While peak sakura usually reaches Fuji 5-lake around mid-April, this year it was about 5-7 days later than normal. 

Arakurayama Sengen Park / Chureito Pagoda

(新倉山浅間公園 / 忠霊塔)

There was hardly any sakura blossom except one or two trees up on the Chureito Pagoda with a few flowers – even the Festival event has to be extended. Nevertheless, it was another sunny day and Mt Fuji could be seen as long as it’s unblocked.

Fuji Omuro Sengen (富士御室浅間神社)

Next we drove westward along the southern shore of Kawaguchi-ko to check out the sakura in this Jinja – 1 sakura tree was blooming. 

Mt Fuji as seen in Saiko, Asagiri Kogen and Tanuki-ko

…continued driving towards Fujinomiya in southwest of Mt Fuji.

==> Part 2 ==>