Don’t know what a 52 Fuji is? Check out this page.
Way back in January 2020, a couple of centuries ago, before the evolution of cuisine that brought us bat soup with a side of global pandemic, I had my final Fuji trips planned out and was ready for action. They would be done by April, when I was supposed to be leaving Japan. I was going to get all of these stations visited one way or another.
I came out all guns blazing, firing off four Fujis in one day.
(I could have done five but I wouldn’t discover the existence of Musashi-Fujisawa until later. How does this keep happening, you may ask? Well, it’s mostly because I’m a bit rubbish.)
The first of the four – #40 – was Fujino-Ushijima, way out in Saitama on the Tobu Park Line. Its name translates to ‘wisteria cow island’ and is, pretty much, the most interesting thing about the place. I got there pretty early in the morning, and it was appropriately sleepy. This being January, the one true tourist attraction – a wisteria park – wasn’t open.
I took this pic over the wall though:
#40 FUJINOUSHIJIMA GALLERY :
Next up, back on the Tobu line down to Fujimino, also in Saitama. I will discover upon my arrival that I’ve been here before, back when I’d given up on the Fujis. A strong feeling of déjà vu will assail my senses as I go out the west exit. Once I circle around to the east exit, it crystallizes into a memory. Not clear enough for me to remember details, unfortunately.
Fujimino is a commuter commune, a bedtown; despite this, it’s not as sleepy as Fujino-ushijima. There is a lot to see and do, if you have time to take a bus:
Sadly, it’s reached midday,
The points of interest are quite far away.
And there’s two more Fujis to do today…
… So off I pop.
#41 FUJIMINO GALLERY :
It’s into Tokyo now for a visit to Fujimidai, which doesn’t have that big city feel to it, it’s got that retro lived-in old Tokyo atmosphere. It’s one of those stations that the express services all skip, and yet, it’s pretty busy around the station area. There are a lot of people wandering about the shopping arcade. Probably waiting to get their hair done by a hair world champion:
Interestingly named salons aside, however, there’s not much of note about Fujimidai, I can’t find much to do except shop. I decide to finish up the day with a trip to a recently discovered Fuji – Nakano-Fujimicho.
#42 FUJIMIDAI GALLERY :
Nakano-Fujimicho is another pretty quiet station, this time on the Tokyo Metro. I had a lovely walk in the wintry afternoon sunshine here, but didn’t find anything particularly fantastic to write about, except maybe that there’s a Fuji High School in the neighbourhood. I would have expected a little more originality in a place that’s easily a hundred kilometres from Fuji City.
(Then again, expecting originality in educational establishments seems like something of a fool’s errand. MIAOW.)
There is, however, a pretty cool train yard, if that’s your jam:
#43 NAKANO-FUJIMICHO GALLERY :
FUJIS LEFT AT THE END OF JANUARY 4th, 2020 : 16/59
CityHillsAndSea 