This is a great article, thanks.

Thanks for all this information! These things all sound like fun. I wonder how much we can fit into the remaining day after climbing down the mountain.

I don't speak or read Japanese beyond what I'll be able to glean from phrasebooks before I leave. But I consider that part of the adventure

Wow, gasoline really costs $12/gallon? I thought it was more like $6: http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKT3818820080130

You might want to mention what makes the forests "terrifying" -- they're Japan's most popular place to commit suicide (usually by hanging) and a gruesome number of corpses are discovered there every year. The area wouldn't be my first choice for a nice hike in Japan...

I chose the word "terrifying" because legend has it that people easily get lost in there and compasses don't work. In my experience, it's not terrifying at all - and the forest has clear footpaths and roads through it.

It is true that the place seems to attract people who want to "disappear" by killing themselves. Some of those people might have actually been murdered and left there to look like suicides. From what I heard, they're not on the footpaths - The bodies are generally discovered by the local authorities when they make an inspection tour of the area, twice a year. I didn't hear that they hanged themselves - I heard that it was mostly overdoses. But I guess these things might change from year to year.

In my wanderings on the footpaths through the area I never once found anything creepy. I found it to be really very pleasant - and comfortably cool in the summer.

I'm bringing back an old thread for the sake of having information spread all over.

My wife and I are planning a trip to Japan later this month and thinking of a stay down in the Mt. Fuji area. Expect to be there around 26 and 27 of March. Was thinking to take a train from Tokyo on 26 and then a train back to Tokyo the following day to catch the Nozomi to Hiroshima.

Is it better to stay in the Hakone, Lake Ashi, or Laka Kawaguchi? We will have our 9 month old with us and really just wanted to go, relax, possibly enjoy the view and then carry on with our journey.

thanks to let me know of any preferences people have.

We will be spending 3 days in Tokyo prior to this, then 2 days in Hiroshima before going to Kyoto for 2.5 days and spend our final day in Osaka before flying out late at night. We won't have jetlag to contend with as we live in the region.

Hakone (+ Lake Ashi) is easier to reach than Lake Kawaguchi and if anything less "spoiled". If you're just interested in a short trip from Tokyo to see Fuji and a lake, I would suggest Hakone.

The Fuji Five Lakes region (Yamanaka, Kawaguchi, Sai, Shoji, Motosu) is a nice area to tour if you want to see the contrasts between the big (Yamanaka) and the small (Shoji) the very touristy (Kawaguchi) and the unspoiled (Motosu). But it's a longer trip and it requires a car to do it with ease.

Given your objectives, I'd personally recommend the Lake Ashi area, someplace like The Prince Hakone or Hotel de Yama, where you have nice scenery, hot springs and plenty of room to spread out and go for walks.

For a two-night stay I'd probably choose The Prince Hakone, as you have a wide range of activities nearby, and direct access to the boats to take you to other areas along Lake Ashi.

Prince Hakone has a shuttle bus from Odawara station, but requires reservation and is only at specific times of day, so getting back to Tokyo may be more of a challenge depending on the time that you need to catch the Nozomi to Hiroshima.

Lateral thinking - Skip Fuji entirely and go a day earlier to Hiroshima. Spend a day/night enjoying the scenery at Miyajima.

I considered this, but intend to arrive to Hiroshima in the late afternoon/early evening and will have the next day, plus most of the day after before travelling up to Kyoto so thought 2 days in Hiroshima was sufficient plus the possibility of hitting Miyajima on the day of arrival.

Provided the weather is clear, should we be able to spot Mt. Fuji and have a nice view from the Lake Ashi area?

Provided the weather is clear, you can see Mount Fuji from most tall buildings in Tokyo, from the beach at Kamakura, from the north side of the train between Tokyo and Nagoya, etc. etc. If the weather isn't clear, you won't be able to see it even from 10 miles away.

On this basis, I think I shall opt for a lake view room which shouldn't be hiding. Anyone out there know of a good ryokan on Lake Ashi? I can't find anything as of yet.

Gora Kadan is very nice but pricey. Located about 3 miles from the lake.