Oshino Hakkai — Eight Springs
Eight ponds fed directly by Mt Fuji snowmelt — water that fell on Fuji's summit takes 80 years to filter through the volcanic rock and emerge here, crystal clear at a constant 13°C. The ponds sit in a traditional thatched-roof farm village below Fuji's northern face, creating a composition unchanged since the Edo period.
1–1.5 hours
Free for the eight ponds. One pond (Sokonuke-ike) is inside a paid museum: adults ¥300, children ¥150.
8:00–17:30 year-round
Year-round (winter with snow and Fuji background)
Bus from Kawaguchiko Station (Fujikyū Bus to Oshino Hakkai, approx. 25–30 min).
Location
Why Visit
- 1
The spring water is 80-year-old Mt Fuji snowmelt — filtered through volcanic rock for eight decades
- 2
Eight separate ponds each with different depth and clarity — the deepest is 8 metres and perfectly clear
- 3
Thatched farmhouses surround the ponds — a UNESCO candidate for Fuji cultural landscape preservation
Local Tips
Eight crystal-clear ponds fed by Mt Fuji snowmelt filtered through ancient lava over 80 years — the water temperature is a constant 14°C regardless of season. The clarity of the pools is extraordinary (visibility to 10m). Mt Fuji directly behind the traditional thatched farmhouses is the classic image. Combine with Kawaguchiko and Aokigahara for a full Fuji Five Lakes day.
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