Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park

National park in Eastern Japan

34°40′N 139°0′E / 34.667°N 139.000°E / 34.667; 139.000Area1,227 km² (474 sq mi)EstablishedFebruary 1, 1936Governing bodyMinistry of the Environment

Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park (富士箱根伊豆国立公園, Fuji-Hakone-Izu Kokuritsu Kōen) is a national park in Yamanashi, Shizuoka, and Kanagawa Prefectures, and western Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. It consists of Mount Fuji, Fuji Five Lakes, Hakone, the Izu Peninsula, and the Izu Islands. Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park covers 1,227 square kilometres (474 sq mi).^[1]

Rather than being a specific spot, the park is a collection of dispersed tourist sites that dot the region. The farthest point south, the isle of Hachijō-jima, is several hundred kilometers from Mount Fuji. The park includes a variety of geographic features including natural hot springs, coastlines, mountainous areas, lakes, and more than 1000 volcanic islands. Vegetation in the park ranges from species of mountainous trees to the subtropical vegetation of the Izu Islands.^[1]^[2]

Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park was established on February 2, 1936, as Fuji-Hakone National Park, and is one of the first four national parks established in Japan. In 1950, the Izu islands were added to the park, and its name changed to its present designation. Due to its proximity to the Tokyo metropolis and ease of transportation, it is the most visited national park in all Japan.^[3]

Nearby cities include Odawara, Fuji, Minami Ashigara, and Numazu.

Points of interest

Mount Fuji and Fuji Five Lakes
Shiraito Falls
Ashi-no-ko Lake
Mount Ōmuro
Jogasaki coast
Izu Ōshima
A playground on park grounds
Underwater post box for divers.

Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park is divided into four general areas:

1. Mount Fuji area

2. Hakone area

3. Izu Peninsula

4. Izu Islands

The Izu islands are also a popular destination for scuba diving.

References

Southerland, Mary and Britton, Dorothy. The National Parks of Japan. Kodansha International (1995). ISBN 4-7700-1971-8

^ ^a ^b "Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park". Encyclopedia of Japan. Tokyo: Shogakukan. 2012. OCLC 56431036. Archived from the original on 2007-08-25. Retrieved 2012-08-13.
^ "Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park". Tokyo: JP Co., Ltd. 2006. Archived from the original on 2012-06-23. Retrieved Aug 13, 2012.
^ "Mount Fuji". Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society. c. 2012. Archived from the original on January 8, 2012. Retrieved Aug 13, 2012.
^ Teikoku's Complete Atlas of Japan, ISBN 4-8071-0004-1