Mt. Fuji is the icon of Japan, and also probably the second most popular must-see destinations for many tourists from overseas, next to Kyoto.
Last spring on April, I visited six times from Tokyo for pre-weddings and portrait session asked by people from overseas.
There are many locations to photograph with Mt Fuji, but the most easily accessible area is Lake Kawaguchiko, a hot spring resort town about 1 1/2 hour traveling from Tokyo.
Mount Fuji isn’t alway visible even when you arrive at Kawaguchiko or places nearby. Weather and season might have it hide behind clouds the entire time.
The best time of year to get a clear view is February, or winter time around, when the air is cold and there is little clouds cover. During summer months, warm air will hit the cold peak of Fuji, producing clouds on the top parts of the mountain, taking the visibility poor.
The time of the day also changes how likely to see Mount Fuji. We often experience that dawn is the best time to catch a clear view, as clouds haven’t yet formed.
Late April, I had an inquiry from this lady from Jakarta for a portrait session with Mount Fuji. Her name is Olivia Tan, a model, traveler, and SNS influencer. It was her private trip with her family this time, but in her spare time, she wanted have the best view of the Japan, with the best time.
She said the best time, so we decided to arrive the lake five in the morning, when the morning sun just hit the mountain.
We were both bit sleepy at first but it was worth choosing the right time, as we experienced the great view that you can’t see in any other time period.
If you book a hotel locally in Kawaguchiko area on the day before, we are OK to visit your hotel in early morning so that we can jump start.
After spending about an hour at the lake, we also visited Chureito Pagoda, a shrine located on a mountainside overlooking Kawaguchiko city and Mount Fuji off in the distance.
We have nearly 400 steps walking up from the parking lot to have the spot. If you want to have the photos with a wedding dress on, prepare something easy to walk with.
bozphoto & styles is a wedding and portrait photographer based in Tokyo, Japan. We travel all over Japan and other places for your proposal or capturing any other beautiful moments.
If you would like to have an fun experience during the stay in Japan, with some photography, please feel free to contact us!