Blue Silhouette of Mt. Fuji
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 + CP
31 mm ISO 100 for 1/400 sec. at ƒ/9.0
In the Shadow of the Peak: Chasing Clear Views of Mt. Fuji from Lake Tanuki
Location: Lake Tanuki, Shizuoka, Japan
Timestamp: 07:29・2024/02/28
Embarking on my photo shoot at around 4:00 a.m., I arrived at the southwestern shore of Lake Tanuki by 6:30 a.m. The drive from central Tokyo takes just over 2 hours via the Tomei or Chuo Expressway, assuming you don’t take any breaks along the way.
The trailhead, situated by the Kyukamura Fuji Hotel's parking lot, meanders along the lake's shores, offering an unimpeded view of Mt. Fuji. Depending on the time of day and season, and if the water is tranquil without any surface ripples, you can capture a near-perfect reflection of the volcano on the lake's surface.
In my four decades of photographing Mt. Fuji, its symmetrical cone shape has been a consistent sight. However, during this photo shoot, I observed the iconic peak from the west with a renewed clarity that allowed me to notice that the northern slope descends much more gradually in contrast to the steeper southern slope. Maybe this explains the popularity of the Yoshida Trail on the northern slope as the favored route to the summit.
Irrespective of the vantage point, a snow-capped Mt. Fuji remains my perennial favorite subject to capture, especially considering the countless times I've seen the peak shrouded in haze or cloud cover in stark contrast to the rare, cherished days when the entire scene is revealed on a clear, crisp day.
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