I've always liked this way of traveling—even when revisiting the same place, if some time has passed and you go with different people, you can see completely different scenery. I visited Tenjoyama Park at Lake Kawaguchi more than ten years ago, and this time I returned with friends. We leisurely rode bicycles while enjoying the lake and mountain views, parked them next to the ropeway station, and slowly made our way up the mountain by ropeway.
As the gondola gradually climbed higher, Lake Kawaguchi below and the view of Mount Fuji became clearer and clearer. After reaching the top, you can first visit the charming rabbit shrine. In the chilly weather, nothing felt better than sitting beside the Tanuki Teahouse and slowly enjoying a cup of hot tea and grilled dango. There is also a lesser-known hidden spot here. If you walk a little farther toward the back, you can catch a gorgeous view of Mount Fuji through the gaps in the trees. We were lucky that a few lingering cherry blossoms were still decorating the branches at the time. The entire experience, from riding the ropeway up the mountain to strolling around the summit, was relaxing and filled with wonderful memories.
