
2025/ 1/ 15
Lake Kawaguchi is a popular cherry blossom viewing spot where you can enjoy the spectacular view of Mt. Fuji and cherry blossoms in the spring. There are many cherry blossom viewing spots dotted around the lake, where you can enjoy the view of the cherry blossoms on the lakeside collaborating with the majestic towering Mt. Fuji. Why not visit Lake Kawaguchi, which is one of Japan's leading cherry blossom viewing spots and attracts many tourists from all over the world? In this article, we will introduce in detail the best time to see the cherry blossoms at Lake Kawaguchi and recommended cherry blossom viewing spots.
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Lake Kawaguchi is a famous tourist destination in Japan where you can enjoy the spectacular view of Mt. Fuji. In spring, the cherry blossoms along the lakeside are in full bloom, attracting many tourists with their beautiful scenery.
The area around Lake Kawaguchi is not just filled with cherry blossoms, but also with plenty of tourist spots where visitors can enjoy nature and culture, offering a variety of attractions to visitors.
Below, we will explain in detail about the cherry blossoms at Lake Kawaguchi and the surrounding attractions.
The best time to see the cherry blossoms at Lake Kawaguchi is from late March to early April every year. Early April is the most beautiful time for the cherry blossoms, and you can enjoy the spectacular combination of Mt. Fuji and the cherry blossoms.
Many events are held in the area to coincide with the cherry blossoms blooming, making the area around Lake Kawaguchi even more lively than usual.
The period when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom usually lasts for about one to two weeks, but the flowering period varies slightly depending on the weather, so we recommend checking flowering information on festivals and official websites of the area before visiting.
The area around Lake Kawaguchi is dotted with enjoyable spots, including scenic spots overlooking Mt. Fuji, art galleries, museums, parks, and shrines.
We recommend visiting during the cherry blossom season, as you can stroll along the shores of Lake Kawaguchi while enjoying the cherry blossoms, or take in the view of Mt. Fuji from a sightseeing boat.
During the spring cherry blossom season, many tourists visit the area, making it bustling and lively. Come and enjoy the charm of Lake Kawaguchi along with the cherry blossoms.
The best thing about Lake Kawaguchi is how easily accessible it is from Tokyo.
You can also travel by train, but if you take the express bus, you can travel in about the same amount of time as the train for about 2,000 yen. It is also perfectly possible to visit Lake Kawaguchi to see the cherry blossoms on a day trip from Tokyo.
There are sightseeing buses running around Lake Kawaguchi, so you can visit the tourist spots while visiting the cherry blossom viewing spots. You can also use a free pass that allows you to ride the Red Line, Green Line, and Blue Line as much as you like, allowing you to visit the sights efficiently.
There are many spots to enjoy the beautiful cherry blossoms around Lake Kawaguchi. If you want to experience the excitement of spring while viewing the cherry blossoms, try visiting the cherry blossom festivals and popular flower viewing spots.
From here, we will introduce some particularly recommended cherry blossom festivals and flower viewing spots.
The Fuji Kawaguchiko Cherry Blossom Festival is held every year from the end of March to the beginning of April.
The main venue is near the Kawaguchiko Circular Hall on the north shore of Lake Kawaguchi, where you can enjoy the collaboration of Mt. Fuji and cherry blossoms. If you use the Kawaguchiko Tour Bus Free Pass, you can conveniently use the Red Line bus to get to the area around the venue.
During the festival, there will also be a craft market where you can purchase local specialties, and the cherry blossoms will be lit up from sunset until 9pm, adding a gorgeous touch to the spring evenings.
You can also enjoy a tour of the Golden Seven Lucky Gods in the area, and there are also tourist spots such as the Kawaguchiko Music Forest Museum and Kawaguchi Asama Shrine, so you can enjoy cherry blossom viewing while also experiencing the culture of Kawaguchiko.
If you want to feel the arrival of spring, the Fuji Kawaguchiko Cherry Blossom Festival is one event you cannot miss.
Nagasaki Park is located on the east side of Lake Kawaguchi, around Kawaguchi Asama Shrine, the main venue of the Fuji Kawaguchiko Sakura Festival. It is convenient to use the Red Line of the Kawaguchiko Tour Bus to get there.
Nagasaki Park is a spot where you can clearly see the base of Mt. Fuji because of its topography that juts out into Lake Kawaguchi. You can enjoy the view of cherry blossoms with Mt. Fuji in the background, and it is known as a famous cherry blossom viewing spot.
The cherry blossoms here have well-formed branches, allowing you to enjoy taking photos from a variety of angles.
If you go further east from Nagasaki Park, you will arrive at Oishi Park, which is famous for its lavender.
There aren't as many cherry blossoms as in other areas, but if you want to enjoy them along with other spring flowers, it's worth a visit. If you take a walk around Oishi Park, you'll see some beautiful cherry blossoms.
The park also has a spacious lawn, making it a perfect spot for a picnic.
If you go south from the main venue area of the Fuji Kawaguchiko Sakura Festival, you will find Ubuyagasaki. It is featured in overseas guidebooks as a cherry blossom viewing spot, and is also a popular place for taking photos of cherry blossoms.
If you are in an area where the lake surface is not shaking much and it is a windless, clear day, you can enjoy the inverted view of Mt. Fuji and the cherry blossoms.
Yagisaki Park is a park located on the south side of Lake Kawaguchi. It is well known as a park with lavender fields, but it is also recommended as a spot to view cherry blossoms. The cherry blossoms blooming in a row along the lakeside are beautiful, and it is a hidden spot where you can enjoy the cherry blossoms while viewing Mt. Fuji.
The Katsuyama Sakura Festival is held around Shikkogo Park and Fuji Omuro Sengen Shrine on the south shore of Lake Kawaguchi. Like the Fuji Kawaguchiko Sakura Festival, it is held every year from the end of March to early April.
There are only a few places where you can see both Mt. Fuji and cherry blossoms at the same time at the festival site, but the path from the torii gate to the main hall of Fuji Omuro Sengen Shrine is lined with cherry trees, making it almost like walking through a cherry blossom tunnel.
There are cherry blossom trees lined up for about 300 meters from the plaza at Shikogo Park to the parking lot, which is also beautiful.
The Katsuyama Cherry Blossom Festival also features a stamp rally that takes participants to three designated cherry blossom viewing spots, so it can be fun to tour the locations.
Arakurayama Sengen Park is a scenic spot where you can see cherry blossoms with Mount Fuji in the background.
The Arakurayama Sengen Park Sakura Festival is held every year from the end of March to mid-April, attracting many tourists. There are 3 cherry trees planted in the park, and during the festival, food stalls are lined up where you can enjoy local gourmet food.
You have to climb 398 stone steps to reach the observation deck, but the spectacular combination of the five-story pagoda "Chureito Pagoda" often seen in guidebooks, Mt. Fuji, and cherry blossoms is a must-see. Please note that the observation deck may have admission restrictions in place when it is crowded.
The combination of the red torii gates of Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine, cherry blossoms, and Mt. Fuji is beautiful, so be sure to check it out.
If you're thinking of staying overnight during your cherry blossom viewing trip to Lake Kawaguchi, we recommend the glamping facility Shakushiyama Gateway Camp. From the dome tent rooms, you can see Mt. Fuji and the cherry blossoms, and enjoy the beautiful spring scenery.
You can also rent a private open-air bath with natural mineral water, and there is also a plan that includes a BBQ dinner where you can taste Koshu Fujizakura pork.
The Shinnasho River, which flows near Oshino Hakkai, is a famous cherry blossom spot with cherry blossoms lined along the river for about 400 meters. The best time to see them is from mid- to late April, a little later than other areas.
On a clear day, this is a spot where you can enjoy a photogenic view of the Shinnasho River, cherry blossoms, the bridge, and the snow-capped Mount Fuji.
Daffodils are blooming on the banks, and it's very pleasant to take a leisurely stroll along the river.
In addition to cherry blossoms, you can enjoy other beautiful flowers that give a sense of spring around Lake Kawaguchi. There are also flowers that can be enjoyed even after the cherry blossom season is over, and there are many spots where you can fully experience the arrival of spring.
Here we will introduce recommended cherry blossom viewing spots other than cherry blossoms.
Mitsuba azaleas, which bloom from late April to early May, have a vivid pink color that differs from cherry blossoms. There are areas around Lake Kawaguchi where Mitsuba azaleas grow naturally, and events are held in the surrounding area.
The Narusawa Village Roadside Station Narusawa will host the Narusawa Village Azalea Festival, with stalls selling local specialties and souvenirs. The Forest of Creation, located south of Lake Kawaguchi, will also host the Fuji Sakura Mitsuba Azalea Festival, where visitors can get a gift of Fuji Sakura seedlings, which are smaller and whiter than regular cherry blossoms, and buy local specialties.
Why not enjoy the contrast between the Mitsuba Azalea and the majestic Mt. Fuji?
Heading south from Lake Kawaguchi and heading towards Lake Yamanaka, Haruno Miyako Park is where you can see around 13 tulips blooming all at once. The best time to see them is from late April to early May, when the colorful tulips brighten up the park with the majestic Mt. Fuji in the background, creating a spectacular sight. The tulips, which add a different color to the cherry blossoms in spring, and Mt. Fuji can be seen here, making it a recommended photo spot.
Fuji Motosu Lake Resort, located west of Lake Kawaguchi, is the venue for the Fuji Shibazakura Festival, the largest of its kind in the Kanto region. Every year from mid-April to early May, the festival attracts many visitors with its approximately 4 moss phlox plants.
The bright pink moss pinks look like a carpet.
Depending on the weather, Mt. Fuji can appear blue, and the contrast between the blue mountain and the pink moss phlox is beautiful, making this the perfect spot to feel the arrival of spring.
Above is a summary of cherry blossom information for Lake Kawaguchi.
Lake Kawaguchi is one of Japan's top tourist spots where you can enjoy both cherry blossoms and Mt. Fuji at the same time. In spring, the cherry blossoms blooming along the lakeside create a spectacular view together with the beautiful view of Mt. Fuji.
The best time to see the cherry blossoms is from late March to early April, and if you visit Lake Kawaguchi during this period, you can enjoy the cherry blossoms to the fullest by not only strolling around the lakeside, but also attending the Sakura Festival and cherry blossom illuminations.
Enjoy the beautiful cherry blossoms and the magnificent view of Mt. Fuji together and spend a wonderful and memorable spring time at Lake Kawaguchi.
*This column was created based on information as of June 2025.Please check the official website for the latest information on each facility.
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