✴️ = best choice!
Mattia lets me plan the trip.
It usually works like this: I organise everything down to the smallest detail and he follows my lead. He trusts me, and while on the one hand he relieves himself of the task of research – which he gladly delegates – on the other hand he is an impeccable travelling companion, capable of adapting to any situation. A gift that I, on the other hand, admit to having much less. As in many other situations in everyday life, we balance each other out.
Today, however, is one of those exceptions that make the whole trip worthwhile. A day entirely dedicated to fulfilling one of his wishes: to get behind the wheel of a racing car, a Nissan GTR, and drive around Mount Fuji until arriving at the legendary Fuji Speedway circuit.
The activity is organized by Fun2Drive, a company specializing in sports driving experiences, located a short distance from our ryokan. At 9 a.m., we are already there for the introductory briefing. The organization is precise but relaxed: they explain the rules, how to ride in a group, and what to expect during the day.
There are many cars to choose from, but he knew exactly what he wanted right from the start. He reserved his favourite – a blue Nissan GTR R34 – on the first day registration opened, to make sure he didn’t miss out. An international driving licence is required to participate, and once the formalities are sorted, you’re ready to go.
The group is divided into two rows of cars that drive one behind the other towards Fuji Speedway. In the first car is the “leader” – a very friendly character who urges us to “please, be careful, don’t hit a bus!” – who guides us and gives us instructions via radio: when to accelerate, when to keep our distance, how to tackle bends and straights. Even the simple transfer becomes part of the experience.
Fuji Speedway is located at the foot of Mount Fuji and is a historic circuit that has hosted four editions of the Formula 1 Grand Prix. Once we arrive, we head out onto the track: first a slow lap to familiarise ourselves with the circuit, then a couple of much faster laps, with the asphalt flying by beneath our wheels.
After the adrenaline rush, we stop to eat at the circuit restaurant, still with smiles on our faces. Then we set off again, heading for Hakone Skyline, a spectacular mountain road made up of hairpin bends and ups and downs. Today, too, the sky is overcast and Mount Fuji is hidden from view, but it doesn’t matter: driving along this road is so much fun that it more than makes up for the lack of scenery.
In the late afternoon, once we had picked up our hire car (the normal one), we went to Moto Hakone to see the famous torii gate in the water and the traditional boats from afar.
At lunchtime, we stopped at the circuit restaurant, where we had fried chicken with tartar sauce.
In the evening, we had dinner at Gyoza Center, a small restaurant run by two truly lovely elderly people. Their gyoza were excellent, the best we tasted during our trip ✴️
Did you know? While searching on Google, we noticed that many restaurants in Japan had seemingly low ratings. In reality, this is a cultural issue: for the Japanese, giving 4 or 5 stars is equivalent to perfection, something rare. This is why even excellent restaurants tend to have lower ratings.
From Mitake, like the night before.
Today is the day!
After three days of waiting, Mount Fuji finally reveals itself in all its majesty and beauty.
We wake up at dawn to increase our chances of seeing it clearly — usually, after a certain time, it tends to become cloudy. We stop immediately at the first spot: during the night, the summit has become slightly snowy and a thin band of clouds seems to frame it. A perfect spectacle that makes the early start worthwhile.
We then set off again in our car, heading towards Lake Yamanaka. ✴️ . If you want to admire Mount Fuji from a truly special spot, this is a place not to be missed. Autumn colors, very few people, fishermen sitting on the shore watching it in silence, and swans gliding on the water: the atmosphere is incredibly relaxing. It is one of those places where you would want to stay longer, partly because the lake is surrounded by woods and offers wonderful walks where you can enjoy nature at a leisurely pace.
Thanks to the perfect day, we decide to try again with Chureito Pagoda, one of the most iconic spots for viewing Mount Fuji. Spoiler alert: don’t do it. It’s too crowded and the experience completely loses its magic. Hours of waiting just to take a quick photo in the middle of the crowd. We found a shortcut and took a photo from a higher point, but even so, it wasn’t worth it.
In the afternoon, we set off for Nakatsugawa. We chose this town as a base for visiting the historic villages of Magome and Tsumago: since we couldn’t find accommodation directly there — there are very few facilities and they must be booked well in advance — we opted for this solution. Nakatsugawa turns out to be a pleasant surprise: quiet, not very touristy, well-kept, and with a relaxed atmosphere that makes it perfect for ending the day.
At lunchtime, we stopped at a restaurant in Fujiyoshida, at the foot of Sengen Park, home to the Chureito Pagoda, where we sampled a selection of skewers.
For dinner in Nakatsugawa, we went out with the idea of eating okonomiyaki at Jubei, but by mistake we ended up in the restaurant next door, which was very popular with the locals. Here we ordered gyoza and the typical dish made with marinated cabbage and chicken.
Once we understood the misunderstanding, we tried to move from Jubei, but it was already full: many restaurants, especially in smaller towns, finish serving quite early — often before 7 p.m. — and then do not accept new customers.
We therefore settled for a restaurant near our hotel, where we had a second helping of the typical dish and added a mix of fried skewers.
Very nice and extremely clean hotel (you leave your shoes outside and put on slippers at the entrance), the staff speak good English. ✴️
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