Tucked in the shadow of Japan’s most iconic landmark is the small town of Fujiyoshida. This unassuming townlet is the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of Tokyo and Kyoto and experience the natural beauty of Mount Fuji. It is a few hours by rail from Tokyo and close to the beloved onsen (hot spring) town of Hakone to the south.

Departing from Tokyo’s bustling Shinjuku Station, I boarded a morning bullet train bound for Otsuki Station with ekiben and a cappuccino in hand. Ekiben, a Japanese bento box sold at rail stations and made for travelers, is a quintessential part of the Japanese train experience. We took the bullet train as far as Otsuki Station before transferring to an old, wooden rail car for the last leg of the journey.

Disembarking at Shimoyoshida Station in Fujiyoshida, one of the first things we saw was the looming figure of Mount Fuji to the south, capped with snow and constantly shrouded in clouds. Walking down Honcho Street, we found a delicious and soul-warming meal at Sakurai Udon, where a bowl of hot noodles and veggies costs less than three dollars.

To work off the noodles, we hiked to Chureito Pagoda, the classical layered temple with canonical views of Mount Fuji. Red torii gates line the stairway up to the pagoda, a nice buildup to the big reveal at the end of the hike. The hike is an easy one and well worth the panoramas of the town and mountain.

One of the coolest things to do in Japan is to stay in a ryokan, a traditional hotel with a totally different vibe from the Western style that most urban Japanese lodgings have. Seats and beds are on the floor, simple bamboo paneling adorns the walls, and a classic onsen bath waits for bathing and soaking. Due to time constraints, I didn’t get to spend too much time at the ryokan, but they are great places to unwind and often offer in-room multi-course food experiences and house large hot spring-fed baths for their guests.

However, best of all was the view of Mount Fuji, which, from the first sunrise of the stay, never ceased to stun me. I highly recommend waking up early for sunrise (easier said than done) to catch the morning glow on the mountain’s glaciers — the premature wake-up call is well worth the view.

Fujiyoshida is also a great jumping-off point for a hike on the mountain itself. I visited in the winter when climbing Mount Fuji is off-limits, but I was told by a friendly cab driver (who is a hiker himself) that summiting or hiking on the mountain in good weather is not difficult, and a great activity for people visiting in the warmer months.

A great thing about visiting Japan as an American right now is that the country, despite being ultra-modern and developed, is very inexpensive for people spending dollars. Owing to the strength of the dollar and unique Japanese monetary policy, hotels, activities, and especially food are unusually affordable (shout out to my International Trade professor).