Golden Week: Fuji-san

For my first full day as a 27 year old, it was time to visit one major landmark I’d yet to see, Mt. Fuji. I was pretty excited to see it. I've caught glimpses of it on trains to Tokyo or on the Shinkansen, but today I would get to see it in its full glory. As luck would have it, I also got to take in the sights just before some controversial decisions were made. 

We took a bus from Tokyo to Fujiyoshida, which had fantastic views of Mt. Fuji. It took us about 2 and a half hours to get there, but it was a good chance to catch up on some sleep and take in the scenery. To my surprise (and delight) we briefly stopped at a place called Fuji-Q Highland, an amusement park complete with a view of Mt. Fuji. Something about having roller coasters at the base of a volcano just tickled me. 

Finally, we arrived at the bus station, and I saw probably the biggest concentration of tourists I’ve ever seen outside of Tokyo. After the long bus ride, we were all pretty hungry, so of course, we wanted to hit up a convenience store to grab some food. Right next to the bus stop is a local Lawson, a location that’s become quite the hot-button debate lately. 

As we grabbed some food, and stood outside the convenience store to eat, something about this particular spot rang a bell. I couldn’t quite place why exactly, but now I wish I’d gotten a picture of this Lawson’s with Mt. Fuji in the background. A convenience store with a beautiful mountain behind it certainly makes for a fun photo, but I wanted just the mountain. What I forgot at the time was that this view was about to change. 

Announced in late April, around Golden Week, it was decided that a large black screen would be put up to block the views of Mt. Fuji. Over-tourism has been the subject of much debate recently, as record numbers of tourists have been visiting Japan due to the weak Yen and post pandemic travel boom. City locals have complained of tourist littering, jaywalking, and being all around disrespectful. 

Of course, people have already taken matters into their own hands, poking holes in this screen and putting their camera lens through to take their prized photo. It certainly seemed like an odd solution to a complicated problem, and I worry it may exacerbate the issue further. 

I’m certainly not in much of a position to comment on over-tourism here in Japan. I may live here, but I’m sure I’m still seen as a long-term tourist by Japanese society. That being said, I think how Japan decides to respond to over-tourism will set the tone for people visiting Japan for years to come. 

I had heard about this decision at the time, but I hadn’t put it together that I was standing in the very spot that would change in just a few weeks. At the time, I was just thinking about food and taking in the views of Mt. Fuji. After we had some lunch, our next destination was the Mt. Fuji Panorama Ropeway, which would take us up to an excellent vantage point of the mountain. 

By the time we arrived, there was a bit of a line, but nothing too terrible. As we waited in line more people showed up behind us, and the line quickly grew longer and longer, we really lucked out. We stood in line for about 30 minutes before we loaded up onto a small gondola and were lifted up to the observation deck. 

The view from the observation area was truly stunning. We had the perfect weather for admiring Mt. Fuji, it was a clear sunny day, and you could really take in the views. We spent time taking photos of the mountain, family photos, and browsing the gift shop. It was a lovely afternoon, nice and chill after a whirlwind week. 

In a way, it did feel like things were drawing to a close, as I knew I would be saying goodbye to my family tomorrow. Having a day to just take in some nice views and appreciate the scenery with them was really special. We got lots of photos together, admired the views, and just spent time together. I really couldn’t ask for much more than that. 

Eventually, we got back on the gondola, and went back down the ropeway. We still had some time to kill before our bus arrived, so we strolled around the city, taking the scenic route back to the bus station. We took some photos on a nearby bridge. My mom and my sister found some shopping. I got sunburnt. It was a normal family outing, just in Japan.

 After walking around the town, it was time to head back. We once again stopped by Lawsons, stocking up on snacks and drinks for the road. We all used the bathroom, and got on the bus. I expected our return time would be about the same as it took to get here, maybe a little longer. What none of us counted on, was Tokyo traffic. Our 2 and a half hour ride turned into about a 4 hour ride, or at least 3 and a half. 

By the time we got back to Tokyo we were all pretty beat from the long bus ride. It's one of those weird but undeniable things, sitting down for so many hours in a row is simply exhausting. We headed back to the Airbnb, and if I remember right we just made a simple meal at home. Not to belabor the point, but it was nice just to have some quiet time together. I knew I would be saying goodbye tomorrow, so I wanted to soak up as much time with them as I could. 

Mt. Fuji had been a great landmark to see, it was majestic, beautiful, and I got to see it alongside family. Not that we went to Lawson for the views or the photos, I doubt any of us even got a photo of Lawson with Mt. Fuji in the background, but it was nice not to have to worry about a big black screen in our way. If I come back to this area again, I’m sure it’ll be different, at least in atmosphere. 

When I went this time, over-tourism wasn’t really on my mind, even if I had read about it online. Next time I visit, I might not be able to untangle the black screen obstructing the views from the feeling that tourists, while not unwelcome, are on thin ice. Our conduct is being monitored to make sure we’re on our best behavior.

Of course, this whole trip I’d been doing the same thing to my family in some ways. I’ve always been worried about being seen as a rude foreign tourist, even though I live in Japan. Alone, I might be able to pass for a foreigner who lives in Japan, but alongside my family we definitely seem like tourists, so I at least wanted us to be seen as respectful tourists. 

I didn’t have much to worry about though; manners were always fairly important for our family, and I think that goes a long way, even in Japan. I’m not sure how much they learned about Japanese customs before coming, but they were always open to hearing about them from me. It also doesn’t hurt that my nephew is objectively adorable, and it’s hard to get annoyed at a group with a cute baby. 

I was always happy to have my family here, even when it made the logistics more challenging, like when ordering at a restaurant. But any minor issues were easily outweighed by being able to spend time together, show off places I had been to and adored here in Japan, and getting to see some new sights together, like none other than Fuji-san. 

I realize I’m starting to get a little sappy here, and it’s been almost two months since this trip ended. In a way though, I’ve been able to keep the memories alive by, almost painstakingly recounting each day of our trip through this blog. Though, even that is coming to an end, as my next entry in the Golden Week saga will likely be my last.

I’ve enjoyed reliving this trip through writing about it, and it’s given me a way to reflect and document the time I got to spend with my family. These travel-style articles are sometimes a bit more difficult to write, mostly since I’m bad at taking pictures, and worse about posting them, or making them accessible to post. They’re worth it though, because corny as it may be, this trip was really special to me, and I’m sad that both the trip itself was coming to a close, and so is my time spent writing and reminiscing about it.