Yamanakako is the largest and highest of the Fuji Five Lakes, lying at nearly a thousand metres at the eastern foot of Mount Fuji, and on a clear winter morning, with the snow cone of the mountain mirrored in still water, it delivers the view that sells a million postcards. The lake was formed when lava flows from Fuji dammed the valley, and it is shallow, with reed beds, swans and boating piers along the shore. In summer it is a cool escape from the heat of Tokyo, busy with families, rowing boats and lakeside cafés; in winter the crowds thin and the mountain is at its most impressive.
The whole area around Fuji is volcanic: black lava fields covered in forest, lava caves, springs that bubble up through the porous rock. Fujiyoshida, the town at the foot of the traditional climbing route, has the Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen shrine, set among giant cedars, where pilgrims began their ascent for centuries. The local food is hoto, thick flat noodles stewed with pumpkin and vegetables in miso, and Fujiyoshida's udon is famously chewy.
For motorcyclists, this is a major destination. Route 138 climbs out of the Gotemba side over the Kagosaka Pass and down to the lake, and Route 413, the old Doshi road, runs east through the mountains towards Sagamihara along a river valley, with a long run of corners that draws riders from Tokyo every weekend. The roads around the lake are gentle and scenic, and to the south-west Route 139 runs past the other lakes and the Aokigahara forest. Traffic is heavy on holidays and in the summer, and the roads can ice up in winter, especially in the early morning. Speed limits in Japan are low, and police are particularly active on popular weekend routes.
Yamanakako village has fuel, convenience stores and restaurants along the lake road, and Fujiyoshida and Gotemba are both large towns with full services. There are onsen hot springs in the area, perfect after a cold ride, and plenty of campsites and lodges. If you want the classic view, go to the northern shore at sunrise between November and February, when the air is clearest; in the summer, Fuji often hides behind cloud for days.