It is undeniable that Kawaguchiko City, Japan, is currently one of the most popular tourist destinations for Thai tourists. Especially during the Songkran festival, there are four or five main reasons for this:

1. Kawaguchiko is a city with a clear view of Mount Fuji and is only a 2-3 hour drive from Tokyo.

2. There are many activities to do, including walking, taking a cable car, or taking a boat.

3. Fuji Q Highland is an amusement park that is said to be the most exciting in Japan and has several world-class attractions.

4. Holders of the Tokyo Wide Pass can travel from Tokyo to this city without paying an extra yen, which is considered better than those who buy a 7-day Japan Rail Pass.

5. The most important point is that during Songkran, or around April 15-20 of each year, is usually the time when the cherry blossoms at Kawaguchiko are in full bloom.

For all these reasons, it's no wonder that we often encounter a large number of Thai people in this place. Many people often meet acquaintances at this tourist spot, so much so that they have to mumble to themselves, "We've never met in Thailand, even though we work nearby, but we've met here without even making an appointment."

My wife and I have visited this tourist spot during Songkran for two consecutive years. That is, during Songkran in 2015 and Songkran in 2016. In 2015, I chose to stay overnight, while in 2016, I chose to travel from Tokyo as a day trip.

Both types of travel have their own pros and cons. When we have to stay overnight in a city, it's often difficult to change our travel plans because we have to book accommodation well in advance. Many accommodations require bookings 3 or even 6 months in advance, and some even require payment upfront. So, if the weather is bad on the day we're supposed to travel and we can't see Mount Fuji, we can only accept it and shed a few tears, just like what happened to me in 2015. Not only did I only catch a glimpse of Mount Fuji during my entire 2-day, 1-night trip, but it also rained. T_______T

So in 2016, I planned to go back and try again, this time choosing a day trip from Tokyo. I chose a day when the weather forecast said it would be clear. This type of trip has the advantage that you are sure to see Mount Fuji, but the disadvantage is that it is tiring and you don't get to see much. The weather forecast I used was the AccuWeather app on my iPhone. It's almost 100% reliable, especially for the next 5 days.

Okay, here is the translation of the provided text:

Alright, based on my experience visiting Kawaguchiko during Songkran for two consecutive years, I'm here to share the must-visit spots for first-time visitors. I understand that many people who haven't been there might be confused about which places to visit, especially with 22 bus stops available. Can you really see everything in just one day? ... Absolutely! There are only a few key attractions. So, if you're ready, let's explore them together! I'll skip the details of traveling from Tokyo to Kawaguchiko Station, as many resources are already available online. Upon arriving at Kawaguchiko Station, the first thing you should do is grab a tourist map. It includes bus routes, schedules, and bus stop locations. Here's what the map looks like:

Note: I saved this map image from the internet because I forgot to take a picture of it.

From the map above, we can see that there are two sightseeing bus routes: the red route goes to Lake Kawaguchiko, and the green route goes around Lake Saiko. The route that tourists like us usually take is the red route, which has 22 bus stops in total.

When it comes to purchasing Bus Passes or other passes, each individual can choose the pass that they think is the most worthwhile. There are many different types of passes available, including those that can be used for riding buses only, or those that can also be used for riding the Rope Way or taking a sightseeing boat. Of course, you can also choose not to purchase any passes at all, depending on your preferences. However, I personally chose to purchase a 2-Day Bus Pass for 1,200 yen per person. This pass allows you to ride both the red and green bus lines for a full 2 days. If you are staying overnight, this pass is definitely worth it. Even if you are only using it for one day but plan to ride the bus 5 times or more, I think it is still a good value. Plus, it is very convenient because you only need to show the pass to the bus driver when you get off, so you don't have to keep paying with cash. Okay, I've talked enough about that. Let's move on to the first point of interest. Which one should we see first?

**Point 1 is Bus Stop No. 1 of the red bus line, which is Kawaguchiko Station.**

I think this spot is a must-see because it's the starting point and on a clear day, you can get a beautiful view of Mount Fuji. Plus, if you walk to the left and right of the station, you'll see many beautiful cherry blossom trees in the area.

The second point is the Bus Stop number 11 of the red bus line.

At this point, you can either take the Rope Way cable car to enjoy a stunning aerial view of Lake Kawaguchiko, or take a boat ride to admire the scenery from the middle of the lake. Additionally, there are many beautiful cherry blossom trees in the surrounding area, as well as delicious soft ice cream for sale.

Let's take a look at the view from above and see how it is. Is it worth the money to pay for the cable car to go up?

The payment for the Rope Way can be chosen whether to buy a one-way ticket or a round-trip ticket. During the cherry blossom season, I don't think there are many beautiful foreground trees in this angle. So I chose to zoom in on the top of Fujisan directly. Let me tell you, it's very clear!!

Throughout the Ropeway ride, there will be a narration of one of the most enjoyable Japanese folktales, the story of the Old Man, the Old Woman, the Rabbit, and the Tanuki (raccoon). If you're curious about the story, try searching for it online. It will make your visit even more immersive, as there are many sculptures along the way that depict the story's scenes.

**Point 3 is Bus Stop number 14 of the red bus line.**

This is another spot where you can see both cherry blossoms, the lake, and Mount Fuji. Therefore, there are quite a few hotels and accommodations located here. However, from what I've seen, the prices are a bit steep for my wallet. So I chose to stay somewhere else and take a car or walk to take pictures instead. Haha.

This spot has a variety of cherry blossoms, including pink and white ones.

Actually, during the day, Mount Fuji should be clearly visible from this point. However, on the day I went, the peak of Mount Fuji was covered by clouds for a long time, so I didn't take any pictures. Instead, I chose to walk back and take pictures again at night, which gave me a different atmosphere and mood.

**Point 4 is the Bus Stop number 18 of the red bus line**

This is my favorite spot. I've been here twice and both times I've spent the most time here. There are so many cherry blossom trees here, and the lake and the scenery make for great photos. As soon as you get off the bus, you'll see a grove of cherry blossom trees and bicycles like this.

And then the view like this.

During the full bloom of the cherry blossoms, this spot will also host a small festival with food stalls and light-up displays at night.

The number of cherry blossom trees around the lake at this point is enormous. No matter which way we turn, left or right, we see cherry blossom trees everywhere. Plus, there are cute little pink flowers scattered on the ground. If I'm not mistaken, those pink flowers on the ground are probably Shiba Zakura, right?

Now let's take a closer look at the cherry blossoms and see how abundant and beautiful they are. And because there are so many of them, it was very easy for me to find a foreground to put in front of Mount Fuji.

This spot is also another great place to take beautiful portrait photos. Beautiful women with beautiful trees, they go so well together, don't they? ^^

For serious landscape photographers, you can actually walk down from the line of cherry blossom trees to take pictures close to the lake like this. It's not difficult to walk down, and many Japanese photographers have walked down. And if you're lucky, you'll also be able to get a good foreground like a swan. But I wasn't lucky, so I missed it and got this picture instead. T______T

Here is the translation:

**Point 5 is Bus Stop number 22 of the red bus line, or Natural Living Center.**

This is the last stop for the red bus. There are restrooms, snacks, drinks, and souvenirs available for purchase. During my first visit, it was raining, so I got pictures like this. T____T

The next year, I went back to try again. This time, I got Fa Sai as I wished, but the parking lot was still full. T____T

But it's okay. With the sky opening up like this, we get beautiful views like this instead.

Okay, so now I've taken everyone to see the 5 interesting spots out of the 22 red bus stops. But since we've come all the way to Kawaguchiko, there's one more spot that's really interesting and beautiful for seeing cherry blossoms that you shouldn't miss. However, this spot requires a bit more travel time as well as some physical effort to walk, both on flat ground and up stairs. The spot I'm talking about is the Chureito Pagoda, or the 5-story red pagoda.

Point 6: Chureito Pagoda

With good planning, a trip to the Chureito Pagoda can be easily combined with a day trip from Tokyo. I recommend visiting Lake Kawaguchiko first, then heading to the Chureito Pagoda in the late afternoon. Take the train from Kawaguchiko Station to Shimoyoshida Station, then follow the signs. The first part of the walk is along a flat road, with beautiful views like this along the way.

When we reached the stairs, this was the point where we needed to exert a bit more energy. We walked up the stairs for about 15-20 minutes, but there were rest stops and beautiful views to keep us company along the way.

Once you reach the top of the 5-story red pagoda, you can choose which way to go first. You can either go to the right, where there is a pavilion where you can sit and enjoy the beautiful view of Mount Fuji and the rows of cherry blossoms, or you can go to the left, where there is a path that leads to the summit of Mount Takao.

Alternatively, you can walk around the back of the Red Pagoda to reach the scenic viewpoint, a popular spot for taking photos. Usually, people take pictures with the Red Pagoda on the right and Mount Fuji on the left. However, since that angle was crowded with photographers waiting to take pictures, I walked a little further and placed Mount Fuji on the right side of the picture instead.

The introduction of the cherry blossom viewing spots at Kawaguchiko during Songkran has come to an end. If you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions, please feel free to share them. You can also visit my wife and I at https://www.facebook.com/amazingcouples/ for further discussion.

See you again. Hello.