Private Japanese Countryside Hike with Optional Caving

Experience both Japanese nature and food on this private 6-hour tour from Fujinomiya to World Heritage–listed Shiraito Falls, located about 9 miles (15 km) from Mt Fuji. With a guide, enjoy countryside walks to waterfalls and a small temple, and participate in a traditional tea ceremony. Learn how to make famous yakisoba noodles for lunch, and visit sites associated with the 12th-century legend of the Soga brothers. If you want to see more, upgrade your tour to include a visit to the nearby Hitoana Shrine and lava cave.

With comfortable shoes on, hop inside your transfer vehicle at your Fujinomiya city hotel, and then set off on your countryside tour. On the drive, learn about the history and culture of the area from your guide.

Arrive at the starting point for your walking tour, and take a leisurely 20-minute hike to your first stop, the Asahi waterfall, where you'll spend about 10 minutes with your guide. Then walk 30 minutes to Hongenji Temple to relax for an hour while you partake in a traditional tea ceremony. The ceremony is done in the Ogasawara style from the 12th-century Kamakura period in Japanese history.

Next, enjoy a lunch of traditional yakisoba noodles, which you'll learn to make; the noodles are pan-fried and paired in a bowl with pork and veggies. When you're fueled up and ready to walk off your lunch, make the 10-minute journey to Shiraito Falls, which is considered a sacred spot due to the source of its water from the melted snow from Mt Fuji.

Located in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, the falls are part of the UNESCO World Heritage–listed Fujisan cultural site. Spend about 15 minutes here admiring the falls, which are like a long blanket of water tumbling down. Then continue along the flat, concrete trail, walking to the Otodome waterfall. These falls are associated with the 12th-century Soga brothers, a story that deals with a murdered father and a revenge plot. The revenge plot took place at Otodome, which in Japanese means 'noise suddenly stops,' because the usually noisy waterfall stopped making noise, allowing the brothers to plot the revenge of their father’s murder.

After about 15 minutes here, make the 25-minute walk back to your starting point for the return drive to Fujinomiya. Your total walking distance is about 3.7 miles (6 km).

Extend your day and visit the nearby Hitoana Shrine and lava cave with your guide. Built as a sanctuary to those who believe in Mt Fuji’s sacredness, Hitoana Shrine is home to more than 200 intriguing monuments. Stroll the precinct, learning about Kakugyo Hasegawa — the site’s founder — and then take a 10-minute walk to a nearby lava cave. With a provided helmet and spot light to help you see in the dark, head inside to explore. While the area around Mt Fuji is known for its lava caves, very few are accessible. So make the most of your chance to explore one with your guide, and learn about the area’s geology and ancient eruptions.

Both experiences end with hotel drop-off.