Lake Shibireko
Lake Shibireko is the most distant from Mt. Fuji of the Inner Eight Lakes. It is located 9 kilometers northwest of Lake Shojiko, partly surrounded by Mt. Hirugadake. The lake’s cool, calm waters are 850 meters above sea level. The mist that often lingers at this high altitude, along with the relative remoteness of the area, creates an atmosphere of mystery. One Fuji-ko confraternity erected a stone monument to the dragon god Ozaki Ryujin on the lake’s shore, indicating that this was a place with spiritual meaning for them.
How Fuji-ko pilgrims reached Lake Shibireko is uncertain. Researchers suspect they climbed Onnazaka Pass (then known as Ananzaka Pass) from the village on the lake’s north shore and then followed the path connecting the villages scattered along the mountain’s shoulder. They may also have used a route along the ridgeline from Motosuko.