Fuji Temp started because three people who spend too much time around Mount Fuji got tired of watching unprepared tourists have bad experiences. We saw the guy in dress shoes trying to climb the Yoshida Trail. The family who showed up at Lake Motosu without water. The couple who queued two hours for the Kawaguchi ropeway on a cloudy day when the view from the lakeshore was better and free. We figured someone should write the honest guide. So we did.
What We Are (and What We Aren't)
Let's be clear about our limitations. We're not a travel agency. We don't book accommodation, sell tours, or plan itineraries for money. We're not mountain guides — we don't have the certifications and we don't want the liability. What we are is a group of outdoor writers who've collectively spent years exploring the Fuji Five Lakes region and want to share what we've learned.
We don't get press trips. We don't do sponsored stays. When we recommend a campground, it's because one of us has actually slept there, dealt with the shower situation, and formed an opinion. When we tell you an onsen has a strict tattoo policy, it's because someone on our team has been turned away or had to cover up. Our recommendations are based on actual experience, not press releases or affiliate partnerships.
That said, we do use affiliate links in some of our gear recommendations. These are clearly marked, and we only link to products we actually use. Jake's ¥300 Uniqlo fleece that has survived four seasons of camping? That's a real recommendation, not because Uniqlo pays us (they don't) but because the fleece genuinely works. If we recommend something, it's because we've tested it in the field.
Jake Morrison — Founder & Editor
Jake is the reason Fuji Temp exists. He moved to Japan in 2016 for a teaching job, climbed Mount Fuji three times because he thought that's what you were supposed to do, and then realized on the third ascent that the view from the lakes was better than the view from the summit. Since then, he's camped at all five lakes, soaked in every onsen mentioned on this site, and developed a minor obsession with the region's seasonal bus schedules.
By day, Jake works as a copywriter for a Tokyo advertising agency, which funds his weekend camping habit. He owns a ¥300 Uniqlo fleece that has been through four seasons of camping, two climbing attempts, and one tent collapse at 2am at Lake Motosu. He still uses it. He writes most of the site's practical guides and handles the business side of things — which, given that he's a writer and not a businessman, mostly means remembering to pay the hosting fees on time.
Jake's camping style is pragmatic. He doesn't fetishize expensive gear. He believes the best piece of outdoor equipment is the one you actually bring with you, not the one that sits in your closet because it's too heavy or too complicated. His advice tends toward the practical: stake your tent properly, bring a sleeping bag rated for colder weather than you expect, and always have a backup plan that involves a convenience store.
Yuki Sato — Co-Founder & Local Expert
Yuki grew up in Kawaguchiko. Her family has lived in the area for three generations. She watched the tourism industry transform her hometown from a quiet lakeside community into one of Japan's most visited outdoor destinations, and she has opinions about it. She knows which roads get backed up on three-day weekends, which campground owners are actually friendly (and which ones just tolerate foreigners), and where to find the best views that aren't on any tourist map.
Yuki is our fact-checker and local connection. When Jake writes something about a bus schedule, Yuki verifies it. When we need to confirm whether a campground has actually installed the new showers they claimed were coming, Yuki drives over and checks. She has the kind of local knowledge that only comes from decades of living in a place — the shortcuts, the seasonal changes, the unwritten rules.
She's also the reason our tone isn't more cynical. Yuki genuinely loves the region despite its flaws. She wants people to visit, but she wants them to visit well — to respect the environment, to support local businesses, and to not be the person who leaves trash at a campsite. She believes that good tourism information leads to better tourists, and that's part of why she puts up with Jake's sarcasm.
Priya Patel — Contributor & Photographer
Priya is an astrophotographer based in Tokyo who specializes in night sky landscapes. Her work has been featured in several photography publications and, more importantly, on the walls of her apartment where she's framed prints of the Milky Way arching over Lake Motosu. She discovered the Fuji Five Lakes region on a midnight drive in 2019 and has been making the trip almost monthly since then.
Priya's contribution to Fuji Temp is primarily visual and atmospheric. She writes about the experience of being at the lakes at night — the stars, the silence, the way the mountain looks under a full moon. Her advice is less about logistics and more about timing: when to arrive for the best light, where to set up a tripod without bothering other campers, how to navigate the lakes in complete darkness.
She's also our reality check on the romanticized version of outdoor life. Yes, the stars are beautiful. But it's also cold, and dark, and sometimes you drop your lens cap in the lake. Priya tells both sides. Her stories include the beautiful shots and the frozen fingers it took to get them. She drives back to Tokyo at 5am after a night of shooting, stops at a convenience store for coffee, and goes straight to her day job. That's the level of commitment we're dealing with.
Our Editorial Standards
Every campsite review on this site is based on a personal visit. We don't write about places we haven't been. If a campground has changed since our last visit — new facilities, price increases, changed policies — we try to update the information, and we maintain an updates page to track these changes.
Our gear recommendations are based on actual use in the Fuji Five Lakes region. We test equipment in the specific conditions you'll encounter here: windy lakeside campsites, cold nights, dusty trails, and occasional rain. A tent that's great in calm weather might be a disaster at Motosu, and we'll tell you that.
We don't accept sponsored content. We don't write positive reviews in exchange for free stays or products. If a company sends us something to test, we disclose it, and our review reflects our actual experience — good, bad, or mediocre. Our income comes from the downloadable Fuji Lakes Camping Guide PDF we sell for $16, and from occasional affiliate links to gear we recommend. That's it.
Why We Do This
The honest answer: because we can't stop going to the Fuji Five Lakes, and writing about it gives us an excuse to go back. Every time we think we've seen everything, the mountain shows us something new — a different light, a different season, a different lake. The region rewards repeat visits in a way that few places do.
But there's a bigger reason too. We believe that outdoor travel is better when you're prepared. Not over-prepared — not with spreadsheets and color-coded itineraries — but prepared enough that you can handle the basics. Know which lake suits your style. Know what the weather might do. Know what to pack and what to expect. That preparation lets you relax into the experience instead of spending your trip problem-solving.
If Fuji Temp helps one person avoid Jake's 2am tent collapse experience, or find their way to Lake Saiko instead of fighting the Kawaguchi crowds, or discover the best onsen they've ever been to — that's enough. We're not trying to be the biggest outdoor guide. We're trying to be the most honest one.
Contact
Want to correct something on the site? Submit a campsite review? Ask about gear? Get in touch. We're usually outdoors, so replies take 4-7 days. We don't book accommodation or plan itineraries — but we'll tell you everything we know about the lakes.