Lake Motosuko

Attraction World Heritage

Prefecture

Yamanashi

Type

Attraction · World Heritage: Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration

N/A

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About This Destination

The westernmost and deepest of the Fuji Five Lakes; the local tourism association calls its water the clearest on Honshu. The view of Fuji on the back of the Noguchi Hideyo 1,000-yen note was drawn from a photograph taken above its north-west shore, and you can climb to that spot in about 30 minutes from the Nakanokura Pass trailhead. Part of the Fujisan World Heritage property, along with its neighbours Saiko and Shojiko. Far from trains: easiest by car.

Turn over a 1,000-yen note with Noguchi Hideyo on the front and you are looking at Lake Motosu. The design comes from a photograph Okada Koyo took above the north-west shore in May 1935, which the 5,000-yen note of 1984 had already used. Notes issued since July 2024 carry Hokusai's wave instead, but the older ones are still in circulation.

Motosuko is the westernmost of the Fuji Five Lakes, about 900 metres up, and the deepest; the local tourism association calls its water the clearest on Honshu. It belongs to the Fujisan World Heritage property, inscribed in 2013, as one of the parts of the Fujisan mountain area, together with its neighbours Saiko and Shojiko. Edo-period pilgrims made a circuit of eight lakes and springs around the mountain to purify themselves, and these lakes were among the stops.

To stand where the note view was taken, go to the Nakanokura Pass trailhead on the lake road along the north-west shore. There is a small free car park and a paid toilet nearby. From there it is about 30 minutes uphill on a forest path to the viewpoint. Without a car, the trailhead is about 3.7 km along the road from the Motosuko tourist information office, close to an hour on foot each way. Fuji is clearest from late autumn to early spring and early in the day; on summer afternoons it is often hidden.

Down at the water the lake is much quieter than Kawaguchiko. People come to camp, paddle, windsurf and dive. Koan campsite on the north-west shore got famous from the anime Yuru Camp. A sightseeing boat, Mogran, does trips of about 25 minutes from near the Motosuko bus stop; check it is running before you build a day around it. From mid-April to late May the Fuji Shibazakura Festival at Fuji Motosuko Resort, near the lake, fills a field with about 500,000 moss phlox plants. It has its own ticket and weekend traffic jams.

Getting here takes planning. Buses from Kawaguchiko Station take about 50 minutes, and the Blue Line sightseeing bus leaves Kawaguchiko only about five times a day. By car it is about 30 minutes from Kawaguchiko IC, and there is free parking by the lake.

Location

Prefecture: Yamanashi

Address: Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi, Japan

Nearest Station: Motosuko bus stop

Best time to visit: Late autumn to early spring for the clearest views of Fuji, early in the morning; mid-April to late May for the Fuji Shibazakura Festival nearby; summer for camping and paddling, though the mountain is often in cloud

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Visitor Information

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Official Website

Frequently Asked Questions

Where exactly is the 1,000-yen-note view?

From the Nakanokura Pass viewpoint above the north-west shore, about 30 minutes' walk uphill from the trailhead on the lake road. The trailhead car park holds about 30 cars and there is a paid toilet near the entrance. The path is steep in places, so wear proper shoes.

Is the view still on the current 1,000-yen note?

Only on the older design. The 1,000-yen note with Noguchi Hideyo shows Fuji from Lake Motosu, and so did the 5,000-yen note first issued in 1984. The notes issued since July 2024 show Hokusai's Great Wave on the back, but the Noguchi notes are still valid and in circulation.

Are Saiko and Shojiko also part of the World Heritage site?

Yes. Motosuko, Saiko and Shojiko are all listed as parts of the Fujisan mountain area, the first of the 25 component parts of the property inscribed in 2013. Kawaguchiko and Yamanakako are listed separately. Shojiko, the smallest of the five, is on the way from Kawaguchiko and is worth a stop.

Can I get to Lake Motosu without a car?

Yes, but plan around the buses. From Kawaguchiko Station the Shin-Fuji line bus takes about 50 minutes to the Motosuko stop, and the Blue Line sightseeing bus runs only about five times a day. The note viewpoint adds about 3.7 km of road walking from the information office plus a 30-minute climb, so check the last bus back before you set off.