Susono: Waterfall, Fuji History and Plum Blossoms

Susono brings together historic Fuji traditions, striking landscapes and gardens. Highlights include the Suyama Trail and its long history, the cascades of Goryu Waterfall, and the plum blossoms of Umenosato. A day-trip hot spring and routes designed for different ways of exploring also shape the city’s character.

Shrine, Suyama Trail and Fuji Faith

Suyama Asama Shrine is the starting point for the Suyama Trail, which leads to the summit area. The trail was already in use during the Muromachi period. The shrine grounds and its sacred grove were designated a National Historic Site on February 7, 2011; they are components of the Mount Fuji World Heritage Site. The shrine thus brings together religious traditions and the history of the mountain trail.

The historical context includes purification rituals and prayers for a safe ascent: climbers performed them before ascending to the summit via the Suyama Trail. A travel account, the “Kaikoku Zakki,” records a visit in 1486 to what is believed to have been an entrance to the trail. The cautious identification of it as a possible entrance is part of this account.

A special shrine tour is available to groups by request. After a formal prayer inside the shrine, participants can hear explanations from a local guide about the history of Fuji faith, the shrine’s highlights and the Suyama Trail. If you would like to include this activity in your plans, enquire in advance.

Waterfall, Mountains and Garden

Goryu Waterfall consists of five cascades. They plunge over a lava cliff approximately 100 metres wide and 12 metres high; the waterfall is designated a Natural Monument of Shizuoka Prefecture. Central Park, a Japanese garden, was created around it. The waterfall and garden are therefore two closely connected but distinct attractions: the natural form of the cascades and their landscaped surroundings.

The park also has a history as a site: it originated as the Goryukan-Sano Hotel, which opened there around 1891. The poet Wakayama Bokusui and the writer Jiro Nitta visited the site. Goryu Waterfall and the Ashitaka Mountains also appear as settings in literary works. Those interested in landscape and culture can find both here, without needing to combine the sites into a single route.

The Ashitaka Mountains extend across Susono City, Numazu City, Fuji City and Nagaizumi Town. The range includes several mountains along a stretch of about 60 kilometres. Its highest peak is the 1,504-metre Echizen-dake; the range is among Japan’s 200 famous mountains. Its broad expanse offers a different perspective from the single waterfall: here, the focus is a landscape spanning several cities and towns.

Plum Blossoms and Hot Springs

Umenosato is a scenic area for viewing plum blossoms, next to Healthy Park Susono. Its grounds are home to around 700 red and white plum trees and 200 cherry trees. The combination of flowering landscapes and the adjacent day-trip hot spring offers a different focus from exploring the shrine and mountain trail’s history.

Healthy Park Susono is a hot spring for day trips. Its water, known as “Susono Bijin no Yu,” is rich in sodium, calcium and chloride. This means you can also plan a visit to Susono around its landscapes and bathing culture. The places and themes described here are varied and need not be reduced to a single itinerary.

Trails and Regional History

For walks within the city, the “Susono-sanpo” brochure from the Susono City Tourism Association includes a map of nine trails. For cyclists, Susono City, Gotemba City and Oyama Town jointly developed regional model routes and a cycling map. The walking trails and cycling plans are designed for different ways of getting around; no specific routes are prescribed.

The Fukara Irrigation Canal provides further regional context. Its 1,280-metre-long tunnel was excavated beneath Koziri Pass over about four years, starting in 1666, so that water from Lake Ashi could be channelled to the Shizuoka side. This construction history adds an example of historical water engineering from the wider area to the nature and culture themes.

Choose the Right Focus for Your Stay

When looking for a holiday rental in Susono, you can start by considering what you want your stay to focus on: the history of Fuji faith and the Suyama Trail, the scenery around Goryu Waterfall, the blossoms at Umenosato, or walking and cycling options. If you are considering a special shrine tour, note that it is offered to groups by request.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Yaizu, Shizuoka, Omaezaki, Fukuroi, Kosai, Iwata, Shimoda, Makinohara.

For the broader travel overview: Shizuoka Prefecture.