In February 2001, I took a day trip with my co-worker, Rob, to Nihondaira, a large mountain in Shizuoka Prefecture, near the port city of Shimizu. Traditionally this mountain was used as a military lookout, with it's wide view of the surrounding areas. On a clear day, you can see as far as Izu Peninsula. Nowadays, it's mostly used by tourists and photographers wishing to view Mt. Fuji, the tallest mountain in Japan.
We drove out to Nihondaira in the morning, on a cool, clear day. It took about an hour, but it was well worth it! The view was fantastic. I snapped tons of pictures, as you can see below. :) We wandered around, looked at various views, and checked out the ubiquitous gift shop, where I picked up the best chocolates I think I have ever eaten, made with the milk of cows that live on Mt. Fuji. From there, we went to Shimizu to go shopping at S Pulse Dream Plaza, a great mall with several shops that carry imported goods. This was where I was able to find things like good cheddar, Snapple, nacho chips, and other items that I couldn't get in Fujieda.
