Ōishi Park

Background

Ōishi Park lies in the Ōishi district of Fujikawaguchiko Town and is a public park on the north shore of Lake Kawaguchi. The town lists play equipment, rest pavilions, a multipurpose square and the Kawaguchiko Natural Living Center in the park; it is neither the whole of Lake Kawaguchi nor the Lawson photo spot in front of the station on the south shore. Yamanashi Prefecture lists it as a public viewpoint for Mount Fuji, Lake Kawaguchi and lavender. The Flower Road has seasonal plantings, with different flowers and grasses in summer and autumn, but the state of the flowers and whether Mount Fuji shows itself both depend on the weather. The Natural Living Center, the farm-produce shop and the lakeshore path beside the park together form a short sightseeing area, and not all facilities should be described as keeping the same hours all year. The point of coming here is to see the local lake, agricultural tourism and the Mount Fuji landscape together from the north shore, not just to chase a photo from one fixed angle.

Local customs

• The park is a public space shared by residents and visitors
• stay on designated paths and photo areas, and do not enter planting beds or trample the flower fields. The town explicitly asks you to take your rubbish home and to keep dogs on a leash and clean up after them. Shoots that occupy space, use sets or are commercial require prior application under town rules
• do not take the rules for ordinary visitors to mean that any shoot may freely take up space.

Religion & beliefs

• Ōishi Park is a public lakeshore park with no religious rituals of its own
• other places linked to Mount Fuji worship should be introduced separately, and the viewing park should not be called a temple or shrine.

Rules that apply here

Travel tips

• Ōishi Park is on the north shore of Lake Kawaguchi, around 2525-11 Ōishi, Fujikawaguchiko Town, the address published by the town
• from Kawaguchiko Station you should take a bus or other transport, and not estimate it as a walk from the station. Older transport information from Yamanashi Prefecture gives about 30 minutes by bus as a rough guide
• routes, frequencies and actual journey times must be checked with the current operators. Allow about 45–75 minutes to stroll the park and photograph the lake
• adding the Natural Living Center, the farm-produce shop and a short lakeshore walk, allow 1.5–2 hours. Mount Fuji may be hidden by cloud, and the flowering of lavender, kochia and other plants varies from year to year, so do not treat a promotional photo from one day as a weather guarantee. The town notes there are no rubbish bins in the park, so take your rubbish with you
• dogs must be leashed. Some facilities and toilets have their own opening arrangements, and drinking fountains may be out of service in winter.