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| On this day we have a date with Mt Fuji~ |
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| The view from our Atami hotel just before we started our drive~ |
But first and foremost, my wife wanted to eat some strawberries... so I found the nearest strawberry farm on the map and we drove there for some fresh strawberries~ (-_-;)
Verdict? Sweet, fresh and nice Shizuoka strawberries in winter while driving is a wonderful idea~ LOL! They also have sessions for strawberry-picking but when we checked it was fully-booked for the day. No luck there so we ventured on and found... Mishima Skywalk!
The weather was kind to us and we managed to catch Mt Fuji in all its glory. Many people say its a matter of luck to catch a good view of Mt Fuji and I can attest to it. Many of my friends have been there but not able to catch the tip of Mt Fuji. Luckily for us the sky was clear for the 2 days we were around the area.
Next up was Gotemba Premium Outlet. I've never been a fan of premium outlets but this place have the backdrop of Mt Fuji. Even if you are not there for shopping, just having a meal or a cup of coffee while taking in the sights of Mt Fuji is reward for making your way here!
My wife wasted very little time in shopping... Even J is interested in some of the merchandises on display... We managed to grab a bite and a cup of coffee before we continued onto our journey...
An outlet and 4 handbags purchased later... we made our way towards Lake Kawaguchi 河口湖.
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| On the way to Lake Kawaguchi |
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| Our stay for the night is across the lake! |
It is situated on the East side of Lake Kawaguchi where the higher class ryokans are situated. Many of the ryokans here have rooms and/or onsens that have a splendid view of Mt Fuji.
And indeed the view from the room does not disappoint...
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| The view that greeted us once we entered the room! |
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| On top of the main living area where we can have futons, there's also 2 single beds |
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| The view of Mt Fuji from the room was spectacular~ |
After check-in we quickly changed up as I wanted to catch a glimpse of the sunset from the rooftop onsen. And the view that greeted me and my sneakily snuck in mobile phone was...
AMAZING!
The pictures cannot describe the amazing feeling of enjoying a soak in the outdoor onsen, taking in the cold crisp winter air while enjoying the view of Mt Fuji.
As night falls, it was getting a bit too cold and we quickly snuck back to our room and changed up for dinner. Both dinner and breakfast was held in the restaurant on the 2nd floor. As it was already dark by the time we made it to dinner, we couldn't see anything outside of the restaurant window but it's supposed to have a great view of Mt Fuji.
Dinner was Kaiseki (懐石料理) and it's great for foreigners that their menu comes in both English and Japanese. Most Japanese ryokans will just provide a Japanese list so this should be greatly appreciated by foreigners who wish to know what they are eating! ( ^_^;)
After the coma-inducing dinner, we made our way back to the room while my wife started to admire her war trophies from Gotemba Premium Outlet.... (-_-;)
Early next morning this was the view that greeted us...
The clouds were gone overnight and the sky was totally clear. The lake was partially frozen and as it slowly melts, the reflection can be seen from on the waters... I woke up from 6am to watch as the reflection of Mt Fuji slowly reveals itself~
Breakfast was presented as well as dinner. Still full from the previous night's dinner, the food served to us already looked too much for breakfast! But I was more interested in the view of Mt Fuji from the restaurant...
I wish I can stay here forever. Waking up every morning with such a view, it is something unthinkable in Singapore... at best we have Mt Faber? LOL~
We took a walk along the lake outside the hotel after breakfast before checking-out and starting our drive to our next destination, Matsumoto Castle and Kusatsu!
See other posts from this trip below:
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