Each autumn, the region north of Mount Fuji transforms into a vibrant landscape of fall foliage, attracting visitors seeking to experience Japan’s seasonal colors. The area’s deciduous trees, including cherry trees, Japanese maples, and larches, display a rich palette ranging from deep reds and oranges to bright yellows, creating striking views around the mountain’s foothills.
Fujikawaguchiko, a town located on the shores of Lake Kawaguchi—one of the Fuji Five Lakes—is a central hub for autumn leaf viewing. The town enjoys clear, crisp weather from October through December, providing expansive vistas of Mount Fuji capped with early snow and framed by colorful foliage reflected on the lake’s surface.
The Fujikawaguchiko Autumn Leaves Festival, entering its 28th year in 2026, is scheduled to run from November 7 to 29. This annual event highlights the season’s peak colors and features a range of attractions including nighttime illuminations, craft markets, and seasonal food and beverages. A focal point of the festival is the Momiji Corridor, located along a small stream at the northeast end of Lake Kawaguchi. This corridor is lined with maples whose intertwining branches create a canopy of red, orange, and yellow leaves over the water. In 2022, the festival expanded the corridor with a new section called Oku no Hosomichi, offering additional views of Mount Fuji framed by autumn foliage.
Visitors can cross a bridge near where the stream meets Lake Kawaguchi and continue along Momiji Road, a street bordered by maples running through the town’s center. During the festival, this area comes alive with food stalls, an arts and crafts market, and the nearby Ide Sake Brewery, which offers local sake varieties alongside the region’s well-known wines. Further west along the northern shore lies the Momiji Tunnel, a road where maple trees arch to create a natural frame for views of Mount Fuji. Evening illuminations light up these areas from sunset until approximately 9 p.m., enhancing the vivid colors against the night sky.
Beyond Lake Kawaguchi, the three western Fuji Five Lakes—Lake Saiko, Lake Shoji, and Lake Motosu—offer additional opportunities for autumn exploration. Lake Saiko is popular for camping, fishing, and hiking, with trails leading to the nearby Aokigahara forest, known as the “Sea of Trees.” This forest, formed atop hardened lava from Mount Fuji’s 864 eruption, is home to caves such as Narusawa Ice Cave, Fugaku Wind Cave, and West Lake Bat Cave, which are open to visitors. The Saiko Nature Center provides educational exhibits on the area’s geology and ecology, and guided tours are available. Birdwatchers can visit Saiko Wild Bird Park to observe up to 60 bird species in accessible habitats.
Cultural history is preserved at Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nenba, a reconstructed mountain village near Lake Saiko representing traditional rural life and industries. The village, rebuilt in 2006 after a 1966 mudslide destroyed the original settlement, offers insights into traditional crafts and community life.
Farther west, Lake Shoji is the smallest of the Fuji Five Lakes and favored for its scenic camping sites and views, especially from Tatego Beach, where Mount Fuji appears to cradle Mount Omuro visually. From trails near Lake Shoji and Lake Motosu, the Panorama Lookout provides wide-ranging views of Mount Fuji, Lake Yamanaka, and on clear days, the Southern Alps and other distant peaks. Lake Motosu, noted for its remarkable clarity and depth of 121 meters, features prominently in Japanese iconography, having appeared on past ¥1,000 and ¥5,000 banknotes. The lake’s considerable depth has inspired local legends involving mythical creatures.
While the Fuji Five Lakes are attractive destinations year-round, their combination of forested landscapes and autumn colors makes visiting during the fall season particularly memorable.