Yamanashi Prefecture, around Lake Motosu
A trip to Lake Motosu and Mount Fuji A view of Mount Fuji, with a bite of korogaki
I put on my white down coat and took a bite of the korogaki I’d brought along. Every time I looked at Mount Fuji, I wanted to look at the lake too, and I ended up lingering over my snack that morning.
Read about a December morning by the lake and a Yamanashi treat.
WinterA December morning
A view of Mount Fuji, with a bite of korogaki
After taking a bite of korogaki, I looked back at the lake. It was a calm December morning, with Mount Fuji across the water. The mountain’s streaks of snow were reflected in the lake, and for a while I couldn’t decide whether to look up at the mountain or down at its reflection.
A chill slipped in through the front of my white down coat, so I drew it closer over my lavender sweater. The one in my hand was a brown dried persimmon with a dusting of white powder. After gazing at Mount Fuji, I looked down at my snack and wanted to take my time with both.
I adjusted the paper wrapper and took just one more bite. The sweetness lingered with each chew, so I was content without taking another bite straight away. Whenever I bring a snack along, I end up taking in the view for longer. I wanted to eat it right here in front of the lake, so I brought it along on the trip.
I’d heard you can see Mount Fuji straight ahead from the shore near Koan Campground. Looking across the lake, I could make out low mountains layered at Mount Fuji’s base and realized it wasn’t as close as it seemed. I lingered over the view, taking in how immense the mountain looked despite being so far away.
Korogaki is said to take its name from how persimmons are rolled so the sun can reach them as they dry. Even the one I’d brought had taken time to make. I looked again at the white powder before taking a bite, and realized there was more to enjoy than its sweetness.
Even after I finished the last bite, I couldn’t bring myself to leave the lakeside right away. I looked at Mount Fuji, then its reflection, then back to the mountain. If someone asked why I came on a winter morning, I’d tell them about that quiet, unhurried time, eating korogaki while taking in the view.
The story sections are fiction inspired by this location. For accurate information, please consult official tourism and information websites.
Local specialty
Yamanashi korogaki (Kōshū korogaki)
Yamanashi korogaki are dried persimmons with a fine dusting of white powder. They’re commonly made in Koshu City, Minami-Alps City and elsewhere. I brought some along as a snack and enjoyed them by the lake. The sweetness lingered after each bite, and I ended up spending longer taking in the view.
Highlights
Mount Fuji across the lake
Koan Campground features views of Lake Motosu and Mount Fuji. I was spellbound not only by the mountain, but by the streaks of snow reflected on the water, too.
Korogaki, a Yamanashi tradition
Korogaki are dried persimmons made in Koshu City, Minami-Alps City and elsewhere. Once I learned the story behind their name, I took a bite and could picture the work behind this sweet treat.
Road details
Road to the northwestern shore of Lake Motosu
The road leads to the shore near Koan Campground, where you can take your time enjoying Lake Motosu and Mount Fuji.
Once you arrive, let your gaze drift slowly from the mountain down to the water. I found myself returning to Mount Fuji again and again.
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