【Scenic Point】A breathtaking view of the morning twilight clouds and Mount Fuji encountered by chance while driving on a detour forest road

On the second day of our fishing camp, while driving early in the morning on a forest road to reach a lake deep in the mountains of Kofu City, Yamanashi Prefecture, I was able to encounter a scenery like nothing I had seen before. Where exactly is this? Weather conditions and route changes due to forest road construction avoided during the Obon holiday influenced the situation,

A route change due to a road closure fortunately leads to a breathtaking view

On the first day, at the camping site in the Yamanashi Prefecture, Kofu City Forest Bathing Plaza, I enjoyed fishing and car camping in a deserted forest. In an environment that felt almost like a natural forest, there was plenty of firewood, and direct fire was possible. It was very enjoyable to have a camping experience that felt like wild camping.

On the second day, I was planning to go from this camping site to the fishing spot at Kotokawa Dam via the Crystal Line (Arakawa Forest Road).
*Morning twilight = about 1 to 2 hours from before dawn until after sunrise.

However, I found out that the Arakawa Forest Road was closed due to construction. I reluctantly changed my plan to head toward the detour on the south side. At that time, I was only thinking that it would take longer due to the detour.

An extraordinary and solemn experience wrapped in the scent of trees and thick fog before dawn.

I want to arrive at the fishing spot at dawn, so I will depart early in the morning.

I woke up at 3 AM. Excited for fishing and having not slept in a car for a while, I couldn't get much deep sleep and ended up waking up quite early. There was a stillness in the forest, and for some reason, the scent reminiscent of moisture evaporating from the wood when a campfire is lit filled the air. Since I had never spent a night in such a deep mountain location before, I wondered if this is what the true dawn in the forest is like.

In the images, the sky appears to be brightening, but to the naked eye, I was driving through a pitch-black forest road. Not knowing what might be on the roadside, I drove more carefully than usual, realizing it would be a disaster if I were to have an accident at such an early hour.

By the time I reached the detour, the sky had completely brightened, and I was released from the tension I had felt just moments before. This area is at an altitude of about 1200 meters, and a thick fog enveloped the surrounding mountains, creating a fantastical atmosphere. Since it had been raining up until that day, the moisture accumulated in the forest might have risen more than usual due to the temperature differences.

As I gained altitude, a breathtaking view unfolded before me.

The relationship between the Crystal Line (Arakawa Forest Road) leading to the Kotogawa Dam from the campsite and the detour route is as shown in the map above. The scenic viewpoint is located near the red pin on the map above.

Just as the sun began to rise, I arrived at the mountain pass of the detour route, around an altitude of 1600m. The scenery opened up in the direction of the rising sun, and I thought it looked like a good view, so I decided to advance toward the peak to enjoy the scenery.

As I got out of the car, I was greeted by a breathtaking view of a sea of clouds spread out below and, amidst a pale-tone gradient, the silhouette of Mt. Fuji standing alone. The mist I had seen earlier at an altitude of 1200m had transformed into a sea of clouds, illuminated by the morning sun and turning into orange-colored clouds. My beloved Jimny also fit perfectly into the frame, allowing me to capture a memorable shot.

The conditions for the formation of a sea of clouds seem to be related to temperature differences, terrain, and wind strength, and that morning the weather was good, with no wind and a landscape that met the conditions for fog to accumulate like a bowl.

Due to the detour from the road closure and fishing, it was a rare occasion to find myself standing in this place early in the morning, allowing me to witness a miraculous scenic view. After this, more fishing on the lake awaited, and I felt I had a very happy morning. I wanted to stay here longer, but after enjoying the stunning view for a while, I hurried on to avoid missing the early morning bite.

Report and text by Kazuma Tanaka.

Search iPhone telephoto lens on Amazon