Ger Kennedy (56, Ireland, IISA bio here), Stève Stievenart (48, France, IISA bio here), Teodor Tsvetkov (31, Bulgaria, IISA bio here), and Conor O Connor (63, Ireland, IISA bio here) completed their ice swimming adventures in the Five Lakes of Mount Fuji, about 2 hours outside Tokyo, Japan. The team was supported by Vincent Donegan (54, Ireland, IISA bio here) for medical support and Maya Yatsu (Japan, IISA bio here) as their interpreter and IISA level 1 observer.

With the majestic Mount Fuji, the largest mountain and active volcano in Japan, at the center of their unprecedented adventure, Stievenart and Tsvetkov completed five Ice Miles in the Five Lakes. Kennedy, heading towards his second hip replacement, completed two Ice Miles and three ice Kilometers in the Five Lakes while O Coonor completed an Ice Kilometer and swam in all Five Lakes.

Kennedy describes their swims, “We found Lake Yamanaka to be very shallow and extremely difficult to find a suitable location to swim. The lake was frozen over so we had to wait two hours for sun to thaw the ice. The water temperature was an official 4.3°C, but it was sub-1°C in spots due to the melted ice that flows up through lava tubes – all while the air temperature hovered around 0°C.

Lake Lake Kawaguchi had a nice depth of water, but access was also difficult due to lots of private road access only. Eventually, we found access and entered the 4.6°C water with air temperature about 8°C.

Lake Sai access was granted by the local camping ground owner with a warm welcome. There were lots of snow with stunning backdrop. We swam in nice depth in the lake with water temperature at 4.6°C and air at -3°C.

Lake Shoji was extremely difficult to gain access due to being frozen over on most mornings and a huge amount of tourists of Mount Fuji. We waited for 4 days for the opportunity to swim in the 4.6°C water and 8°C air.

Our hotel was set beside Lake Motosu. We swam on the last day of our trip. Due to warm waters during the day, we swam at dawn to get water temps under 5°C. It was crystal clear water of 4.6°C with the air at -4°C.“

The Five Lakes (East to West)

• Lake Yamanaka is the largest of the five lakes and the closest to Mount Fuji. It is a popular summer resort known for its “Diamond Fuji” spectacle in February, where the sun appears to rest perfectly on the mountain’s peak.
• Lake Kawaguchi is he most developed and accessible lake, serving as the region’s main transportation hub. It features numerous museums, hot springs, and prime viewing spots for cherry blossoms in April and autumn foliage in November.
• Lake Sai is a quieter and less developed lake surrounded by the Aokigahara Forest. It is famous for its nearby lava caves—the Bat, Ice, and Wind caves—and traditional thatched-roof villages.
• Lake Shoji is the smallest and most tranquil lake. It is celebrated for the “Kodakura Fuji” or “Mother and Child Fuji” view, where a smaller mountain in the foreground makes Mount Fuji appear to be cradling it.
• Lake Motosu is the deepest lake (at 121 meters) with exceptionally clear water. Its northern shore offers the specific view of Mount Fuji famously depicted on the Japanese 1,000 yen bill.

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