PHOTO SPOT GUIDE
Mt. Fuji & Autumn Maples at Lake Kawaguchi — The Maple Corridor
At Lake Kawaguchi in Yamanashi, Mt. Fuji rises beyond the water while crimson maples line the shore — a scene that is the very symbol of autumn in Japan. Along the Nashi River on the north shore runs the "Maple Corridor," an avenue of maples more than a century old. Beyond the tunnel of blazing red leaves, Mt. Fuji — just beginning to wear its snow — shows its face. Lake, autumn colour and the sacred mountain: a lavish autumn where all three come together.
Fuji and maples, an autumn on the lake
The greatest luxury of autumn at Kawaguchi is being able to hold Mt. Fuji and the maples in a single frame. On a windless morning the lake turns to a mirror, and an inverted Fuji and the maples reflect quietly upon it. The clearer the air, the sharper Fuji's ridgeline and the deeper the red of the leaves. The colder the wind across the lake, the more those colours sharpen.
A corridor of burning maples
Walk the "Maple Corridor" along the Nashi River and crimson maples arch overhead, their red reflected on the stream at your feet. The tunnel of red made by the old trees glows as it filters the daylight, and by night it is lit up, floating a double of autumn on the water. It is a red wholly unlike the colours of the emergency room — warm, and somehow nostalgic. The hand that presses the shutter naturally slows.
The sacred mountain beyond the lake;
burning maples mirrored on the water.
Planning your visit — season & festival
A few notes for those hoping to see it in person.
The autumn colour is usually at its best from early to mid-November. To coincide with it, the "Fujikawaguchiko Autumn Leaves Festival" is held around November each year. During the festival the Maple Corridor is lit up (from dusk into the night), offering a dreamlike scene of maples and Fuji emerging from the dark. Timing shifts with the cold each year, so check the latest foliage updates before you go.
Getting there & parking
By car, it is about 15 minutes from the Kawaguchiko IC on the Chūō Expressway. No dedicated car park is listed for the Maple Corridor — the Fujikawaguchiko Tourism Federation’s guidance is simply “use nearby car parks”, with no location, capacity or fee given. By public transport, take the Kawaguchiko sightseeing bus (Red Line) from Kawaguchiko Station on the Fujikyu Line for about 20 minutes to the “Kubota Itchiku Art Museum” stop, then walk 5 minutes (Maple Corridor spot page (Japanese)). The festival period is very crowded, so an early hour is best, and mornings and evenings are cold — dress warmly.
Tips for photographers
To hold Mt. Fuji and the maples in one frame, a windless early morning is ideal. Including the inverted Fuji mirrored on the lake makes for a quiet, vertically symmetrical composition. In the Maple Corridor, using red leaves as a foreground blur to float Fuji in the distance gives a sense of depth. For the night light-up, set a tripod and capture even the reflections on the stream with care.
While you're in the area
The area around Lake Kawaguchi is dotted with the sights of the Fuji Five Lakes and the mountain's foothills. You can walk the lakeside paths, or visit seasonal flower fields and museums — an easy place to spend an unhurried day with Mt. Fuji in view.
Framing Fuji ― an early hour
To hold the maple corridor and Mount Fuji in one frame, aim for a clear, windless morning. When the lake falls mirror-still, an inverted Fuji appears, the coloured maples and the sacred peak layered on the water. There are fewer people than at midday, and the air is clearer. For more autumn places, see the guide to Japan's best autumn-leaf spots.
From my visit —
Notes from the day I, Ikebanadoctor, went to photograph this place for this guide. Shooting times come from the camera; everything else is from my own memory of the visit.
- My route that day
- On the same morning I photographed Mt. Fuji & Autumn Maples (6:37), then Maple Corridor (8:40), then Mt. Fuji & Autumn Maples from the lakeshore (9:16) — times from the camera.
- First stop
- Before sunrise I claimed a spot at the “Momiji Tunnel” on Prefectural Road 21 in Oishi, Fujikawaguchiko — a different place from the Maple Corridor (Momiji Kairo) along the Nashi River. The free car park nearby only takes a few cars, so I got there early to secure a space. I took my time choosing a spot and setting up the composition, and shot from a part of the footpath where I would not be in anyone’s way. Afterwards I drove on and parked near the Maple Corridor and the lakeshore spots.
- Crowds and parking
- The Momiji Tunnel was quiet in the early morning, but after sunrise it got fairly busy with cars and people, and the car park filled up. The Maple Corridor, where I went next, is the most popular spot of all and was already busy even in the morning, though I just managed to find parking. From midday on, the corridor was very crowded. The lakeshore photograph came from an aimless stroll along the shore, and there was nobody else around.
- Weather and light
- The weather was good, and I saw all kinds of light, from sunrise to the low morning sun.
- For your visit
- It all comes down to going as early as you can: you get better photographs and can sightsee at an easy pace. A wander along the lakeshore is well worth it too; you may find something few people know about.
Official information mentioned above: Yamanashi Prefecture official tourism site, “Momiji Tunnel” (Japanese) (checked 2 October 2026)
More photographs from this spot
Dates and times come from the camera’s own record of each shot. Tap a photograph to open its print page.
Questions photographers ask
Are the “Momiji Tunnel” and the Maple Corridor the same place?
No. Yamanashi Prefecture’s official tourism site describes the Momiji Tunnel, in Oishi, Fujikawaguchiko, as an autumn-leaf spot where roadside maples arch over the road like a tunnel, and lists it separately from the Maple Corridor (Momiji Kairo), the roughly 150-metre stretch of maples along the bank of the nearby Nashi River. In this guide, Mt. Fuji & Autumn Maples was taken at the Momiji Tunnel on Prefectural Road 21, and Maple Corridor at the Maple Corridor.
Source: Yamanashi Prefecture official tourism site, “Momiji Tunnel” (Japanese) (checked 2 October 2026)
Is there parking at the Momiji Tunnel?
Yamanashi Prefecture’s official tourism site lists parking for 10 ordinary cars, with no fee mentioned. When I went on 12 November 2025, the free car park nearby could only take a few cars, so I arrived before sunrise to secure a space; after sunrise it became busy with cars and people and the car park was full.
Source: Yamanashi Prefecture official tourism site, “Momiji Tunnel” (Japanese) (checked 2 October 2026)
When are the 2026 Fujikawaguchiko Autumn Leaves Festival and the illumination?
According to the Fujikawaguchiko Tourism Federation, the 2026 Autumn Leaves Festival runs from 7 to 29 November, with the Maple Corridor lit from sunset to 21:00. Check the federation’s announcements for how the colour is progressing.
Source: Fujikawaguchiko Tourism Federation, Autumn Leaves Festival (Japanese) (checked 2 October 2026)
Mt. Fuji and the autumn maples of Lake Kawaguchi are available as fine-art silver-halide prints on premium FUJICOLOR paper, hand-printed in Japan and shipped worldwide.
💾 A digital download is also available ($4.00 each). Bundles cost less: 3 for $10.20, 5 for $15.00 ($3.00 each) — mix any photographs you like.
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