Kevers in Japan: Fuji

Mount Fuji is Japans tallest mountain. Easily seen from the base here, it is a beautiful volcanic mountain with its perfectly shaped cone rising up all by itself seemingly out of nowhere. Though it has not erupted in over 200 years it is considered active, and with its increasing earthquakes from within and rising pressure, is expected to erupt in the next few years. I am planning on hiking to the top in July, so as long as it holds off until then I am good.

I have been wanting to go to the Fuji phlox festival all month, where 800 000 phlox plants are planted at its base. Every weekend seems to get taken with various activities, so I ended up just keeping the kids home from school on Monday so we could spend the whole day there.

I started out wondering if I had made the right choice, for Fuji could not be seen from base as we left. Being a highly elusive mountain, it seems whenever I make the trip to the Fuji area, it cannot be seen that day due to cloud cover. Going anyway, we were treated to the most spectacular showing of phlox I have ever seen.
Audrey insisted on being held most of the day, so I could not take many pictures...but I managed a few.

I got a chuckle out of this Mount Fuji made with the Phlox

phlox is a carpet like ground cover flower...it went on forever

Fuji started to emerge from behind the clouds behind us..

Our snack was steamed sweet potato being made by a local. They were amazing!

I was supposed to share with Audrey, but I think she only allowed me 1 bite...was delicious!

We continued on to Shiriato Falls, which are fed by the melting snowcap of Fuji.

upper falls

The water at the base of these falls is a beautiful azure...that was difficult to photograph, and the children wanted to play here all day despite the water being frigid.

On the way out we stopped for ice cream...