The BEST Day Trip to Mount Fuji from Tokyo

Mount Fuji is a must-see for many on their first trip to Japan, and I’d have to agree! I had such an amazing day, and I’m so grateful the mountain finally came out towards the end. These are the stops I highly recommend on a day trip to see it!

Mount Fuji is an active stratovolcano on Japan’s main island of Honshu. It stands at 3,776 meters (12,389 feet), making it the tallest mountain in the country. It’s also one of the highest volcanoes on an island anywhere in the world. Although it’s still considered active, Mount Fuji hasn’t erupted since 1707–1708.

Located about 100 km southwest of Tokyo, Mount Fuji is often visible on clear days from the city. Its nearly perfect cone shape, covered in snow for much of the year, has made it one of Japan’s most recognizable landmarks. Mount Fuji is a huge part of Japanese culture and is often featured in art and photography, while also attracting visitors, hikers, and climbers from around the world.

To take a bullet train from Tokyo to Mt. Fuji, use the Tokaido Shinkansen line from Tokyo Station or Shinagawa Station to Shin-Fuji Station. Transfer to a local bus operated by Fujikyu to reach Mount Fuji station. A one-way bus journey takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Fuji Excursion Limited Express is a direct train connecting Shinjuku Station in Tokyo to Kawaguchiko Station, a gateway to Mount Fuji.

If you want the most flexibility when visiting Mount Fuji, renting a car is a great option, especially for families or groups. Rental shops can be found all around Tokyo, including at major train stations and airports. Just keep in mind that foreign drivers need an International Driving Permit (IDP). In winter, you may also need snow tires or chains, depending on conditions. This can take 2-3 hours.

Personally, this is how I did mine, and I highly recommend this option! It’s super affordable and gets you to all the hot spots without needing to worry about a thing. I booked mine through GetYourGuide, which I’ve used many times, and cannot recommend it enough. My tour guide was incredible and got to each spot about 20 minutes before everyone else. He gave us the best chances of getting food and great pictures without all the crowds. Between destinations, we were given a bunch of history and information about each spot. This made the rides much more enjoyable!

The largest and shallowest of the Fuji Five Lakes. The lake is a popular recreational site for boating, fishing, water skiing, windsurfing, sightseeing, and swimming. The lake is also home to swans! You shouldn’t have any issues getting pictures with them. They’re not always the nicest of birds, so try to keep your distance. I did watch one bite someone’s shoe a few times.

If the sky is clear, you should be able to see Mount Fuji. The clouds cleared a little so we could see some of the snow on top, but not fully.

Located between Lake Kawaguchi and Lake Yamanaka, Oshino Hakkai is a scenic village famous for its eight incredibly clear ponds fed by melted snow from Mount Fuji. The water naturally filters through volcanic rock for more than 80 years, giving the ponds their crystal-clear appearance. The area is also recognized as both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a National Natural Monument.

This is the main food stop on the tour, and I’d highly recommend grabbing some of the street food! I was a big fan of the grilled squid, wagyu beef tongue (they also have regular wagyu), grilled mochi with sweet red bean, and a matcha latte. Yes, the prices are elevated because they know tour buses are dropping people off. It’s still a great time, and the food was good!

A good number of vendors took cards, but some, like the mochi guy, were cash-only.

The ponds are also insanely clear. You can see eight meters down into one!

Oishi Park is a scenic park on the northern shore of Lake Kawaguchi. It’s best known for its beautiful views of Mount Fuji and colorful seasonal flower displays. Its 350-meter-long Flower Street changes throughout the year, featuring blooms like tulips in spring and lavender in summer. My visit was in the spring, so nemophila flowers were in bloom!

The photo opportunities here are amazing, but I also want to highlight the ice cream. Our tour guide really hyped it up and recommended vanilla and blueberry. The area is well known for its fruit! However, they also had lavender and nemophila flavors! Yes, like the flower growing right outside. I’ve never seen this option in my life, so of course I got it, and it was absolutely delicious. Floral ice creams, I think, are majorly slept on, and I wish they were more widely available. It also comes in a chocolate waffle cone, making it an all-around incredible treat while viewing the flowers and the lake.

The line does get long, so I’d recommend getting ice cream first, then taking pictures!

LAWSON Kawaguchiko Ekimaeten is a convenience store located in Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi, famous for its direct view of Mount Fuji. It was brought to the limelight by Instagram users and influencers posing in front of it and sharing photos online. Making it a major hotspot for Fuji visitors.

Sadly, it was covered by clouds during our stop. I can at least say I’ve now been to the world’s most famous convenience store! I’d also recommend grabbing something from here so you’re not taking a photo, clogging up space, and leaving. A bottle of water will be helpful for the next stop!

This is a popular scenic spot where you can see Mount Fuji, a red five-story pagoda, and cherry blossom trees all at once. The first 80 steps bring you to a spot where you can see the mountain. However, if you want a picture with the pagoda, you’d better fasten your laces, and I hope you brought your water. You’ll have to climb about another 420 steps up to reach the observatory. There are landings between sets of stairs to take a break. I had to take one!

Once you’re there, it’s absolutely incredible! Other people will obviously be fighting for this picture with no one else in it, so just do your best. If you arrive before a bunch of other tour buses, speed up here to have the best chance of success. Once I got mine, a few more buses arrived, and it was becoming absolute chaos.

On the plus side, there’s no fee to take this photo, just the pain of climbing the stairs! No pain, no gain?

Just a 10-minute walk from Arakurayama Sengen Park! This traditional watch-and-jewelry shop on Honmachi Shopping Street is known for its nostalgic Showa-era vibe. While the store itself is charming, it’s especially popular as a photo spot thanks to its clear, straight-on view of Mount Fuji.

Of course, this clear view is from the middle of the street, where traffic’s moving. Now, I will say you’re not actually allowed to stand in the street for this photo (at one point, even a police car coming down in English told people over a loudspeaker, “No photos”). However, I’ll also say just try to be respectful, not impede traffic, and move really quickly if you’re going to attempt this.

It was during this stop that Mount Fuji was finally fully visible, so I took my opportunity, but don’t inhibit the locals just trying to drive down the street.

This was a super relaxed (except for climbing 500 stairs) and incredible day trip! It hit all the hot spots so many others surprisingly do not, and was super affordable. My tour guide, Eiichi, was an absolute DELIGHT!

Obviously, there’s no guarantee the weather will play out, and you’ll get to see the mountain. Most of the day, she was pretty hidden, but I’m super grateful I got to see her in the end. And wow, she’s absolutely gorgeous. Mount Fuji is a must-see in my opinion if visiting Japan! Maybe on my next visit, I’ll try climbing it!