Audio Guide of Oshino Hakkai Village

The village is an open area accessible 24 hours a day, although the shops and museum are usually open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. To get there, the most convenient option is to take a sightseeing bus from Kawaguchiko Station or Mount Fuji Station, which will drop you at the main entrance.

Visiting the seven main ponds and walking through the village is completely free. There is only a small fee (about 300 yen) if you want to enter the Hannoki Bayashi Open-Air Museum, where the eighth pond is located.

A standard visit usually lasts between 60 and 90 minutes to see all eight ponds and take photos. If you plan to eat at the local stalls or visit the museum, we suggest allowing about 2 hours in your itinerary.

This site is part of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage listing as part of Mount Fuji. Historically, these eight springs, fed by melted snow and filtered through lava over 80 years, were a purification site for pilgrims climbing the mountain.

For the best views of Mount Fuji and to avoid the crowds from tour buses, it is ideal to arrive early in the morning (before 9:00 a.m.). Winter offers the clearest air for visibility, although autumn and spring are visually spectacular as well.

The village is mostly flat and has paved paths around the main ponds, which makes access easier. However, it can get very crowded, and some entrances to traditional shops may have steps.

Because it is located among lakes, you can combine your visit with Lake Kawaguchi or Lake Yamanakako. Hananomiyako Park is also very close, famous for its flower fields with Mount Fuji in the background.

Bring an empty bottle to fill with pure spring water at the dragon fountain; it is drinkable and delicious. Also, do not leave without trying the local tofu or grilled mugwort rice cake (kusamochi), specialties of the area.