Shindo Pass
Behind the north lakeside of Lake Kawaguchiko, there is Mt. Nakatto(1665m) and Mt. Kurodake(1793m). And there is the Shindo Pass around the middle of the ridge, and there is a view square in two places opened.
On the north side of Lake Kawaguchi, there are Mt. Nakatto (1665m) and Mt. Kurodake (1793m). Shindo Pass is located in the middle of the ridge, and there are observation decks in the two open places.
FUJIYAMA Twin Terrace
It is an observation deck that opened on July 31, 2021. If you’ve visited here several times, you’ll know that it was a lot of work to maintain this place. Because of that effort, you can safely enjoy this wonderful landscape.
It is also somewhat difficult to Freach this location. The Mizugasawa Forest Road to the Shindo Pass, which used to be passable, is now closed to public vehicles. There is a shuttle bus to the FUJIYAMA Twin Terrace. The bus fare is 1800 yen.
Buses run once an hour on weekdays and twice an hour on weekends and holidays. However, in good weather, the buses are always full. It is possible to board standing, but even then it is sometimes impossible to get on. And, on Tuesdays, the bus is closed because “Roadside Station Ogosso-ya," which is also a bus stop at the foot of the mountain, is closed.
You can also take the shuttle bus from the “Suzuran-gunseichi" bus stop (parking available), one stop before the “Fujiyama Twin Terrace" bus stop, but whether or not you can board depends on how crowded the bus is.
You can walk from the “Suzuran-gunseichi" bus stop to the “Fujiyama Twin Terrace" bus stop, but it is generally not recommended. It is a 3km uphill walk with a 200m difference in elevation, so it will take about one hour. If you are lucky, you may be picked up by a bus on the way.
Due to the closure of forest roads in winter, the shuttle bus service will be suspended at the end of November.
Getting to Shindo Pass
To reach Shindo Pass, it is about a 3-hour walk from Oishi area at the foot of the mountain. Even if you drive up as far as possible from Oishi area and climb up the Nakazawa Forest Road from there, it will take about 2 hours.
The general access by car is through the Wakahiko Tunnel to the Ashigawa area and take the shuttle bus. It is recommended to drive to the parking lot of the “Suzuran-gunseichi" bus stop, which is the closest to the Shindo Pass. It takes about 20 minutes by car from Oishi Park to the “Suzuran-gunseichi" bus stop.
From the “Fujiyama Twin Terrace" bus stop to the observaton deck, you will need to climb the mountain for about 10 minutes. Please note that this is quite a distance for the elderly. However, the stair walkway is well maintained and very easy to walk on.
The walkway before it was maintained.
The footing was bad and narrow, making it very difficult for the elderly.
Other considerations
Insects and Bears
Especially in the summertime, we recommend you to use insect repellent. Even though it’s a hiking trail, you get into the mountains, so if you wear short-sleeved short pant, you’ll be affected by insects. There are gnats. Do not put out the bare skin as much as possible.
There is no bear sightings around here in recent years, but it is part of the habitat area. Please be careful in the encounter with the bear enough.
Shindo Pass Weather
It is clear that Mt. Fuji can be seen well, but if you climb the Shindo pass, you may not see it in the mist at all. There is a live camera, so let’s check it before you climb.
Shindo Pass Live Camera
Panorama
Gallery
Map