Lake Yamanakako

Yamanakako is the largest and highest in elevation of the Fuji Five Lakes, sitting at about 980 meters and closest of the five to Mount Fuji itself, which gives it some of the most dramatic and unobstructed mountain views in the region on clear days. The lake's eastern shore has developed into a family resort area with swan-shaped pedal boats, sightseeing cruise boats, a small amusement park (Berg Fuji Yamanaka-ko), and lakeside campgrounds that make it one of the more activity-oriented of the five lakes rather than a purely scenic stop. A roughly 14-kilometer path circles the lake and is popular with cyclists and joggers, including as a training ground for competitive swimmers and rowers who use the lake for altitude training. Because Yamanakako sits higher and is shallower than the other lakes, it is more prone to freezing in winter, and its shallow depth also makes it a spawning ground that supports a black bass and wakasagi (pond smelt) fishing scene, with ice-fishing huts appearing on the frozen surface in the coldest months. The lake's proximity to Mount Fuji means the mountain often appears larger and closer here than from Kawaguchiko, especially from the Hananomiyako Park flower fields on the lake's southern shore, which bloom with different flowers through the seasons against the Fuji backdrop.