is the name of the area located at the base of

Mount Fuji , or Fugaku, located on the island of Honshū, is the highest mountain in Japan, with a summit elevation of . It is the second-highest volcano located on an island in Asia (after Mount Kerinci on the island of Sumatra), and seventh-highest ...

in the

Yamanashi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Yamanashi Prefecture has a population of 817,192 (1 January 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,465 km2 (1,724 sq mi). Yamanashi Prefecture borders Saitama Prefecture to the ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...

. It has a population of about 100,000 and sits about above sea level. The name Fuji Five Lakes comes from the fact that there are five lakes formed by previous eruptions of Mount Fuji. The principal city in the region,

Fujiyoshida is a city located in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 48,782 in 19,806 households and a population density of 400 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Fujiyoshida lies at the northern ...

, has a population of roughly 54,000 and is particularly famous for its udon noodles. Another point of interest is Aokigahara Jukai Forest. The Fuji Five Lakes was selected by the ''

Tokyo Nichi Nichi Shimbun Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...

'' and '' Osaka Mainichi Shimbun'' as one of the Twenty-Five Winning Sites of Japan in 1927.

Lakes of the Fuji Five Lakes

The five lakes are located in an arc around the northern half of

. In ancient times, lava flow from a

volcanic eruption Several types of volcanic eruptions—during which lava, tephra (ash, lapilli, volcanic bombs and volcanic blocks), and assorted gases are expelled from a volcanic vent or fissure—have been distinguished by volcanologists. These are oft ...

spread across the area, damming up rivers and resulting in the formation of these lakes. They are all considered excellent tourist attractions and fishing spots.

Lake Kawaguchi

Lake Kawaguchi (河口湖 Kawaguchi-ko) is the most famous of the five lakes, and images of this lake are usually used in posters and commercials for the Fuji Five Lakes area. A large number of hotels line its banks, as do locals providing boat rides to the tourists. It is the only lake in the Fuji Five Lakes area that has an island. Many local cultural events are run near this lake throughout the year.

Lake Motosu

Lake Motosu is the westernmost of the Fuji Five Lakes and located on the border of the towns of Fujikawaguchiko and Minobu in southern Yamanashi Prefecture near Mount Fuji, Japan. Lake Motosu is the third-largest of the Fuji Five Lakes in terms of surface ...

(本栖湖 Motosu-ko) is the ninth deepest lake of Japan, at . This lake, along with Lake Sai and Lake Shōji, was formed by lava flowing across what is now Aokigahara Jukai Forest and into the enormous lake that once dominated the area, and these three lakes remain still connected by underground waterways.

Lake Sai

The western side of Sai (西湖 Sai-ko) shares its banks with the infamous Aokigahara Jukai Forest.

Lake Shōji

Lake Shōji is one of the Fuji Five Lakes and located in the town of Fujikawaguchiko in southern Yamanashi Prefecture near Mount Fuji, Japan. Lake Shōji is the smallest of the Fuji Five Lakes in terms of surface area, and third deepest, with a maximum wat ...

(精進湖 Shōji-ko) is the smallest of the five lakes. Remnants of lava flow still jut out of the water. Locals usually fish from these rocks.

Lake Yamanaka

The easternmost and largest of the five lakes, Lake Yamanaka (山中湖 Yamanaka-ko) is also the third highest lake in Japan, standing at above sea level.

Tourism industry

Most of the capital coming into the area comes from the

tourism industry Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism ...

. Approximately 100,000,000,000 yen is spent by 9,000,000 sightseers every year. The main attractions of the area include: *

Onsen In Japan, are the country's hot springs and the bathing facilities and traditional inns around them. As a volcanically active country, Japan has many onsens scattered throughout all of its major islands. There are approximately 25,000 hot ...

s * Fuji-Q Highland – an amusement park featuring one of the world's highest roller coasters. * The lakes – sightseeing, sailing, and fishing. *

Hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

and

mountain climbing Mountaineering or alpinism, is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending tall mountains. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas. Indoor climbing, sport climbing, ...

. * Village of Healing (いやしの里 iyashinosato）– a historically accurate, rebuilt Japanese village.

References

External links

*
Fuji Five Lakes
— ''travel info, includes a map''.
Fujigoko TV

Kawaguchiko's government office
- English homepage {{Authority control Chūbu region Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park Geography of Yamanashi Prefecture Tourist attractions in Yamanashi Prefecture Lake groups of Japan Mount Fuji