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The best reason for heading 100km west from Tokyo towards the area known as Fuji Five Lakes is to climb Mount Fuji , Japan's most sacred volcano and, at 3776m, its highest mountain. At its most beautiful from October to May, when the summit is crowned with snow, Fuji-san, as it's respectfully known by the Japanese, has long been worshipped for its latent power (it last erupted in 1707) and near-perfect symmetry. The climbing season runs from July to September, but, even if you don't fancy making the rather daunting ascent, just getting up close to what has to be Japan's most famous national symbol is a memorable experience. Apart from Fuji-san, the single most interesting place to head for is the area's transport hub of Fuji-Yoshida , with its wonderfully atmospheric shrine, Fuji Sengen-jinja , and nearby state-of-the-art amusement park. During the summer, the five lakes - the large Yamanaka-ko, south of Fuji-Yoshida, touristy Kawaguchi-ko to the west, and the smaller lakes of Sai-ko, Shoji-ko and Motosu-ko - are packed with urbanites fleeing the dust and grime of Tokyo. The best lake to head for is Kawaguchi-ko ; as well as being a popular starting point for climbing Mount Fuji, it features a kimono museum nearby, as well as the easily climbable Mount Tenjo, with its outstanding views of Fuji-san and the surrounding lakes.
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