Japan Lakeside Elopement

Simon & Hannah have always loved Japan.

They’ve visited multiple times, explored different cities, and built memories that felt deeply personal to their relationship. So when it came down to deciding where they wanted to elope, Japan wasn’t a “cool destination”. It was an obvious choice from the start.

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Why They Eloped

Simon & Hannah originally planned a big, traditional wedding, but ultimately realized they wanted to do something more meaningful and intentional with the people closest to them, while still creating a special experience that reflected how they actually live and travel.

Eloping allowed them to focus on smaller details, natural beauty, and experiences, rather than the pressure and expectations of a conventional wedding. It gave them the freedom to slow down, be present, and design a day that felt personal, prioritizing connection, travel, and memories over scale or formality.

I actually did their small family elopement ceremony in Hawaii, but somewhere along the way, they realized that they also wanted an intimate experience for just the two of them. One that was rooted in the love for travel. One that feels like a honeymoon adventure they’ve always to take. So their elopement turned into a multi-day… and I guess you can say multi-country elopement!

Why Japan?

Why Japan specifically? Even after multiple trips, there was one they had never experienced: Mount Fuji.

Fuji is famously elusive. It only shows itself clearly around 80 days a year, and many people leave Japan without ever seeing it. For a couple who loves the country as much as they do, Simon and Hannah felt like it would be a dream to finally see Fuji’s beauty. And what perfect opportunity is there than on their adventure elopement.

This part of their elopement was about slowing down, being present, and experiencing a side of Japan that felt both familiar and completely new in an elevated way.

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What They Wanted for Their Adventure

Their vision was simple:

• A clear view of Mount Fuji
• A nice lake
• Autumn colors
• Good food
• A day that flowed naturally

The core of what they wanted visually was autumn foliage and views of Mount Fuji.

They told me their perfect day in Japan was doing what they love most which was to go around taking photos, eating good food, and watching beautiful sceneries.

When we were brainstorming locations and activities for their day, they were so down for anywhere and anything. It’s what makes them such a great pair because they’re willing to take on everything together.

Food was also a non-negotiable part of the day. They love eating their way through places, discovering local spots, and grabbing convenient store (Konbini) snacks along the way. Building in time for food was a must. It was part of how they experience Japan, and it mattered just as much as the views.

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How I Planned Their Experience

Because Fuji’s visibility was important, planning this day started with timing and seasonality.

I built this entire experience for them at Yamanashi prefecture in late November. This gave the highest chance of seeing autumn foliage and a clear view of Fuji.

Knowing what their vision is, I crafted a few timeline options based on what they value the most for their adventure. We went over the timing of their day and roughly what it could look like. We narrowed it down to the one that felt right to them.

We talked about permit information and costs associated, lodging recommendation, restaurant recommendation, and vendor recommendations.

Once everything is finalized, I gave them a packing list of what to bring.

Summary of Simon & Hannah’s Japan Lakeside Elopement:

• Quiet morning the lake as the mountain revealed itself
• Autumn Foliage
• Visiting torii gates
• Adventure around town
• Simple, meaningful stops like convenient store (konbini) runs and trying luxury onigiri
• A beautiful sunset
• Ending the day with stargazing

Even though they’d been to Japan many times, this experience felt different. Familiar, but deeper. Planned, but not rigid.

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Their Elopement Experience

We started the day off before sunrise. We met up at Simon and Hannah’s cabin in the Lake Kawaguchi area. Kanako, our make-up artist came by to do Hannah’s make-up. As soon as Hannah finished with hair and makeup, her and Simon got ready together.

We drove to a spot at Lake Kawaguchi with a Mount Fuji in the back before sunrise. During this time, the mountain is nice and blue. Fuji was clear as can be, and the two enjoyed a nice morning view with crisp, cool air.

As the sun appears, the two did their personal vows. The perk of doing your vows at sunrise is that it’s a lot more intimate and there are less chances of running into others. The lighting, atmosphere, and the clearness of Mount Fuji was absolutely perfect. Chef’s kiss!

We explored the area and took some photos with the autumn foliage. I took a step back to let the two enjoy viewing the area some more, capturing candid photos.

Because we had an early day, we set aside some time to rest at cabin and enjoy a view of Mount Fuji yet again. This time somewhere warm and cozy. Simon and Hannah booked a unique room with a perfect frame.

Once they got their energy back, we continued on to get not just any type of Onigiri (rice ball), but some Luxury Onigiri. This place serves massive portions with soup and side dishes. They came quite early so they had the place all to themselves.

With their bellies filled, they continued on to take photos of Torii gates under Mount Fuji. It’s not a Japan experience without seeing Torii gates!

Then they continued their day going around Fujiyoshida, the town that resides the eastern part of Mount Fuji. What I love about his town is that it offers a nice view of the mountain anywhere you go. It’s a nice mix of an urban and a nature scenery. There’s no other place like it.

They went to another part of the lake to visit the friendly swans. The vendors there provided them with food so they got to feed the swans. These fellas are so curious and friendly. It may look scary when they reach out for the kibbles, but they don’t bite.

As the sun starts to set, they made their way to a more spacious area for afternoon portraits. The sun at this time was absolutely unreal as it pierced Fuji, creating a cinematic look. Because we were so on time for every location, we were able to be there before the sun sets behind the mountain as planned. My jaws dropped as I looked through the photos we took together. It’s like they were in a movie.

A perfect way to end a Japan elopement is to enjoy the nighttime ambience and delicious Japanese cuisine. After sunset portraits, Simon and Hannah eased out their day by getting Tonkatsu for dinner. The food was fried perfectly. I could hear the crunch as they were eating it. The two shared laughs together and got some Instagram-worthy food photos.

The grand finale was getting star photos. Simon and Hannah put on their headlamps, and said their final goodbyes to Mount Fuji. They ended their day happy, bellies full, and more times staring at Fuji than you could count.