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08:43:50
We set off early - before 9 - and this picture is taken right at the start of our journey. I was oddly quite amazed by how you could see our apartment building from the expressway here.
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09:49:46
Our first glimpse of Fuji from the car - and I quite like the way this "80m" sign is in shot here (actually it's more like 3667m!).
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09:53:23
More Fuji shots from the car...
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09:57:05
...and I couldn't stop taking pictures apparently.
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10:08:50
Another from-the-car picture of the mountain.
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10:21:38
Finally we parked up to get some pictures out of the car. Here's a shot taken from the shore of one of the five lakes in the vicinity of Fuji.
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10:21:46
Zoomed in on the peak a bit.
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10:21:59
Same as before but in portrait.
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10:26:35
Tanaka-kun, Yuka-chan and Chie in front of Fuji.
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10:27:22
Another one with some of the shoreline in the foreground.
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10:30:18
I wanted to get the two guys in the boat in the shot here.
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11:02:08
Next stop we went to visit the Fugaku lava cave - whilst hanging around waiting for everyone to visit the facilities I spied this very dormant grasshopper.
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11:07:39
On the way to the caves now. We had to walk through a little bit of the jukai to get there - these are the forests that surround Fuji, where people often get lost (compasses don't work, apparently).
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11:07:58
Interesting trees here, all growing on volcanic rock.
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11:10:20
Me in the woods.
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11:10:29
...and again.
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11:12:12
Descending into the caves..
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11:13:19
Me entering the caves - interesting here as at the top of picture you can see the forest floor (if that makes sense).
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11:13:44
Steps down into the caves.
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11:14:49
Despite it being quite warm outside, inside the cave there was ice!
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11:15:09
Lots of ice. Apparently in times past this ice was taken to Tokyo to sell.
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11:17:25
Chie et al reading a sign.
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11:19:10
Strangely there was a little shed like bit inside the cave - those shelves inside had all sorts of preserved goods. This whole cave was basically like a big fridge.
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11:20:30
At the end of the cave...
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11:21:58
On the way back out again now.
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11:30:50
Me and Yuka-chan by the sign for the Fugaku lava cave.
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11:32:28
A map of the area around Mt. Fuji, with the all important "you are here" marker in the bottom right hand corner.
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11:50:21
A short walk away, and there were more caves to visit.
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11:50:40
Again they cut away into the forest floor, which I found kind of interesting.
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11:51:02
Again there was a strange little hut inside.
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11:52:37
This little girl in front had gone for a second tour of the caves all by herself! Very brave.
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11:53:13
The accessibility of these caves was a little on the tall side, especially where 6ft foreigners are concerned.
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11:55:11
A little shrine, surrounded by 1 Yen coins.
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11:55:34
...again this cave had a lot of ice in it.
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11:55:42
...yep ice.
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11:55:57
Strangely it wasn't actually too cold though.
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11:56:09
Some icicles etc.
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11:56:21
Interesting!
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11:56:46
Chie demonstrating that it was a tad chilly.
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11:59:09
Outside the cave now, taking a bit of a rest.
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12:00:51
Another map.
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12:16:29
This is a "parasitic tree"...
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12:16:33
...there are several different types of tree growing on the same tree...
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12:16:54
...as this sign explains, it is apparently quite rare...
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12:33:18
Yet another cave, but this one was very small so we didn't bother going in.
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12:35:15
Another view of Fuji taken from a service area we stopped off at.
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12:35:26
Zoomed in a bit.
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13:03:11
I thought it was great how there were so many familiar Japanese chains with views of Fuji around here... so here's a sign for Lawson (a convenience store) with Fuji in the background.
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13:27:58
After picking up bentos, we went and found this very pleasant lakeside area for a picnic.
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13:36:36
Me with my snacks of choice...
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13:36:45
Chie took this picture of the sun shining through the tree we were being shaded by.
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13:45:38
Quite a pleasant little lake to take a rest by.
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13:46:48
Chie being a bit odd with her glasses...
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13:47:06
...and again.
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13:55:34
We went for a short stroll around the lake to walk off our lunches a bit.
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13:55:52
Chie investigating the water's edge.
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14:07:56
...and yet again you can see Fuji here!
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14:47:03
Heading back to Tokyo now, but couldn't resist a couple more Fuji pictures taken through the window of the car.
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14:51:48
Last one here. Goodbye Mt. Fuji!
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