Fuji Five Lakes area is obviously full of beautiful lanscapes, but there are few tourist spots around there, that are raally worth seeing as well. Two caves called Fugaku Fuketsu (Wind Cave) and Narusawa Hyoketsu (Ice Cave) are located very close to each other and it’s really easy to see both of them during the same trip. Caves created due to Mount Fuji’s past eruptions and resulting lava flows and they are nationally designated Natural Monuments.

At first, Icame to see the Wind Cave. I was really excited, when we took off the car, because the cave is located in Aokigahara Forest, that is commonly known as a Suicide Forest. Of course, suicides occur deep in the forest, anyway I was a litlle bit frightened of being there. The cave is very spacious and easy to walk. It is furnished with a few shelves that store boxes of acorns and silkworm cocoons. It’s really dark inside, but due to tourists, route and the most impressive spots are lighted.

Then, I came to the Ice Cave, witch made much bigger impresssion on me than the previous one. It is a 153 m long lava cave with an air hole in a vertical circular shape, created after the outpouring of lava. When I came into the tunnel, I had to bend down, because the ceiling is only 91cm high. I’m quite tall and walking in this position just a few metres was really challenging for me. But I think, that it would be the most difficult for people, who have claustrophobia. or people who just feel unconvenient in such a narrow spaces. When we finally reached to the end of tunnel, I suddeenly noticed, that we got to the very spacious place. It’s really wondering, how such a big space created just inside the ground. Moreover, even during the summer, the temperature in the Ice Cave usually stays below freezing. That’s why the cave has been used since the early 1900s to store ice for use around the year.

Summary

It was really great experiance to enjoy both of caves and walking through them on route covered by hard lava coat. Sightseeing doesn’t take a long time and it’s perfect for children and people who get bored easily as well. Caves are open for visitors for all year, but regardless of season, inside is less than 4 degrees celsius, then don’t forget to take some overcoat, even when you come here in a summer. I came here in the autumn and took many pictures of autumn views, that you can see on the photos above, but I’m sure that Fuji Five Lakes area is worth seeing no matter when!

Weronika Golubska

Information

*Please check for the latest information before visiting.

* This article was written by a trainee from overseas. Please note that there might be spelling and grammar mistakes.