\nThe images in this post are hosted on Imgur. Email me should there be any display problems.<\/span><\/p>\n
Since Fujikyu Bus Company didn’t serve Yamanaka Lake, especially Oshino Hakkai very frequently, after discussing with my friend we decided to take the To make matters worse, last night I was out of my mind and opened the windows, after which we were basically in the loop of “ \nThe largest of the five lakes of Fuji, and the highest of five in elevation (third highest in Japan), but also the most shallow among the five.<\/span>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/br>Cold Noodles as Breakfast by Yamanaka Lake<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Leaves in Red<\/p><\/div> There is this Swan Tour Boat in Asahigaokakohan Ryokuchi Park, which left me in awes of Japanese people’s enthusiasm in modelling that they bothered to make a boat in the shape of the swan. <\/br>Quay by Yamanaka Lake<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Mount Fuji and Tour Boat along Yamanaka Lake<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n That morning there were few people on the lakeside of Yamanaka apart from some locals on a morning workout. Light breeze in the sky which created wrinkles on the lake. But given the preferred lighting conditions and vast open water area of Yamanaka Lake, one could still see the reflection of Mount Fuji in the photos.<\/p>\n <\/br>Yamanaka Lake<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Boats along Yamanaka Lake<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Mountains by Yamanaka Lake<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Yamanaka Lake and Mount Fuji<\/br>Occasional waves from passing boats.<\/span><\/p><\/div> <\/br>Yamanaka Lake and Mount Fuji<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Yamanaka Lake and Mount Fuji<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Quay along Yamanaka Lake<\/br>Waves incurred by some Passing Boats.<\/span><\/p><\/div> <\/br>Road along Yamanaka Lake<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Mount Fuji and Yamanaka Lake<\/p><\/div> <\/br> <\/br>Yamanaka Lake and Mount Fuji<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Yamanaka Lake and Mount Fuji<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Fisherman<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Pedestrian Trail next to Yamanaka Lake Exchange Plaza<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n Then we reached this “Yamanaka Lake Exchange Plaza” whose point of existence we couldn’t fathom. There were a few statues and government buildings, one big stage, and no people in this <\/br>Yamanaka Lake Exchange Plaza<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Flowers in Yamanaka Lake Exchange Plaza<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Calpis Jelly Drink<\/br>Oh, I bought it somewhere as remote as this Yamanaka Lake Exchange Plaza.<\/span><\/p><\/div> <\/br>Yamanaka Lake Exchange Plaza and Mount Fuji<\/p><\/div> Between 800AD and 802AD there’s an eruption of Mount Fuji, which turned lake Utsu into Lake Yamanaka and Lake Oshino. Later Lake Oshino dried out but its origins became springs, which are the modern day Oshino Hakkai. <\/br>Streets next to Oshino Hakkai<\/p><\/div>\n The “Oshino Hakkai” bus stop was situated in a typical Japanese village, with chic Japanese-style villas surrounding it. It’s past 10 am in the morning and we were occasionally passing one or two shops that seemed just opening for business for the day. <\/br>Gardening<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Flowers<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Creek<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n \u5728\u5f88\u4e45\u4ee5\u524d\uff0c\u5bcc\u58eb\u5c71\u7206\u53d1\uff0c\u5f53\u5730\u5c45\u6c11\u5728\u70bd\u70ed\u7684\u73af\u5883\u4e0b\u56db\u5904\u5bfb\u6c42\u6c34\u6e90\u7528\u4e8e\u89e3\u6e34\u53ca\u6551\u706b\uff0c\u8fd9\u65f6\uff0c\u5929\u4e0a\u4f20\u6765\u4e00\u9053\u7f8e\u5999\u7684\u58f0\u97f3\uff1a\u300c\u76f8\u4fe1\u6211\u3002\u8981\u662f\u4f60\u4eec\u6c38\u8fdc\u7684\u5c0a\u656c\u6211\uff0c\u6211\u5c06\u8d50\u4e8e\u4f60\u4eec\u6c34\u300d\u3002\u8bf4\u8fd9\u53e5\u8bdd\u7684\u5176\u5b9e\u662f\u300c\u6728\u82b1\u5f00\u8036\u59eb\u547d\u300d\uff0c\u4e0d\u4e45\uff0c\u6c34\u7531\u7194\u5ca9\u4e4b\u95f4\u6d8c\u51fa\uff0c\u6210\u4e3a\u4e86\u6c60\u5b50\u3002\u4eba\u4eec\u5219\u79f0\u8fd9\u6c60\u5b50\u4e3a\u300c\u6d8c\u6c60\u300d\uff0c\u5c06\u6d8c\u6c60\u7684\u6c34\u7528\u4e8e\u996e\u6c34\u4ee5\u53ca\u548c\u704c\u6e89\u76f4\u5230\u4eca\u65e5\u3002\u4eba\u4eec\u4e3a\u4e86\u611f\u8c22\u6728\u82b1\u5f00\u8036\u59eb\u547d\uff0c\u6bcf\u5e74\u4e3e\u529e\u5e86\u5178\uff0c\u5728\u6d8c\u6c60\u6d17\u795e\u8f7f\u4e5f\u5df2\u6210\u4e3a\u60ef\u4f8b\u3002<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/details>\n <\/br>Yuchi<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Mount Fuji Snow Water Exit<\/br>There’s a sign by this exit encouraging us to take the challenge of putting hands in the water for 30 seconds. Indeed, the water was cold, but probably since it’s summer, my hands were invigorated by the water flow, which barely made it a challenge.<\/span><\/p><\/div> This pond is in the center of Oshino Hakkai area, which happened to be the best decorated and the most populated with fish <\/br>Weeds in Chuike<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Sculptures in Chuike<\/br>Fisherman, tortoise and frog.<\/span><\/p><\/div> <\/br>Chuike and Mount Fuji<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n <\/br>Waterwheel by Chuike<\/p><\/div>\n <\/br>Kagamiike and Mount Fuji<\/p><\/div>\n If the previous ponds managed to look like a tourist attraction with their surrounding shops and traffic, this Shobuike with its surrounding cottages and farmlands was like out of nowhere, like a farmer dug a pond from his backyard and hit the jack pock. <\/br>Shobuike and Mount Fuji<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Shobuike<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n <\/br>Gardens by Oshino Hakkai<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Public Restroom by Oshino Hakkai<\/br>Well, they certainly built this one to Japanese style.<\/span><\/p><\/div> <\/br>Houses by Oshino Hakkai and Farmland<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n <\/br>Nigoriike<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Nigoriike<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Waterwheel<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Fishing Pond<\/br>Water from Chuike was used to raise fish, which would be supplied to a nearby restaurant, how convenient is that! Also, there was this opening on the cages, so that some lucky fish would could jump their way to the freedom of Chuike, what a good social mobility structure.<\/span><\/p><\/div> <\/br>Fish by Chuike<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n \u8fd9\u4f4d\u65b0\u5a18\u4f60\u4e5f\u592a\u770b\u4e0d\u5f00\u4e86\u5427\u3002\u3002\u3002\u3002<\/details>\n <\/br>Choshichi<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Bottom of Choshichi<\/br>Choshichi seemed like a stillwater lake, but the flow of sands in the bottom of it indicated that water was pouring into the pond.<\/span><\/p><\/div> <\/br>Mount Fuji behind Trees<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Mount Fuji and Villages by Oshino Hakkai<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n Didn’t daughters get married in a certain age? <\/br>Gokamaike<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Gokamaike<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Gardening by Oshino Hakkai<\/p><\/div> <\/br>Gardening by Oshino Hakkai<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n This time we were at the bus stop where we got off the bus. There’s still time till the next bus, so my friend advised that we visit Deguchichi which is 900 meters away.<\/p>\n \u6240\u4ee5\u73b0\u5728\u51fa\u53e3\u6c60\u6ca1\u591a\u5c11\u6c34\u662f\u4e0d\u662f\u56e0\u4e3a\u6765\u6253\u6c34\u7684\u767b\u5c71\u8005\u592a\u591a\u4e86\uff1f<\/details>\nfirst<\/del> bus at 7am from Kawaguchi Lake Station heading for Asahigaokakohan Ryokuchi Park by Yamanaka Lake, then walk along the South-East coast of Yamanaka Lake with views of Mount Fuji to Yamanaka Lake Exchange Plaza, where we would take a 9am bus to Oshino Hakkai.
\nThe schedule of Fujikyu Bus wasn’t synced with Google Maps, so downloaded two PDF files from its website, which wasn’t the most pleasant way to plan a trip.<\/p>\ntrying to <\/del> sleep + waking up to kill mosquitos”. After several bites and a dozen dead mosquitos, we at last managed to catch two or three hours of sleep.<\/p>\nYamanaka Lake<\/span><\/h3>\n
![\"Cold](\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/PrQB7g3.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nIn order to catch the 7am bus, my breakfast was expectedly cold noodles takeaway from convenience stores, which I took to Yamanaka Lake to enjoy.
\nAnd the good thing is that there were benches in Asahigaokakohan Ryokuchi Park for visitors to take rests, and for me to finish my breakfast.
\n<\/a>
\n<\/a><\/a><\/br>Swan Tour Boat on Yamanka Lake<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n
\nEven more amazingly, there indeed were two swans roaming the proximity of the tour boat quay. Maybe they were raised by the tour boat company?<\/del><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/br>Swan by Swan Tour Boat Quay<\/p><\/div>
\n<\/a>
\n<\/a><\/a>
\n<\/a>
\n<\/a>
\n<\/a><\/a><\/br>Swan in Yamanaka Lake<\/p><\/div>
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\n<\/a>
\n<\/a>
\n<\/a><\/a><\/br>Heron Flying by Yamanaka Lake<\/p><\/div>
\n<\/a>
\n<\/a><\/a><\/br>Mount Fuji and Yamanaka Lake<\/br>Mount Fuji was roughly where the Japanese east-west air corridor was, so one can see quite a few jet streams.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n<\/a>
\n<\/a>
\n<\/a>
\n<\/a>Yamanaka Lake Exchange Plaza <\/span><\/h4>\n
plaza<\/del> park. Oh yeah, a vending machine so remotely located has got in its inventory my beloved Calpis Jelly Drink.
\n<\/a>
\n<\/a>
\n<\/a>
\n<\/a>
\nNot long after that we were on the bus to Oshino Hakkai. We were the only two passengers on the bus when we boarded.
\n<\/a><\/a><\/br>Yamanaka Lake<\/p><\/div>
\n<\/a><\/a><\/br><\/a><\/a><\/br>Yamanaka Lake and Mount Fuji<\/p><\/div><\/p>\nOshino Hakkai<\/span><\/h3>\n
\n
\nThe eight ponds are Deguchichi\u3001Gokamaike\u3001Sokonukeike\u3001Choshichi\u3001Yuchi\u3001Nigoriike\u3001Kagamiike\u3001Shobuike\u3002<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/a>
\n<\/a>
\n<\/a>
\n<\/a>Yuchi(\u6e67\u6c60)<\/span><\/h4>\n
Click here for description in Simplified Chinese.<\/summary>\n
<\/a>
\n<\/a><\/a><\/br>Fish in Yuchi<\/p><\/div>
\n<\/a>
\n<\/a><\/a><\/br>Fish in Mount Fuji Snow Water Lake<\/p><\/div><\/p>\nChuike<\/span><\/h4>\n
, and the largest<\/del>(Deguchichi which is 900 meters away from the core of Oshino Hakkai looks larger than it).
\nBut it’s an artificial pond, not one of “Oshino Hakkai”.
\n<\/a><\/a><\/br><\/a><\/a><\/br>Fish in Chuike<\/p><\/div>
\n<\/a>
\n<\/a>
\n<\/a><\/a>Kagamiike(\u955c\u6c60)<\/span><\/h4>\n
\nThe water from Kagamiike was muddy. It got this name because one can see clear reflection of Mount Fuji on it. It’s said that the water from Kagamiike can tell good from bad, so if there’s a dispute between villagers, the two sides would bath with Kagamiike water and pray.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/a>Shobuike<\/span><\/h4>\n
Click here for description in Simplified Chinese.<\/summary>\n
\n\u4ece\u524d\uff0c\u8fd9\u6c60\u5b50\u7684\u9644\u8fd1\u4f4f\u7740\u4e00\u5bf9\u5e74\u8f7b\u7684\u592b\u59bb\u3002\u4e00\u65e5\uff0c\u4e08\u592b\u4e0d\u5e78\u5f97\u4e86\u80ba\u75c5\uff0c\u867d\u7136\u59bb\u5b50\u5168\u529b\u7684\u7167\u987e\uff0c\u4e08\u592b\u7684\u75c5\u4e0d\u4f46\u6ca1\u6709\u597d\u8f6c\uff0c\u5374\u662f\u6301\u7eed\u7684\u6076\u5316\u3002\u59bb\u5b50\u5728\u6beb\u65e0\u529e\u6cd5\u4e4b\u4e0b\uff0c\u53ea\u80fd\u7528\u6b64\u6c60\u6c34\u51c0\u8eab\u540e\u6073\u6c42\u795e\u660e\u5e2e\u52a9\u3002\u7948\u7977\u7b2c37\u5929\uff0c\u795e\u660e\u544a\u8bc9\u59bb\u5b50\u8bf4\uff0c\u53ea\u8981\u5c06\u6c60\u5b50\u7684\u83d6\u84b2\u82b1\u7ed1\u5728\u4e08\u592b\u8eab\u4e0a\uff0c\u7edd\u5bf9\u53ef\u4ee5\u9a71\u6563\u6298\u78e8\u4e08\u592b\u7684\u75c5\u9b54\u3002\u59bb\u5b50\u6309\u7167\u795e\u7684\u6307\u793a\u540e\uff0c\u4e08\u592b\u7684\u70e7\u9000\u4e86\uff0c\u4e5f\u80fd\u5403\u4e5f\u80fd\u8d70\u52a8\uff0c\u4e0d\u9700\u4e00\u4e2a\u6708\u5c31\u75ca\u6108\u4e86\u3002\u6bcf\u5e74\u65e7\u5386\u5e7414\u65e5\u4f1a\u5728\u83d6\u84b2\u6c60\u4e3e\u529e\u7b52\u7ca5\u7684\u796d\u5178\uff0c\u5360\u535c\u4e94\u8c37\u5168\u5e74\u7684\u4e30\u6536\u72b6\u51b5\u3002<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/details>\n
\n<\/a><\/a><\/br><\/a><\/a><\/br>Fish in Shobuike<\/p><\/div>
\n<\/a>
\n<\/a><\/a>
\n<\/a>
\n<\/a>Nigoriike<\/span><\/h4>\n
\nWater from Nigoriike was once clear and even drinkable. But one day a poor monk dressed like a beggar came to the house by the lake for a cup of water and was turned down by the landlord, then Nigoriike became muddy. It’s said that if one drink from it with a bowl, the water would get clear again.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/a>
\n<\/a>
\n<\/a>
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\n<\/a>Choshichi(\u929a\u5b50\u6c60)<\/span><\/h4>\n
Click here for description in Simplified Chinese.<\/summary>\n
\n\u53e4\u65e9\u4ee5\u524d\uff0c\u4e00\u540d\u65b0\u5a18\u5728\u5e84\u4e25\u8363\u91cd\u7684\u5a5a\u793c\u4e2d\u653e\u4e86\u5c41\uff0c\u56e0\u4e3a\u58f0\u97f3\u592a\u5927\uff0c\u8ba9\u5230\u573a\u7684\u5609\u5bbe\u90fd\u542c\u5230\uff0c\u4f7f\u65b0\u5a18\u6df1\u6df1\u7684\u611f\u89c9\u7f9e\u6127\uff0c\u5f85\u4e0d\u4e0b\u53bb\uff0c\u4e00\u627e\u5230\u673a\u4f1a\u4fbf\u62b1\u7740\u94eb\u5b50(\u5012\u9152\u7528\u7684\u9152\u58f6\uff0c\u7528\u4e8e\u795e\u9053\u5f0f\u5a5a\u793c)\u6e9c\u51fa\u4f1a\u573a\uff0c\u8eab\u6295\u929a\u5b50\u6c60\u3002\u65e5\u540e\uff0c\u65b0\u5a18\u7a7f\u7684\u978b\u5b50\u6d6e\u51fa\u6c34\u9762\uff0c\u65f6\u5e38\u53ef\u4ee5\u5728\u6c60\u5e95\u770b\u5230\u72b9\u5982\u6d3b\u7740\u7684\u7f8e\u4e3d\u7684\u65b0\u5a18\u3002\u8fd9\u6837\u7684\u4f20\u8bf4\u4f7f\u5f97\u929a\u5b50\u6c60\u6210\u4e3a\u53ef\u4ee5\u5584\u7ed3\u59fb\u7f18\u7684\u6c60\u5b50\u3002<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/a>
\n<\/a>
\n<\/a><\/a><\/br>Creek<\/p><\/div>
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\n<\/a>Gokamaike(\u5fa1\u91dc\u6c60)<\/span><\/h4>\n
\nOnce upon a time an elderly gentleman lived with his two beautiful daughters by Gokamaike. The gentleman worked in the fields while his daughters were in charge of domestic stuff like laundry and sewing. One day when the smaller daughter was doing her laundry, a huge frog jumped from the pond and dragger the daughter into the pond. The father and the older daughter summoned their neighbors to help, but they couldn’t find the corpse of the daughter in the pond. It’s said that from that on, the father and daughter lived forever by the lakeside praying for their daughter.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n<\/a>
\n<\/a>
\nActually Gokamaike was very deep.
\n<\/a>
\n<\/a>Deguchichi<\/span><\/h4>\n
Click here for description in Simplified Chinese.<\/summary>\n
\nDeguchichi\u7684\u6c34\u662f\u56e4\u79ef\u5728\u5bcc\u58eb\u5c71\u7684\u96ea\u6eb6\u5316\u540e\u6e17\u900f\u4e8e\u5730\u4e0b\u7684\u6c34\uff0c\u4e0e\u5145\u6ee1\u7070\u5c18\u7684\u4e16\u95f4\u6beb\u65e0\u5173\u7cfb\u7684\u6301\u7eed\u6d8c\u51fa\uff0c\u56e0\u6b64\u51fa\u53e3\u6c60\u7684\u6c34\u53c8\u540d\u300c\u6e05\u51c0\u7075\u6c34\u300d\uff0c\u4fee\u9053\u50e7\u53ca\u9053\u58eb\u7b49\u90fd\u4f1a\u5728\u767b\u4e0a\u5bcc\u58eb\u5c71\u4e4b\u524d\u5229\u7528\u51fa\u53e3\u6c60\u7684\u6c34\u51c0\u8eab\u540e\u624d\u5f00\u59cb\u767b\u5c71\u3002\u53e6\u5916\uff0c\u81ea\u53e4\u76f8\u4fe1\u53ea\u8981\u643a\u5e26\u7740\u6e05\u51c0\u7075\u6c34\u5373\u53ef\u5e73\u5b89\u4e0a\u5c71\uff0c\u5982\u6b64\uff0c\u51fa\u53e3\u6c60\u522b\u540d\u300c\u7cbe\u8fdb\u6c60\u300d\u3002<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n