Japan Trip: Adrenalin Rush at Fuji-Q Highland

When I put Fujiyoshida into my itinerary, I found out that this city has a theme park named Fuji-Q Highland. The first thought was, "I'll skip this one, since I've put DisneySea in to my itinerary. I don't need two theme parks anyway." But after I read more about this park, I knew that this park has some world records roller coasters. Even Fear Factors show ever used this theme park as its location. 

Please ensure the park is open whenever you want to visit this park. Because initially I visit this place at my second day in Fujiyoshida, but after I arrived at the park's entrance gate, I saw that the park was empty. I thought I came too early. But when I wanted to buy the ticket, the a man in the ticket booth told me and my travelling partner that the park was closed for that day because the weather was not good. Then he said that the park will open tomorrow. So I came there again on the next day. The weather was clear that day, I even could see Mount Fuji from the theme park.

the entrance gate near Fuji-Q Highland train station

I can see mount fuji from inside Fuji Q

The price of the entrance ticket was 5,000 yen. After you receive the receipt, you can directly go to a photo booth after the entrance gate and get yourself a ticket with your photo in it. 

Fuji Q Highland ticket

My first adventure was in Takabisha. This roller coaster was granted world record as the steepest roller coaster in 2011. The queue was quite long, maybe because one train can only be occupied by 8 persons. 

Takasbisha as the steepest roller coaster

yes, it was this steep

Actually there were 4 roller coaster with different characteristics: 1. the steepest roller coaster (Takabisha), 2. the tallest roller coaster (Fujiyama), 3. the fastest roller coaster (Dodonpa), and 4. the 4 dimensions roller coaster (Eejanaika). Since these roller coasters were the belle of Fuji Q, no wonder each of them had long queue of people who wanted to tried this adrenalin rush trains. Because my time was limited, so I bought a fast pass, amounted 1,000 yen to get ino Fujiyama without had to queue. But I only can use the pass in certain time, so I just need to wait until the time come by taking lunch and enjoying the other rides.

in front of Fujiyama

Eejanaika as the roller coaster with the greatest number of inversions

There were many food stalls in Fuji-Q, so you don't need to worry of getting hungry while playing in here. I took Pizza-La Express as my lunch and ordered chicken pizza as my lunch. Maybe I was really hungry so the pizza was really delicious and so I reordered it. And for the drink, I saw melon soda in the menu, so I directly ordered it. I was really curious about melon soda since I heard a lot about this beverage and how Japanese loves to drink this beverage in any occasion. After tried this drink, I found out that melon soda is not more than a Fanta with melon taste.

the famous melon soda

food stalls in Fuji Q Highland

my favorite Mos Burger also in here

Besides roller coaster, actually Fuji Q also famous for its haunted house. I saw many pics about this house and thinking twice of getting into it because I didn't want to feel haunted for the rest of my journey in Japan. So, I decided only to take a pic in front of the attraction, ha ha. 

the haunted house

Among all of the rides that were offered by Fuji Q, there were many unique photo-able statues and cardboard that made me tempted to take a pic of them. 

where am I?

I just simply love cats

in front of Nagashimasuka

characters of Kitaro movie

Another Kitaro movie's character

Hamtaro house

Hamtaro movie cute characters

in front of Gundam theater

Panic Clock attraction

After all, I really recommend this place to be visited if you come to Fujiyoshida. But if you plan to visit Disney or Universal studio too, please come to those place first prior coming to Fuji Q, because when you've visited Fuji Q, the roller coaster and rides in other place will feel less challenging. True story, bro. 

XOXO, 

The Tourist

Japan Trip: Spectacular View from Chureito Pagoda

We often saw image of mount Fuji taken side by side to a pagoda. After we knew that the location of the view was around Fujiyoshida, then we decided to visit the pagoda when we were in Fujiyoshida. The Chureito pagoda is located near Shimoyoshida station, at the far north of Kawaguchiko lake. We woke up early morning and went straight to Shimoyoshida because we heard that the clear view of mount Fuji can be taken only in the early morning and at the afternoon. After we arrived at Shimoyoshida, I checked the local temperature and my phone said it was 1 degree celsius.  No wonder I had to cover my nose to make the cold air feels warmer in my nose.

Shimoyoshida Station

Chureito Pagoda from Shimoyoshida Station

To get to the pagoda, we had to take around 400 stairs. If you have car, actually you can drive till the pagoda, but since renting car is not cheap, so we got to the pagoda by stairs. The 400 stairs was frustrated me, I almost gave up and cried because I could not stand to take the next stairs. After struggling with the 400 stairs, I was rewarded by the breathtaking view from the pagoda. But the journey not finished yet, because to get the best view, I needed to get to the hill behind the pagoda. This time the effort was only a little, because the stairs was only about 10 to 15 stairs.

the entrance of Chureito Pagoda

the early stairs looked so easy

view from the stairs

stairs to get to the hill behind pagoda

view of mount Fuji and Fujiyoshida city before we climb the additional stairs to the hill behind pagoda

After arrived at my destination, I looked to mount fuji and yes, it was surreal. The view was spectacular and it really looked like wallpaper in my laptop, but this one was real. Since we arrived early in the morning, there were only us, and we took photo like crazy.

the most awaited spectacular view of mount Fuji from Chureito pagoda

taking a rest and enjoying the view

After other visitor came, we had finished our photo session and decided to go back to Shimoyoshida station and this time we decided to enjoy the 400 stairs. We even took a seat near the parking lot and enjoyed the view from there. Then we continued our walk to Shimoyoshida, and get ready for the thrilling experience in Fuji-Q Highland.

enjoying the view from a bench at the parking lot

walking back to Shimoyoshida station

XOXO,
The Tourist

Japan Trip: Hoto Noodles and Soft Ice Creams

One of the local food around Kawaguchiko is Hoto noodle. it is like udon with vegetables and pumpkin, served in a hot pot. This is a perfect food to be eaten in the cold weather and hungry stomach. me and travel partner eat hoto noodle twice. The first one in the restaurant above Hirai shop, and the second one in Houtou Fudou.

The first time we arrived at Kawaguchiko station, we still did not really know well about the location, so we when we were hungry and saw a restaurant in front Kawaguchiko station with Hoto noodles in its menu, we directly went in. From inside the restaurant, we can have a full view of mount fuji and Kawaguchiko station. When the food came, we were so happy because we were so hungry. The food taste good. I love to know that it only contain vegetables and pumpkin, because we rarely find food with only healthy composition in it. One portion was more than enough to stop you from wanting anymore food. While we ate, some fishermen came to enjoy the food too, they enjoyed dinner with hoto noodles and sake after tired working for the whole day.

the first hoto noodle

me and hoto noodle

we can even see mount fuji from the restaurant's window

Below the restaurant was a souvenir shop. We bought lots of snacks in here, from Blueberry cheesecake Kitkat to Green Tea Pocky Midi. And as souvenir, I bought fujisan club cookies that looks like mount Fuji with white chocolate as representation of mount Fuji's snow.

yummy fujisan club

The next day we went to another hoto noodles restaurant, names Houtou Fudou. This restaurant is ranked 5 among 36 restaurants in Kawaguchiko-machi. The location of Houtou Fudou is in front of Kawaguchiko station and its located across hoto noodle restaurant that we ate the day before.

The interior of the restaurant looks more traditional and more crowded than the previous restaurant. The looks of its Hoto Noodle also different in terms of its sauce. The taste is slightly better too.

Houtou Fudou's hoto noodle

my traveling partner with his hoto noodle

Another food that interested my traveling partner while we were around Kawaguchiko lake was green tea soft ice cream. I never thought that eating ice cream in cold weather would taste this good. We bought soft ice cream twice. The first one in the restaurant inside Kawaguchiko station, and the other one in the cafe near Kachi Kachi Ropeway. There were many taste of soft ice cream, but our favorite was only green tea. The funny thing is, I used to hate green tea taste, but after I came to Japan, I can't get enough of green tea. Weird.

the cafe that sold green tea ice cream

buying soft ice cream

somebody looks so happy with his ice cream

Besides hoto noodles and soft ice creams, we also bought Jagabee (buttery dried potato) and grapefruit. I interested to buy Jagabee because I often see girls walking in the street while munching Jagabee. While the jackfruit, I though it was an orange, because its color is orange and looks like a huge mandarin orange. But when I opened and found out that it was grapefruit, then I had a really tough time to eat it all up.

my favorite Jagabee

the surprising grapefruit  

XOXO,
The Tourist

Japan Trip: Kachi Kachi Ropeway

One of the place that should be visited if you stay around Kawaguchiko lake is Kachi Kachi Ropeway. This Ropeway is like a cable car from Kawaguchiko lake to near the peak of Mount Tenjo. The round trip ticket is 700 yen. One trip can bring about 36 peoples.

kachi kachi ropeway ticket

peoples were queuing to get into the cable car

After taking the ropeway, we then arrived in mount Tenjo. From here we can have view of the lake. If the weather was clear, we could also see mount Fuji from here. At the day me and my traveling partner came her, we saw many old people and families came here. There also some people who brought their dogs to here.

view of Kawaguchiko lake after arrived at mount Tenjo

lovely old couple

binoculars to see mount Fuji from here

rocker dog

another dog with shirt

If you came here, you can see many rabbits and raccoon statues everywhere. This rabbits and raccoon are the character of story "Kachi Kachi Yama". That story was set in mount Tenjo and described about a story of a rabbit who gets revenge on a thieving tanuki (Japanese raccoon) by setting him on fire and drowning him in a river.

rabbit and raccoon

another rabbit statue

There was souvenirs shop above here, besides souvenirs, they sold rice cake with Mount Fuji stamp and hot ocha. The taste was so so, maybe because we're not fans of rice cakes.

the rice cake seller

after covered with sauce

Other interesting spots in here are bell of Tenjo, mount Fuji plush doll, and Lucky Kawarake. If the weather was clear we can see mount Fuji from the heart frame of the bell of Tenjo. Some people said that your wish will come true if you ring the bell while watching mount Fuji. About the Lucky Kawarake, if you can throw Kawarake (earthenware) through the ring then it'll bring some luck to you. Three piece of kawarake to be thrown was priced 100 yen.

bell of Tenjo

mount Fuji plush doll

lucky kawarake

they even have a worship place above here

One thing that touched my heart was when we took the ropeway down, the officer bow to the visitor. Feels like she really thanked us for our visitation. :)

queuing to get back to Kawaguchiko lake

my favorite scene

XOXO,
The Tourist