Mount Fuji: Approaching Full Bloom

I visited the Fuji Five Lakes region four days after my last visit. In the days that passed, the region experienced some nice warm and sunny weather as well as a cold and rainy Sunday. However, I am pleased to report that the cherry blossoms have progressed nicely thanks to the warm and sunny weather. I visited three popular cherry blossom spots in Fuji Five Lakes region, specifically in Lake Kawaguchiko and Oshino Hakkai. The cherry trees I saw around Lake Kawaguchiko ranged from under the midway point to full bloom to already at full bloom, while the ones at Oshino Hakkai had just opened.

Rain is forecast from tonight through to the early hours of tomorrow morning, however that should not negatively impact the longevity of the flowers. Sunny and warm weather is then forecast from tomorrow all the way through this Saturday, and I expect these days to be a good time to view the cherry blossoms at their best.

I started my day bright and early at the ever popular Chureito Pagoda, where the cherry blossoms were at their best viewing and on the brink of full bloom. Tonight's forecast rain should not take any petals down prematurely, and I expect the best viewing at Chureito Pagoda to continue for the next few days.

Until April 18, there is a cherry blossom festival at Chureito Pagoda. There are food stalls at the base of the mountain, and the flowers around the pagoda are illuminated in the evening from 17:00 to 22:00.

My next spot was the northern shores of Lake Kawaguchiko between the Kawaguchiko Music Forest and the Kubota Itchiku Art Museum. The flowers were barely open when I was last here four days ago, and the cherry blossoms made great progress though still under the halfway point to full bloom. I expect majority of the unopened blossoms to open over the course of today and tomorrow, and the best viewing period to start in a day or two and continue through till end of the week.

Until April 20, there is a cherry blossom festival around the walking trail along the north shore featuring a craft market with 30 shops that are open from 10:00 to 17:00. The cherry trees along the walking trail are also illuminated during the festival from sunset to 21:00.

My final spot in the Fuji Five Lakes region was Oshino Hakkai, which is between Lake Kawaguchiko and Lake Yamanakako. The spot is known for its eight clear ponds, and in the spring, also known for its cherry blossoms. The cherry blossom season at Oshino Hakkai is typically a few days behind Lake Kawaguchiko. Today I observed that while the season has started, majority of the flowers were still in buds, and the best viewing period would start only closer to the end of this week.