Sitting in a sauna while gazing at Mount Fuji. To make that dream a reality, I made my way to Lake Yamanaka. The idea of having Japan's highest peak and Lake Yamanaka all to myself — soaking in an outdoor bath, sitting in a sauna, sinking into a cold plunge bath fed by Mount Fuji's natural spring water, and drinking that very water — was enough to make me tremble just thinking about it. Could an experience like that actually exist? It could. At Hotel Mount Fuji. What's more, that very morning I had been at Sauna Shikiji. I soaked in the natural spring water at Japan's sacred home of sauna, got utterly defeated by the herbal steam sauna, and drank my fill of that legendary water. Still basking in the afterglow, I was now heading to Hotel Mount Fuji. Sauna Shikiji → Hotel Mount Fuji. An outrageous golden route was about to be completed. I took the Shinkansen from Shizuoka Station to Mishima Station, then boarded the highway bus Kawaguchiko Liner toward Lake Yamanaka. Shizuoka was blessed with cloudless blue skies, and Mount Fuji stood sharp and clear through the bus window. Today is guaranteed. Perfect conditions. I was certain of it. But as we crossed into Yamanashi, the sky started to look suspicious. By the time we passed Gotemba, Mount Fuji had vanished entirely. As we approached Lake Yamanaka Village, the fog grew thicker and thicker. A bad feeling crept in. And the moment we arrived, reality hit me square in the face. Not only could I not see the foot of Mount Fuji — I couldn't even make out its silhouette. Well, these things happen. I tried telling myself that, but it was no use. The shock was simply too great. Just a few hours ago, I had seen it so clearly. Looking up from the shores of Lake Yamanaka toward the hill above, a grand building loomed through the mist. That was Hotel Mount Fuji. I switched to a taxi and climbed the slope. The exterior radiated history and prestige. Stepping inside, a refined calm typical of a luxury hotel settled over me. At check-in, I was asked whether I would be dining at the restaurant, but I politely declined. I had already picked up a bento at the marché in Shizuoka Station. For a solo sauna trip, that's more than enough. A multi-course dinner at a fine restaurant can wait for when I'm with someone else. I was shown to my room. Under normal circumstances, a grand panorama of Mount Fuji and Lake Yamanaka would have stretched out beyond the window. The lake was just barely visible. But there was not even a shadow of Mount Fuji. Fog and overcast sky had swallowed everything whole. Ironically, my imagination only expanded. If it were clear, what kind of view would unfold from this very spot? Maybe it would clear up before long. Maybe the fog would lift while I was in the hot spring. I kept thinking optimistic thoughts like that. What I can't see, I can't see. No point dwelling on it. I'll give everything I have to enjoying the hot spring and sauna. First, I headed to Hanare no Yu. This is a bathing area with outdoor baths only. The moment I stepped outside, the view of Lake Yamanaka rushed into my field of vision through the mist. Even through the thick fog, the sheer scale of the lake came through. On a clear day, Mount Fuji would be towering beyond this lake. This place must be an extraordinary scenic bath — of that much I was certain. I gazed vaguely at Lake Yamanaka veiled in mist and slowly soaked in the natural hot spring. Even without the view, simply being here felt like the height of luxury. Now for the main event. I headed to Mantensei no Yu. The moment I entered the changing room, a sense of cleanliness and a pleasant scent welcomed me. Staff came in frequently to clean, and both the lockers and the floor were always impeccably maintained. That alone spoke volumes about the quality of this facility. Inside the bathing area, there were only three other guests. To have near-exclusive use of one of Japan's finest facilities — what extraordinary luck. First set. Into the löyly sauna. Opening the door, I was greeted by a Metos iki stove sitting proudly in place. No television. The lighting was dimmed, and a dark, modern space spread before me. I was the only one in the sauna room. I sat down on the bench and a sound escaped my lips. "Ahh, this feels incredible. Absolutely perfect." When I'm alone, I say it out loud. That's my way. Saying it aloud takes the mood up one more notch. There's no one around, so no need to hold back. I closed my eyes and slipped into meditation. In the silence, my own private time began. After a while, the automatic löyly activated. Mount Fuji's natural spring water was poured onto the stove, and steam filled the sauna room. There was a subtle curve at the corner of the ceiling, and the convection of steam was magnificent. Heat enveloped every inch of my body evenly. I could feel my pores opening all at once. My limit arrived. I headed to the cold plunge bath. Mount Fuji's natural spring water flows continuously into a single-person tub. With the place to myself, I submerged my whole body without hesitation. The heat drained away smoothly. It felt around 13°C, but it was nothing like tap water. It didn't sting. A soft, enveloping coldness. That sensation is something only a natural spring cold plunge can deliver. And then came the usual ritual. I held my hands under the natural spring water flowing from the tap and drank directly from it. Sweet. In the morning I drank natural spring water at Sauna Shikiji, and at night I drank natural spring water at Hotel Mount Fuji. Could there be a more luxurious day of water? The gifts of Fuji seeped into my body from the outside and the inside alike. I stepped out of the cold plunge and collapsed into a chair in the outdoor area. I looked up at the sky. That was the direction where Mount Fuji should have been visible. Nothing. Fog covered everything like a thick wall. That enormous mountain was certainly out there somewhere beyond it. I felt a powerful urge to blow it all away, but the weather is beyond anyone's control. Maybe this was the universe telling me to come back again. Second set. I made my way to the self-löyly sauna in the outdoor area. Sitting in a sauna while looking at Mount Fuji — that is the greatest draw of this facility. Naturally, Mount Fuji was not visible today. On top of that, this outdoor sauna has no cold plunge bath; you have to walk all the way back to the bathing area to use one. The flow is poor. No Mount Fuji, and the cold plunge is far away. There was little point in pushing through under these conditions. After a few minutes I gave up and returned to the löyly sauna. By the time the third set came around, it was fully night. This is Lake Yamanaka — high altitude, clean air. In good weather, the sky overhead would have been blanketed in a sea of stars, just as the name Mantensei no Yu suggests. Tonight, even those stars were nowhere to be seen. Frustrating, but there's nothing to be done about the weather. I finished the final set, drank the natural spring water in the cold plunge one last time, and brought the day's sauna activities to a close.

Sitting in a sauna while gazing at Mount Fuji. To make that dream a reality, I made my way to Lake Yamanaka. The idea of having Japan's highest peak and Lake Yamanaka all to myself — soaking in an outdoor bath, sitting in a sauna, sinking into a cold plunge bath fed by Mount Fuji's natural spring water, and drinking that very water — was enough to make me tremble just thinking about it. Could an experience like that actually exist? It could. At Hotel Mount Fuji. What's more, that very morning I had been at Sauna Shikiji. I soaked in the natural spring water at Japan's sacred home of sauna, got utterly defeated by the herbal steam sauna, and drank my fill of that legendary water. Still basking in the afterglow, I was now heading to Hotel Mount Fuji. Sauna Shikiji → Hotel Mount Fuji. An outrageous golden route was about to be completed. I took the Shinkansen from Shizuoka Station to Mishima Station, then boarded the highway bus Kawaguchiko Liner toward Lake Yamanaka. Shizuoka was blessed with cloudless blue skies, and Mount Fuji stood sharp and clear through the bus window. Today is guaranteed. Perfect conditions. I was certain of it. But as we crossed into Yamanashi, the sky started to look suspicious. By the time we passed Gotemba, Mount Fuji had vanished entirely. As we approached Lake Yamanaka Village, the fog grew thicker and thicker. A bad feeling crept in. And the moment we arrived, reality hit me square in the face. Not only could I not see the foot of Mount Fuji — I couldn't even make out its silhouette. Well, these things happen. I tried telling myself that, but it was no use. The shock was simply too great. Just a few hours ago, I had seen it so clearly. Looking up from the shores of Lake Yamanaka toward the hill above, a grand building loomed through the mist. That was Hotel Mount Fuji. I switched to a taxi and climbed the slope. The exterior radiated history and prestige. Stepping inside, a refined calm typical of a luxury hotel settled over me. At check-in, I was asked whether I would be dining at the restaurant, but I politely declined. I had already picked up a bento at the marché in Shizuoka Station. For a solo sauna trip, that's more than enough. A multi-course dinner at a fine restaurant can wait for when I'm with someone else. I was shown to my room. Under normal circumstances, a grand panorama of Mount Fuji and Lake Yamanaka would have stretched out beyond the window. The lake was just barely visible. But there was not even a shadow of Mount Fuji. Fog and overcast sky had swallowed everything whole. Ironically, my imagination only expanded. If it were clear, what kind of view would unfold from this very spot? Maybe it would clear up before long. Maybe the fog would lift while I was in the hot spring. I kept thinking optimistic thoughts like that. What I can't see, I can't see. No point dwelling on it. I'll give everything I have to enjoying the hot spring and sauna. First, I headed to Hanare no Yu. This is a bathing area with outdoor baths only. The moment I stepped outside, the view of Lake Yamanaka rushed into my field of vision through the mist. Even through the thick fog, the sheer scale of the lake came through. On a clear day, Mount Fuji would be towering beyond this lake. This place must be an extraordinary scenic bath — of that much I was certain. I gazed vaguely at Lake Yamanaka veiled in mist and slowly soaked in the natural hot spring. Even without the view, simply being here felt like the height of luxury. Now for the main event. I headed to Mantensei no Yu. The moment I entered the changing room, a sense of cleanliness and a pleasant scent welcomed me. Staff came in frequently to clean, and both the lockers and the floor were always impeccably maintained. That alone spoke volumes about the quality of this facility. Inside the bathing area, there were only three other guests. To have near-exclusive use of one of Japan's finest facilities — what extraordinary luck. First set. Into the löyly sauna. Opening the door, I was greeted by a Metos iki stove sitting proudly in place. No television. The lighting was dimmed, and a dark, modern space spread before me. I was the only one in the sauna room. I sat down on the bench and a sound escaped my lips. "Ahh, this feels incredible. Absolutely perfect." When I'm alone, I say it out loud. That's my way. Saying it aloud takes the mood up one more notch. There's no one around, so no need to hold back. I closed my eyes and slipped into meditation. In the silence, my own private time began. After a while, the automatic löyly activated. Mount Fuji's natural spring water was poured onto the stove, and steam filled the sauna room. There was a subtle curve at the corner of the ceiling, and the convection of steam was magnificent. Heat enveloped every inch of my body evenly. I could feel my pores opening all at once. My limit arrived. I headed to the cold plunge bath. Mount Fuji's natural spring water flows continuously into a single-person tub. With the place to myself, I submerged my whole body without hesitation. The heat drained away smoothly. It felt around 13°C, but it was nothing like tap water. It didn't sting. A soft, enveloping coldness. That sensation is something only a natural spring cold plunge can deliver. And then came the usual ritual. I held my hands under the natural spring water flowing from the tap and drank directly from it. Sweet. In the morning I drank natural spring water at Sauna Shikiji, and at night I drank natural spring water at Hotel Mount Fuji. Could there be a more luxurious day of water? The gifts of Fuji seeped into my body from the outside and the inside alike. I stepped out of the cold plunge and collapsed into a chair in the outdoor area. I looked up at the sky. That was the direction where Mount Fuji should have been visible. Nothing. Fog covered everything like a thick wall. That enormous mountain was certainly out there somewhere beyond it. I felt a powerful urge to blow it all away, but the weather is beyond anyone's control. Maybe this was the universe telling me to come back again. Second set. I made my way to the self-löyly sauna in the outdoor area. Sitting in a sauna while looking at Mount Fuji — that is the greatest draw of this facility. Naturally, Mount Fuji was not visible today. On top of that, this outdoor sauna has no cold plunge bath; you have to walk all the way back to the bathing area to use one. The flow is poor. No Mount Fuji, and the cold plunge is far away. There was little point in pushing through under these conditions. After a few minutes I gave up and returned to the löyly sauna. By the time the third set came around, it was fully night. This is Lake Yamanaka — high altitude, clean air. In good weather, the sky overhead would have been blanketed in a sea of stars, just as the name Mantensei no Yu suggests. Tonight, even those stars were nowhere to be seen. Frustrating, but there's nothing to be done about the weather. I finished the final set, drank the natural spring water in the cold plunge one last time, and brought the day's sauna activities to a close.