Oshino Hakkai Village

Imagine tiny wood bridges over ponds, lanes dusted by countryside soil, wooden houses with sloping rooftops—the idyllic environs of the Oshino Hakkai Village will make you want to settle here. Beautifully nestled off the beaten track, the quaint settlement is located between Lake Kawaguchiko and Lake Yamanakako, in the Fujigoko (five lakes) region around Mount Fuji, in the city Tokyo, Japan. A cluster of eight ponds, the village is a humble dwelling ground for localites, complete with its own shopping hut located in the central arena (which sell vegetables, sweets, pickles, chips, crafts and other local curios), with houses all around. The deep ponds here are home to an array of aquatic species, and the clear waters let you peak until the bottom end of the pond. If you’re visiting Tokyo for two days, make sure you visit this charming, tranquil village that transports you to the time when life was simpler and idyllic.