Visiting the calmest of the Fuji Five Lakes — Lake Saiko

On this day, we had already visited Lake Motosu and Lake Shojiko, and then drove from Shojiko to Lake Saiko — the calmest of the Fuji Five Lakes. The moment we arrived, we immediately felt relaxed. There were no crowds or noise, just the quiet beauty of the lake. Sitting at a wooden table by the shore, watching the still water, all our worries seemed to fade away.

The parking lot at Lake Saiko is free and located very close to the lake. From above, you can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of the water. The elevation here is 902 meters, and the lake has a depth of 71.7 meters, making it the fourth largest of the Fuji Five Lakes.

As we walked slowly downhill, we noticed a stone monument inscribed with a poem describing the scenery of Lake Saiko. Paired with the surrounding view of mountains and water, it truly felt poetic and picturesque.

↑The view of Lake Saiko from above was stunning, though Mt. Fuji was hidden behind the clouds that day.

A few cars had driven right up to the lakeside, but since ours was a rental car, we didn’t dare to — slipping into the water would’ve been disastrous! Some people were fishing on the lake, while several crows nearby were busy looking for food.

↑We sat together at a wooden table by the lake, watching the crows interact — it was surprisingly cute.

The lake’s surface was so calm, the air so refreshing. With its wide, open view and peaceful atmosphere, this is probably the least-visited of the Fuji Five Lakes — and that’s exactly what makes it so wonderful.

Suddenly, a bus passed by along the lake, and we realized we had only seen a small part of it. The lake stretched out much farther, but instead of driving on, we decided to just stay put and enjoy the tranquility together as a family.