In exactly one month I will be moving... I will no longer live at the base of Mt. Fuji but I will… - Feed Post by shirokitsune
In exactly one month I will be moving... I will no longer live at the base of Mt. Fuji but I will still be able to see it from my new apartment. Currently I live in Fujikawaguchiko-machi. You should definitely visit this town and climb Fuji if you ever come to Japan
posted by shirokitsune
Comments 12
The pictures I found of he area look really nice! How is it around there? Busy with a lot of people(tourist) or calm? I want to live in Japan one day and that area looks very decent, but I do not like busy cities like Tokyo.
It is not too bad. You see a lot of tourists but it is nothing like Tokyo haha
I take a look and your town looks great. It is near the Fuji and lake. Which is pretty awesome for the summer. People can climb or swim and get tanned.
Looks beautiful! I'll actually be around there later this year: My buddy wants to climb Mt. Fuji from the bottom (I've done it from the 5th station eons ago). Any good recommendations - sights/restaurants - we should see in Fujikawaguchiko or around the mountain in general?- Well there is Aokigahara if you want to continue to hike. If you come around August 5th there is the summer fireworks festival as well. My wife and I decided to climb Fuji and watch the fireworks from above 2 years ago and it was pretty cool. If what I have heard is true you will start the hike from Fuji segen Shrine for the true walk from the bottom. If you are going to be in the area for an extended time I would also recommend you see Oshino Hakkai, FujiQ Highland (theme park), or Oshino ninja village (opened about 2 years ago but have not been yet.)
- Thank you shirokitsune. It is confirmed, we'll be in your town towards the end of the summer for the Fuji climb. Yes, we'll start from Fuji Sengen and go through Aokigahara. Looking forward to Aokigahara - think it will remind me of Mirkwood from LOTR or something. Will also have a look at your other recommendations. Women and children are sticking around the city, it is only me and my buddy doing the actual climb. Thanks again for the recommendations!
Do you know people on the USMC base?
- @Matto33 Ya it is no problem. For Aokigahara it is really beautiful but be careful if you walk in the early morning or at night as there are wild pigs, monkeys, deer and the occasional bear. This year we have seen a rise in the wild pig population and teachers have to walk elementary kids home sometimes for fear of an attack. Also I don't recommend going off the path, one for animal reasons, as in recent years it has become a popular suicide spot. One of my buddies found a full skeleton still clothed a few years ago when he was looking for his neighbors dog.
@jackbosma Ya I know some people living on the USMC base but that has nothing to do with this thread. 
I have read that Aokigahara is dangerous because magnetic rocks will mess with compasses - this is why it is famous for suicide, people just walk in and couldn't get out again if they wanted to. People have to walk through in groups to find the bodies of people who were successful once a year, apparently. Creepy! I have been to the ice caves near there, though. Those were cool.- Ya that is right Arachkid. The original reason it was called a suicide forest was because people would get lost and could not find their way out. It was suicide to enter the woods. But now people go there to commit suicide as Japanese laws state that without proof of suicide, no body, health insurance companies need to pay out to the families after so many months. Lots of people walk in with nooses or sleeping pills and try to find areas that will not be found.
- The weird thing is, even given the fact that their relatives will have to foot the bill, a depressing number of people use trains as the way to go out. The forest sounds like a better situation - I mean, if you're going to do that.
- @shirokitsune - Thanks again. I knew about the suicide aspect but I didn't know about the wild animals. We're starting in the morning and will both have walking sticks so should be pretty safe. No plans to go off path as goal is to get to the top of the mountain as soon as possible. Wives will complain if we take too long. :-D That's crazy that your friend found a skeleton. Very brave of him to venture into that place.
