Fuji + Japanese Alps — 7 days

Tokyo to Nagoya via the Fuji Five Lakes, Kamikochi and Matsumoto Castle, Tsukechi Gorge, and Gero Onsen.

Don't miss

houtou at Kawaguchiko on a cool autumn evening.

• Day 1 — Tokyo → Kawaguchiko (Mt Fuji, Momiji Corridor lakeside walk) → Chureito Pagoda / Arakura Sengen Shrine (postcard Fuji viewpoint). (drive ~2h). Stay Kawaguchiko. — Route map
• Day 2 — Fuji Five Lakes full day — Oshino Hakkai (spring ponds, Fuji views) → Fugaku Wind Cave / Aokigahara (lava caves, sea of trees) → Lake Saiko / Shoji (quieter lakes, Fuji reflections) → Kawaguchiko Music Forest (optional). (drive ~1h). Stay Kawaguchiko. — Route map
• Day 3 — Kawaguchiko → Matsumoto (Crow Castle). (drive ~3h). Stay Matsumoto. — Route map
• Day 4 — Matsumoto → Kamikochi full day (Alps larch; car-banned — park + shuttle). (drive ~1h + shuttle). Stay Matsumoto. — Route map
• Day 5 — Matsumoto → Tsukechi Gorge (foliage) → Gero Onsen. (drive ~2h). Stay Gero (tattoos: ⚠️ cover-up / private bath). — Route map
• Day 6 — Gero → Nagoya (castle, science museum). (drive ~2h). Stay Nagoya. — Route map
• Day 7 — Nagoya morning — Atsuta Shrine (one of Japan’s most important Shinto shrines) + Osu Kannon (temple + shopping arcade) → evening shinkansen home (no car day). — map

Highlights

🏔️ Mt. Fuji + Lake Kawaguchi — the postcard Fuji-over-the-lake view from the north shore

⛩️ Chureito Pagoda — the five-story pagoda with Fuji behind, autumn-lit

🌉 Kamikochi Kappa Bridge — the iconic river crossing amid larches and peaks

🏯 Matsumoto Castle — the "Crow Castle", set off by autumn colour

🏞️ Oshino Hakkai — clear spring ponds with Fuji views, autumn

🌊 Tsukechi Gorge — river gorge below the Kiso Mountains in autumn colour

🍁 Momiji Corridor — Kawaguchiko's lakeside maple tunnel, aflame in autumn

🌲 Aokigahara — the lava-based "sea of trees" around the Fugaku Wind Cave

🏔️ Lake Saiko — the quiet western Fuji Five Lake with Fuji rising beyond

♨️ Gero Onsen — one of Japan's three great hot springs on the Hida River

🏯 Nagoya Castle — the gold-shachihoko keep of Owari

⛩️ Atsuta Shrine — one of Japan's most important Shinto shrines

🛕 Osu Kannon — Nagoya's lively temple-and-arcade quarter

Local food & drink

• Houtou — Yamanashi’s miso-pot noodle soup with pumpkin and mountain veg
• Shinshu soba — Nagano’s hand-cut buckwheat
• Oyaki — steamed wheat buns stuffed with nozawana or anko
• Basashi — Nagano’s raw horse sashimi
• Gohei-mochi — Kiso Valley grilled rice cakes in walnut miso
• Hitsumabushi — grilled eel over rice, eaten three ways
• Shinshu apple juice/cider — Nagano’s famed apples
• Yamanashi (Koshu) wine — historic Koshu-grape region Don’t miss: houtou at Kawaguchiko on a cool autumn evening.

Local culture

• Fuji worship and Sengen shrines — the mountain’s cult centers on shrines like Arakura Sengen and Fujinomiya’s head shrine, where climbing and pilgrimage traditions still thrive
• Kamikochi’s nature stewardship — the car-banned valley is managed as a pristine alpine sanctuary, and the Kappa Bridge and trails reflect a deep respect for the mountain environment
• Matsumoto’s castle-town continuity — the “Crow Castle” and its surrounding streets preserve an unbroken samurai-era townscape, from the moat to the merchant lanes
• Gero Onsen’s bathing culture — one of Japan’s three great hot springs, Gero’s riverside baths make the evening soak a daily ritual, with tattoo-friendly options worth confirming
• Aokigahara’s folk mystery — the “sea of trees” lava forest carries a heavy cultural weight of legend and caution, best approached with respect and daylight
• Nagoya’s Owari identity — the castle’s gold shachihoko and the city’s industrial pride reflect the Owari domain’s long history as a power center
• Atsuta Shrine’s imperial relics — one of Japan’s most important shrines, Atsuta is said to house the sacred sword of the imperial regalia, drawing worshippers for centuries
• Osu Kannon’s temple-town bustle — the lively temple-and-arcade quarter blends centuries of pilgrimage with modern shopping culture in a distinctly Nagoya way