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Looking for inspiration for your Mount Fuji day trip from Tokyo? As Mount Fuji is just about 100 kilometers from Tokyo, it’s fairly easy to plan this day trip and most definitely worth it! 

Mount Fuji, called Fuji-San by Japanese, is the iconic painting-like mountain in Japan. My boyfriend and I decided to pay a visit to Lake Kawaguchiko to admire Mount Fuji. There we had a lovely sunny day walking around this amazing town with Mount Fuji as the backdrop. We also decided to go to the Lake Saiko and Chureito Pagoda for another iconic view of the mountain. Our day trip around Mount Fuji was definitely one of the highlights in Japan. 

In this article you can find various information for your day trip to Mount Fuji. For instance, information about visiting Lake Kawaguchiko, Lake Saiko and the Chureito Pagoda. Furthermore, in this article you can read how to get to Mount Fuji and how to travel around. I also share my own Mount Fuji Day trip itinerary. Lastly, I share some brief information about climbing Mount Fuji. 

Enjoy your time at this amazing, sacred place!

This article was originally published on July 5, 2017. It has been updated again on August 27, 2019 with more useful information for your Mount Fuji day trip. 

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure page for more information. Thank you! 

Day Trip Mount Fuji from Tokyo

Where to see Mount Fuji
Best time to see Mount Fuji
How to travel to Mount Fuji from Tokyo
How to travel around Mount Fuji
How to get to Chureito Pagoda from Lake Kawaguchiko
Things to do around Mount Fuji
Where to stay at Mount Fuji
Itinerary for a day trip to Mount Fuji
How to Climb Mount Fuji

Some facts about Mount Fuji

Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan and one of the country’s most popular iconic landmarks. It’s not a surprise that it’s also a Cultural Site on the UNESCO’S World Heritage List. In Japanese the mountain is called Fuji-san (富士山) and it’s considered to be a sacred place. We understand you’re mostly interested in seeing this beautiful mountain!

So, where can you actually see Mount Fuji?

Where to see Mount Fuji

There are five lakes around Mount Fuji, namely Lake Kawaguchiko, Lake Yamanaka, Lake Saiko, Lake Motosu and Lake Shoji. We decided to go to Lake Kawaguchiko, Lake Saiko and the beautiful Chureito Pagoda. I definitely recommend a visit to Lake Kawaguchiko and Lake Saiko, as both lakes offer multiple wonderful views of Mount Fuji. Of course, it’s also possible to visit one of the other three lakes during your visit, and I have heard they have some excellent views too. If you’re planning on a day trip and seeing Mount Fuji from multiple lakes, plan your time wisely! Chureito Pagoda is also worth a visit, as from here you’ll get the famous, Instagrammable view with the temple and Mount Fuji in the background.

Please be aware that it’s not always possible to see Mount Fuji due to clouds and low visibility. This all depends on the season and weather. My boyfriend and I were very lucky and had a clear blue sky during our visit, which was in May, and we could see the mountain very, very clearly.

So, what is the best time to visit Mount Fuji?

Best time to visit Mount Fuji

What is the best time to visit Mount Fuji? As I’ve mentioned in the section above, Mount Fuji isn’t always visible. Sometimes the mountain is hidden behind clouds for a long period of time. If you really want to have the biggest chance to admire Mount Fuji in its full glory, it’s smart to think ahead. Consider the best season to visit Mount Fuji:

Spring (March to May)

Spring is a great time to visit Mount Fuji for enjoying the cherry blossoms around the mountain. Plus, you can climb Mount Fuji without snow. However, in the springtime haze can occur which can lower the visibility of the mountain.

Summer (June to August)

The lowest chance of seeing Mount Fuji is during the summer time. So if you really want a high chance of visibility, I would not recommend visiting Mount Fuji in summer.

Autumn (September to November)

Mount Fuji is best visible from autumn to winter. During autumn the trees are covered with red leaves, which creates a beautiful scenery. The chances of seeing the mountain increase towards the end of autumn.

Winter (December to February)

During the winter time you have the highest chance to see Mount Fuji, especially in December and January. During the winter the whole mountain is covered in snow, which is a beautiful sight to see. So winter is probably the best time to visit Mount Fuji!

Be aware though that even if you take the seasons in consideration, there’s still a chance you won’t be able to see Mount Fuji on your day trip because of the weather.

Not sure how to travel to Mount Fuji? I suggest start your trip at Lake Kawaguchiko.

How to get from Tokyo to Lake Kawaguchiko

Lake Kawaguchiko is an excellent place to go if you want to have a great view of Mount Fuji. It’s quite easy to get from Tokyo to Lake Kawaguchiko, and you can do so by bus and train. We decided to travel by bus from the Shinjuki Station, and we left around 8 am. If you’re only going for a day trip, I recommend going early to get the most out of your day!

It’s possible to get your bus tickets online or at the ticket office at the Shinjuki Station. We paid around 30 euro a person for a return ticket. Please be aware that prices can vary over time.

When you get your bus tickets, you already need to state the times you’ll leave from Tokyo and when you return from Lake Kawaguchiko. So it’s a good idea to have a rough plan on what you’ll want to see. The time our bus left from Lake Kawaguchiko was around 6 pm. So we were at Mount Fuji from approximately 10 am to 6 pm. We had enough time for traveling around Lake Kawaguchiko, Lake Saiko and going to Chureito Pagoda.

Once we were at Lake Kawaguchiko, we bought tickets for the hop on, hop off bus.

It’s also possible to book a bus tour from Tokyo to Mount Fuji up front! This includes transportation from and to Tokyo.

How to travel around Mount Fuji

In Kawaguchiko you can travel around town by bus. Once we arrived at the Kawaguchiko station we bought a day ticket and with that ticket we could use the Kawaguchiko Line and the Saiko Line. The Kawaguchiko line runs along the eastern and northern shores of Lake Kawaguchiko, while the Saiko Line runs along the southern shore and Lake Saiko. These day tickets can be bought at the station and cost about 10 euro each. If you want to travel to the Chureito Pagoda you can take the train.

It’s also possible to get a rental car or a rental bicycle! I personally think it’s not really necessary as the public transport was quite easy and fast.

How to get to the Chureito Pagoda from Lake Kawaguchiko

My boyfriend and I also decided to visit the beautiful Chureito Pagoda from Lake Kawaguchiko. Unfortunately the bus lines we had tickets for didn’t go there. Therefore we took the train from Kawaguchiko station to Shimoyoshida station, which takes approximately ten minutes and cost 3 euros per ticket. From there it is really easy to walk to the Chureito Pagoda. There are indications on the road that guide you to the pagoda.

Of course, there are also plenty of things to do at Mount Fuji!

What to do around Mount Fuji

During our visit at Mount Fuji we mostly took the bus or walked around and enjoyed the scenery. Everywhere we went we had Mount Fuji as backdrop and we basically didn’t stop taking photos. Next to the Chureito Pagoda, we visited Iyashi no Sato, which is the site of a former village on the western shores of Lake Saiko. They reconstructed the traditional houses with the thatched roofs and now it’s an open museum. It’s a beautiful peaceful place, and we walked around here and had some ice cream. It is also possible to buy local handicrafts here and learn more about the Japanese culture. Furthermore, you can also go to the Fuji Shibazakura Festival, which is a beautiful flower festival. This takes place between April and May. I wish we had the time to visit! Below I’ve listed 7 great things to do around Mount Fuji, which can come in handy for your visit.

7 Great things to do around Mount Fuji

1. Chureito Pagoda

2. Iyashi no Sato

3. Fuji Shibazakura Festival

4. Kawaguchiko Music Forest Museum

5. Narusawa lce Cave

6. Oshino Hakkai Springs

7. Climbing Mount Fuji

To make your time at Mount Fuji even more special, make sure to book the right accommodation!

Where to stay at Mount Fuji

There supposed to be a lot of beautiful hotels at Mount Fuji, so if you have the time be sure to stay a night. Also, why not stay at a hotel with an onsen? An onsen is a traditional Japanese bath, and there are many great places where you can enjoy these baths with a view of Mount Fuji. We wish we had time to do this!

Book your Onsen with a view of Mount Fuji here: Maruei

Book your day trip

If you’re thinking of booking a day trip upfront, you can do so at various online booking agencies. For instance, at Get Your Guide.

Book your Mount Fuji Day Trip here.

Or perhaps you want to do a day trip without a tour!

Mount Fuji day trip itinerary

If you want have a DIY trip to Mount Fuji, without a tour, I completely understand. I did so too and only booked bus tickets. If you’re looking for a day trip itinerary for Mount Fuji, you came to the right place! As I had such a lovely day in Mount Fuji, I decided to share my day trip itinerary with you! It can be useful if you’re not sure what you want to do.

The following times are an estimation, I didn’t check my watch all the time. 

08.00: Bus from Tokyo to Mount Fuji

My boyfriend and I took the bus from Shinjuki Station around 8 am. You can get your tickets online or at the Shinjuki Station.

10.00: Arrive at Lake Kawaguchiko

Once we arrived at Lake Kawaguchiko we bought bus tickets to travel around Lake Kawaguchiko and Lake Saiko. We also got a map of the two lakes so we can see where we can stop to take photos!

10.45: Exploring Lake Saiko: Iyashi no Sato

First we went to Lake Saiko to visit the Iyashi no Sato. We walked around Iyashi no Sato, which is a reconstructed open air museum of a traditional farming village where you can learn about the culture and try out and buy various local handicrafts. We ate some ice cream here and continued our day trip!

11.30: Enjoy the view of Mount Fuji at Lake Saiko

Of course, I took way too many photos of Mount Fuji. When I walked back to the bus I saw a man fishing, it was such a peaceful sight with Fuji as backdrop!

12.00: Took the bus back to Lake Kawaguchiko

The bus around Mount Fuji is probably the best bus ride you can take! We took the bus back to the station at Lake Kawaguchiko, because here you can also catch the train to the Chureito Pagoda. In between we got out of the bus a few times to take photos of the amazing views.

12.30: Lunch break at Lake Kawaguchiko

Time to have some lunch to fuel up. By now we were pretty tired already, so it’s good to sit down and eat some food. Check out these 10 best restaurants near Lake Kawaguchiko to get some inspiration where to eat!

13.10 Train to Chureito Pagoda

We took the train to Chureito Pagoda! The station you need to get to is the Shimoyoshida Station. It’s only about 3 euros for a return ticket and takes about 10 – 15 minutes.

13.30 Walk to Chureito Pagoda

Once you arrive at Shimoyoshida Station, follow the signs to Arakura Sengen Shrine, which is where you’ll find the Chureito Pagoda. Eventually you’ll see a mountain on which the Pagoda is located. It’s about 400 steps up. It’s a beautiful walk up and you’ll have amazing views of Mount Fuji!

13.45 Enjoy the view from Chureito Pagoda!

We stayed quite some time at the Pagoda, it’s absolutely beautiful. I wish we were there during the cherry blossom season!

16.00 Train back to Lake Kawaguchiko

We took the train back to Lake Kawaguchiko. We still have enough time to explore Kawaguchiko Town, which is a picturesque town next to the famous lake with the same name.

17.00 Getting gifts at the gift shop

We bought various gifts from Mount Fuji in the gift shop. You can find it at the bus and train station at Kawaguchiko, so that you’re in time for the bus back to Tokyo!

18.00 In the bus from Mount Fuji to Tokyo

Time to go back to Tokyo! It’s been a busy, but wonderful day.

How to climb Mount Fuji

It’s possible to climb Mount Fuji, but I would recommend to take at least two days for it. The official season to climb the mountain is between July and September, as the weather is a bit milder and the snow has melted. It’s also possible to climb the mountains off season, but be aware that it gets a lot colder and that if you’re not an experienced trekker it’s not recommended.

Because it’s a sacred mountain people make pilgrimages to the top. Meaning it can get pretty busy, it’s even often dubbed as the most climbed peaks in the world. There are also a lot of foreign tourists that climb Mount Fuji and about 30% of the trekkers are not Japanese.

There are various trails to climb Mount Fuji: Yoshida Trail, Subashiri Trail, Gotemba Trail and the Fujinomiya Trail. Overall, it’s supposedly not a very difficult hike. However, it can take quite a long time, so it is not necessarily recommended to do it in a single day. Click this link to read more about the trails, duration of the hike and other relevant information.

Have an amazing time at Mount Fuji! Let us know in the comments if you have any questions. 

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