closer, I realized it kind of looks like a mustache, and that made it fun in a very unexpected way.
As I flopped about playing with different angles and bushes, a small fishing boat pulled in.
At first, I was worried it’d get in the way of the shot, but it stopped in the perfect spot.
It found it’s way to a gap in the water which served as a break between the mountain and the foreground.
And I instantly recognized how much better the photo was with this element in the photo.
It reminded me of another photo I’d taken at a Tokyo firework festival just a few days prior.
Quickly, I tried to recreate the same shot as earlier, just with this new subject.
And I think that was enough to take an already print worthy photo to the next level.
The shots from before weren’t bad - they’re pretty good actually.
But simply adding this one small subject here, made the shot so much better.
I’ve got the depth from the autumn bushes in the foreground, which I left slightly out of focus to softly roll in.
I’ve got Mr Mt. Fuji with his mustache in the background.
And I have the fishermen in the middle, filling in this space to the left and balancing the peak of Mt. Fuji on the right.
I got the photo.
The photo I’d spent all day searching for, but was unsure I’d get.
The photo I commuted 3 and a half hours for - and did not want to make a second round.
The photo that made this entire trip worth it, because it was something I’d fantasized about getting from my bedroom window.
As you can tell, this is the shot I decided to print and put up on the wall behind me.
There are a few minor things I need to clean up but otherwise I’m really happy with it.
If you’d like one for yourself, it’ll be available as a print in my shop.
These are premium satin prints, perfect to put up on your walls and in your rooms.
I also made some shirts, really because I wanted one myself.
This is the “Mt. Fuji”, or “Fujisan” shirt.
It features the lettering on the front, and a landscape shot on the back.
I wanted to use the vertical version on the back, trust me, but printing complications made it hard to do so.
But for this design I think the landscape one looks pretty great as well.
The shirts will only be here for a limited time, in limited quality.
It’ll end whenever we sell out or when all the Japan videos are done - whichever comes first.
You can grab the print and shirt in the links and shops here.
Thank you as always for the support.
As golden hour began to fade, I took a few more shots to end the day.
I was thinking about staying for blue hour, but to be honest, I was tired and ready to go back.
I still had a 3.5 hour train ride ahead of me.
So, I took a few closing shots, which were ironically perfect in their own way.
The clouds around Mt. Fuji had cleared up and the lighting had gotten warmer.
This allowed me to edit the photos to a different color scheme and aesthetic as opposed to the previous ones, which gave it a warmer, lighter, and fluffier look.
It’s very interesting how just 10 minutes can change a photo entirely.
Those were my two favorite shots of the day, and I like them for different reasons.
Comment down below (on YouTube) and let me know which photo from today you liked best.
Now despite there being a ton of tourists, the view from Oishi Park was so good, I have to give it a high score.
Of course Golden Hour played a big role here, but this is a purely subjective score that doesn’t mean anything anyways.
And we got the shot which made the whole day worth it, so I’m giving this spot a whopping…8.5.
That’s really high, by the way.
Oishi Park Spot Score: 8.5
As I took the bus back, I couldn’t help but take a few more shots of the lake through the window.
I was on a high from golden hour and although some of the photos weren’t that great, it helped pass the time.
I passed by the Lawsons once more; it was dark but people were still scrambling to get their shots in.
And finally, we reached Kawaguchiko station - which meant only a 3 hour ride back home.
It was a long day, I’d done so much, and I was ready to tuck in and die.
But it was 100% worth it.
I could sleep well knowing I got what I came here for.
Thank you for joining me on this photography day trip.
I hope you found it enjoyable or valuable in some way.
Comment on YouTube your favorite shot of the day and stay tuned for the rest of the Japan blogs…they’re gonna be great.
Also, remember to grab a print or a shirt in the links, if you’re interested.
Thanks for reading, have a wonderful day.
