Lake Saiko

Lake Saiko is the area located roughly in the middle of the Fuji Five Lakes, and because it is surrounded by the Aokigahara Forest, it has an especially mystical, deep, and fantastical atmosphere among the five lakes. The wider region is included as a component of the World Cultural Heritage listing “Mt. Fuji: Object of Worship, Source of Art,” as part of the “Mt. Fuji area.” Even the pale, clear surface hints at the lake’s high transparency. It is also memorable as the place where the “kunimasu,” a legendary fish said to require extremely high water clarity, was discovered. The lake surface elevation is about 900 meters, and the maximum depth is 71.7 meters. In addition to kunimasu, fish such as wakasagi (smelt), crucian carp, largemouth bass, and bluegill inhabit the lake. Nearby are campsites, and the area also has hotels and hot spring facilities, making it a spot with many ways to enjoy. Access: by car, about 30 minutes from Chuo Expressway “Kawaguchiko IC” or from Higashi-Fuji-Goko Road “Fujiyoshida IC.” By train, transfer at JR Chuo Main Line “Otsuki Station” to the Fujikyu Railway and get off at “Kawaguchiko Station,” then take a bus about 40 minutes. By highway bus, take a bus from Shinjuku or Tokyo to Kawaguchiko Station, then a bus about 40 minutes.