Oshino Hakkai, views of Mt Fuji & Kusa Mochi snack #travel #japanesefood #japan #mtfuji
It was said that this area was once the sixth lake at the foot of Mount Fuji called Lake Oshino. However, Lake Oshino dried up over time and turned into a basin leaving behind several spring ponds. Hakkai was translated as “eight seas” and was named after the 8 most representative ponds.
The artificial Nakaike Pond was surrounded by thatched-roof houses and waterwheel, which created a picturesque setting for photography. In the thatched-roof house was a souvenir shop with stalls that sold snacks. One of those snacks was a freshly grilled red bean pastry called Kusa Mochi. The pastry had a grassy taste while the red bean had a mild sweet taste.
Some of the ponds had a picturesque view with Mount Fuji.