Days pass as if nothing happened. Facing all matters and vestiges about the earthquake and tsunami, we are walking in Japan again to make a new life. Time to weep for old days has finished. Something new is what is longed for these days.
So, today, I introduce a new recreation facility opening today ! It’s called “Juku no Mori” ( literally means “A forest with the trees and the sky” ) and we were invited the private preview the other day. I tell you about it.

Juku-no Mori is located at the foot of Mt. Fuji, in Gotemba. Though we were supposed to be astonished by the overwhelming sight of Mt. Fuji behind the main building “Visitor Center”, unfortunately, due to the hazy weather, it was hiding in the clouds.

Screen Image from the top of Mt.Fuji ＾＾；

We stepped in it after a few moments. Spacious room. Souvenir shopping area including local vegetables and self-defense military goods came first on the ground floor. Stairs to the second floor. We went up. There was a café on the left and internet booths on the left. The front was covered with glass and a large garden was seen behind it. We were led to the “Tenku Theatre” where we could study the history of Mt. Fuji. We saw lots of panels and materials explaining it with the help of monitors or voice announcements. A large diorama explains how Mt. Fuji changes by the season with projected colors and the huge screen shows various faces of Mt. Fuji. You can listen to it in English, Chinese or Korean if you ask for it.

The winter landscape around Mt.Fuji

The summer landscape around Mt.Fuji

After we looked around the visitor center, we walked in the garden. It was very refreshing for us to stroll around in the air of Mt. Fuji. A chopper appeared in our sight. Because this facility is mostly administered by Gotemba City and partly the self-defense force ? Lava holes were definitely something to see. The spacious lawn square and the broad dome are where you can sit and have lunch, they said. Events are also to be scheduled there. We walked through the Sakura promenade with lots of cherry blossom trees along it. “Park Golf” is not ready yet. It’s going to be opened in autumn, 2012.

Otainai-onsen Health Center

After you enjoy all of them, refresh yourself in onsen hot-spring. Otainai-onsen Health Center is on your way back to the visitor center !

TV coverage recently often says, “reboot Japan through tourism industries”. I really think so. I hope hundreds of thousands of people enjoy at Juku-no Mori.

Have a good day !

Juku-no Mori
Access from Gotemba Station ：20 minutes to the bus stop “Otainai-onsen”
Admission ： Free
Tenku Theatre Museum ： ￥300 for adults
Open Hours ： 9:00 – 17:00 ※ Closed every Tuesday

Otainai-onsen Health Center
Admission ： ￥500 for adults／￥300 for children ( 3 hours, weekday )
￥700 for adults／￥400 for children ( 3 hours, weekend )
Open Hours ： 10:00 – 21:00 ※ Closed every Tuesday

“Shizuoka Guide” is our official English blog website for events & sightseeing. Always with you ! ＾＾

Not a sunny day. No rain fortunately.
I arrived at Sengentaisha shrine in Fujinomiya to join the party of Mt. Fuji Climbing. Actually, that was my first time. Our members were： 3 from Shizuoka Prefecture, 5 from Hokuriku Broadcast in Ishikawa Prefecture (they came to Shizuoka to report Mt. Fuji and other sightseeing spots around for TV and Radio ) and me, 9 in total.

According to our tradition, we prayed for our safety in Sengentaisha shrine. I was so nervous with many horrible stories in my head. Imagine you are in the cloud and see lightning just in front of you with roaring and shattering sounds in the freezing air, or maybe you are alone in the complete darkness listening to the sound of silence. Newspapers may say on the front page “the missing man was found unconscious in the mountain next to Mt. Fuji”. You may laugh for the coward but everything could happen ! ! What I’ve meant is you can’t be too careful when you challenge Mt. Fuji. Just mark my words for it ! 〆(・ω・o)
After having prayed for our safety, we walked to “Wakutama-ike”. This is a pond that has been made from the underground water of snow from Mt. Fuji and people used to bathe in it to purify themselves before climbing Mt. Fuji. Nowadays, the pond has become a heaven for trout !

Now, here we go ! （＾＾）／
It took about 1 hour by bus to the fifth point of Fujinomiya Trail, the point of the height 2400m. Remember ? We have 3 choices to the Fifth station in Shizuoka. Fujinomiya, Gotemba and Subashiri. We chose Fujinomiya route because it is said to be the easiest trail to the top. By the way, though each route has fifth station, its height is all different from others. In this case, “Fifth” doesn’t mean the midway point. It’s nothing but an indication for climbers. The fifth on Fujinomiya is located at the highest point of that on other routes.

Anyway, we arrived at the fifth. Now, what’s in my backpack ? A set of raincoat, jackets, sweaters, T-shirts, socks, head-light, a 2L bottle of water and 500ml bottle, chocolates, candies, salty snacks and the like. Be sure to wear a cap and sunscreen. An alpenstock would be a great help for you. At the fifth, please be advised to take more-than-one-hour rest to get your body acclimated to the air pressure.

After a short filming and shooting, around 14:00, we finally stepped the first step. In a state of elation at first, soon we, actually I got out of breath. I walked next to last so that they didn’t lose me. Thanks god, after around 30 minutes, the 6th ( 2490m ) came into my sight. 90m in height is by no means easy to walk up. Oh, and maybe I’ve got to inform you that the higher you climb up, the higher the price of water, chocolates and candies become. And to use the washroom, it costs ¥200. After sufficient break at the sixth, we headed for the new 7th station of the point 2780m.

We walked in the dense fog. Better than to walk in direct sunlight. The air was getting thinner. Encouraged and invigorated, I had treaded the trail, for more than 1 hour, until finally I got to the 7th. 380m from the fifth. 1000m still left. We needed to hurry to the 9th station by the time of sunset.
Actually, I was almost dead. My legs didn’t want to take an even small step. Looking up to the top, I felt myself dazed. Am I really able to get to the top ?

To be continued. 〆(・Å・｀ｏ）ノ〜〜

Mt. Fuji Climbing from Fujinomiya Trail
To the Fifth by bus
From JR Shin-Fuji Station, Fuji Station, Fujinomiya Station, Mishima Station
¥3,000 for round trip / adults ¥1,500 for / children
Required time ： 6 hours to climb up / 3 hours to climb down

“Shizuoka Guide” is our official English website for sightseeing, always with you ! ＾＾

Notice about the current condition of “Mt. Fuji Trails” – as of July 6th, 2010

Traffic Regulations of trails on “Fujinomiya Route” and “Subashiri Route” will be lifted as the result of field survey.
As for “Gotemba Route”, it is still under the strict regulation. Information will be updated as soon as informed or noticed from the Mt. Fuji patrol institute.

【Current Condition】
Fujinomiya Route
New Fifth – 8th station　：　Accessible
8th station – Top Station　：　Accessible from midnight(0:00) of July 9th
Gotemba Route
New Fifth – 6th station　：　Accessible
6th station – Top station　：　Closed
Subashiri Route
5th station – Top station　：　Accessible from midnight(0:00) of July 8th

As for Yoshida Route of Yamanashi side, please inquire to The Road Management Division of Yamanashi Prefectural Government.