Oshino Hakkai was high on our wish list - I mean, eight crystal-clear ponds fed by Mount Fuji's snowmelt? That sounds like something straight out of a Studio Ghibli film. The whole setup seems perfect: traditional thatched-roof buildings, wooden bridges over ponds full of koi, and the mighty Fuji-san as your backdrop.

What really caught our attention was how these eight ponds (they call them the "Eight Seas") are basically showing off Mount Fuji's natural filtration system at work. The water's supposedly so clear you can see straight to the bottom, even with all those colorful koi swimming around.

For anyone who makes it there before we do: apparently there's this local treat called kusamochi - a green rice cake stuffed with sweet bean paste - that you can try at the shops. Between the Mount Fuji views, the ancient buildings, and those pristine ponds, this village seems like the kind of place that makes you slow down and appreciate the simple stuff. Definitely going on the "next time" list!