How to Plan a Day Trip to Mt Fuji from Tokyo

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Taking a day trip to Mt Fuji is not so simple, and you may have the same questions I had when I planned my trip to see Mt. Fuji:

Is one day enough time?
Mt Fuji is famously shy, often shrouded in clouds and fog, is it possible to see it in just a few hours?
There are many things to do around Mt Fuji, and many viewpoints, which ones are worth it?
There are dozens of Mt Fuji day tours online — which one is right for me?

I took a day trip to Mt Fuji in the autumn, saw Mt Fuji clearly (and also saw it covered in clouds), but came away from the experience wishing I had done a few things differently.

Let me share my experience with you and give you some insight to help you plan a better day trip to Mt Fuji.

A day trip to Mt Fuji is worth it, but only if you plan it right.

Table of Contents Show

About Mt Fuji

It’s Japan’s most famous mountain. Mt Fuji is an iconic landmark that people come from far and wide to see in person. It’s also depicted in a lot of Japanese artwork.

It’s Japan’s tallest mountain. Mt Fuji is 12,300 feet (3,776 meters) above sea level.

It’s an active volcano. Mt. Fuji last erupted in 1707.

It’s surrounded by five lakes. Five lakes — Lake Sai, Lake Motosu, Lake Kawaguchi, Lake Yamanaka, and Lake Shōji — reside along the base of Mount Fuji. They formed hundreds of years ago from lava flow and are known collectively as the Fuji Five Lakes.

You can see Mt Fuji from Tokyo. Our tour guide told us that it’s against the law to build a skyscraper that blocks the emperor’s view of Mt Fuji from his imperial palace. Even though Mt Fuji is 60 miles away from Tokyo, on a clear day, you can see it from some high vantage points.

orange-red maple leaves framing a view of Mt Fuji covered partially in clouds by a lake — Mt Fuji

Best Time to See Mt Fuji

Your chance of seeing Mt Fuji depends on the month of your visit. In general, it’s said visitors have a 20-30% of seeing Mt Fuji. But there are ways to increase the odds in your favor.

Tips for Increasing Your Chances of Seeing Mt Fuji

Go at dawn or dusk. Mid-day is more difficult to get completely clear views of Mt Fuji. We saw our best, clearest views of Mt Fuji from the bus as we were leaving for the day. Likely it’s because dusk was approaching, so the clouds were disappearing.
Go between October-January. In winter, the air is colder and drier, so clear views are more likely.
Avoid summer. In summer, the warm air hits the cold peak, producing clouds, making visibility worse.
Check the visibility index for your dates. Visit the See Mt. Fuji website to check for visibility. (Note: You’ll likely be viewing Mt Fuji from the north.) I bookmarked this site and looked at it every day leading up to my trip. For my day, in late November, the visibility index was a 10/10, but there were still clouds mid-day.

Mt Fuji Visibility in 2024 by Month

Month	Days Fully Visible	Days Partially Visible	Days Not Visible
January	23	4	4
February	13	6	10
March	15	7	9
April	8	11	11
May	13	6	12
June	5	10	15
July	9	7	15
August	4	10	17
September	10	10	10
October	12	12	7
November	11	12	7
December	27	3	1
Total for 2024	150	98	118

*Table based on visibility data collected in 2024 by the Fuji City General Affairs Planning Division

clear view of Mt Fuji from a bus window as the sun is setting — Mt Fuji, from the bus

sunny view of mt fuji covered partially by clouds — Mt Fuji

Best Way to See Mt Fuji

Go on a Group Tour

For foreigners, I think the best way to see Mt Fuji is via a group tour. This way, you can leave the driving to professionals and not have to worry about directions.

I list more of my recommended group tours toward the bottom of this post. (Go there now.)

Go By Train

You can also opt to see Mt Fuji on your own via a rental car or public transportation. If you take this route, I’d recommend going by train.

The public transportation is a bit complicated since it’s so far from Tokyo and there are several stops to make that are not easy to reach.

Be sure to consult official websites (linked below) for the latest instructions, timetables, and fares before setting out.

Train Route from Tokyo to Mt Fuji

Take the Chūō Line (Fuji-Excursion Limited Express Kawaguchiko) from Shinjuku Station to Ōtsuki Station (1 hour).
Then take the Fujikyuko Line to Shimoyoshida Station to see the Chuerita Pagoda (about 30 minutes).
Then get on again to Kawaguchiko Station to see the lake (about 15 minutes).

Train Route from Mt Fuji to Tokyo

Take the Fujikyuko Line from Kawaguchiko Station to Ōtsuki Station (about 1 hour).
Then take the Chūō Line (Fuji-Excursion Limited Express Kawaguchiko) to Shinjuku Station (about 1 hour).

What to Expect on a Group Tour

Expect to be on time. One thing about group tours in Japan: They will always leave on time.

A few people on our tour were left behind from the starting point because they were late. The bus did not wait for them.

At the stops, our tour guide gave us a time he expected us to return, and you had to be there on time. Everyone was pretty good about this, but a few people were 1-2 minutes late to the bus once, and the tour guide publicly called them out.

We were constantly running from place to place so that we wouldn’t be late.

Don’t expect to bring food/drinks on the bus. Our tour guide also called people out for bringing food or drinks on the bus as it’s not a polite thing to do in Japan. So if you want to eat/drink, do it outside of the bus.

Expect to be out a full day. Because it’s a bus tour, there may be traffic that is unavoidable, so don’t expect to return to Tokyo until pretty late in the evening. It’s a long drive from Mt Fuji to Tokyo, and I think we returned about 7 p.m.

Expect you’ll need cash. Take cash with you on your day trip to Mt Fuji for snacks, souvenirs, lunch, and tips. Many businesses only accept cash, and your tour guide will most likely arrange lunch for your group where you’ll need to pay in cash. Our guide also asked for tips at the end, so it’s a nice gesture to have some yen ready.

a large tour bus parked in a parking lot with hills behind it

Common Stops on a Day Tour to Mt Fuji

My biggest takeaway and review of my day tour to Mt Fuji was that it was too fast-paced and didn’t leave enough time at each stop.

I also thought two of the four stops were not worth the time and could have done without them.

Chances are you won’t see Mt Fuji at every stop (or at all). Think about whether you’d like visiting a place even if you couldn’t see Mt. Fuji. Would you still enjoy it? That should be your gauge as to whether to include it in your travel plans.

Here’s what I thought about my stops on a day tour to Mt Fuji to help you decide if it’s something you’d like to do.

Stop 1: Lawson

Time spent here: About 15 minutes
Was it enough time? More than enough

Our first stop was at the famous Lawson convenience store with the view of Mt Fuji from the parking lot.

Unfortunately for us, as soon as our bus parked, clouds came and covered the view, and then three other buses swooped in and unloaded dozens of tourists.

Everyone was standing around, clamoring for a photo in front of the Lawson even though we could no longer see Mt Fuji.

We were here for about 15 minutes. It was too crowded, and too small of a space, and not very scenic.

Do you want to spend precious time at a Lawson?

Well, I realized quickly that I really didn’t think Lawson was so great of a stop.

One plus was that our tour guide bought everyone a drink, and that was the only good thing about it.

Skip It or Not? Skip it.

a young woman posing in front of Lawson where hordes of tourists are gathered, with Mt Fuji covered completely in clouds beyond it — Lawson, near Mt Fuji

a young woman holding a bottle of tea in front of Lawson with Mt Fuji covered completely in clouds beyond it — Lawson, near Mt Fuji

Stop 2: Lake Kawaguchi and Oishi Park

Time spent here: About 20 minutes
Was it enough time? No

Lake Kawaguchi is one of the five lakes at the foothills of Mt Fuji, and it is truly stunning.

Our bus, like many others, dropped us off at Oishi Park to admire the lake.

I wish we were given more time here to take photos and wander around, but we were only given about 20 minutes.

I saw so many beautiful sights on the drive in, around the lake, so definitely keep your eyes peeled.

Skip It or Not? Don’t skip it.

plants beside a lake with mt Fuji partially covered in clouds beyond it — Oishi Park

girl looking at a view of a lake and Mt Fuji covered partially with clouds — Oishi Park

Stop 3: Arakurayama Sengen Park (Chuerita Pagoda)

Time spent here: About 1 hour
Was it enough time? No

Yes, the Chuerita Pagoda is very touristy and crowded, but the views are SO worth it!

You probably recognize those iconic photos of Mt Fuji in the background of a beautiful five-storied pagoda.

To reach that photo spot, you’ll need to climb 500 stairs alongside hordes of people, but don’t miss it. It’s a truly beautiful sight.

Don’t like stairs? There is also a paved path you can take instead of stairs. We switched off between them and I honestly can’t tell you which was worse. (It’s pretty steep either way.)

When you arrive at the top, there’s a balcony, and most people will be hogging the space at the entrance, but if you go towards the exit, there is more space there to take photos without crowds.

How much time is needed? We were given an hour to climb to the top, but we still had to rush since we wasted precious time at the restroom first. It’s a memory I’ll always have of running down the hill so we’d make it in time to the bus. Another half hour would have been nice (so 1.5 hours total). If we had 2 hours total, we could have also walked to see the Hikawa Clock Shop, which is nearby.

When to go: If you visit in autumn, like I did, the trees are stunning. Spring also brings cherry blossoms (when in season), which look just as beautiful.

Skip It or Not? Don’t skip it.

girl looking out on a balcony with views of a pagoda, red-leafed autumn trees and Mt Fuji beyond — Chuerita Pagoda

a red Tori gate at the entrance of the trail to reach the view of the Chuerita Pagoda — Arakurayama Sengen Park

Stop 4: Oshino Hakkai Village

Time spent here: About 30 minutes
Was it enough time? Yes

I was most excited to see Oshino Hakkai village, and maybe that’s why I was most letdown by this stop.

It’s not really an authentic village, more like a market with shops and food stalls.

It seems every tour bus in Japan stops here, as well, so there were seemingly hundreds of people in this little area.

We were given a lot of time here (about 30 minutes), and I honestly feel like it was wasted.

We couldn’t see Mt Fuji anywhere, and it was so crowded that we couldn’t really do anything.

There are several ponds that were pretty, but it wasn’t enough to compensate for the disappointment I felt.

Skip It or Not? Skip it.

a water wheel at the edge of a pond and traditional houses surrounding it — Oshino Hakkai Village

a worker at a booth selling dango — Oshino Hakkai Village

Is it Worth It?

Yes, it’s worth seeing Mt Fuji for a day, especially if you book the right tour! Make sure the tour you book has only the stops you want to see and nothing more.

It might seem like, oh this tour has MORE stops, so it must be better. Not so.

The driving distance is long to Mt Fuji from Tokyo, so less stops means more time at each stop, which in my opinion makes for a better tour.

If your goal is to see Mt Fuji, be sure to book your tour during the autumn and winter months for the best chances.

Clouds partially covering Mt Fuji by a lake — Mt Fuji

a large crowd in front of the Lawson convenience store with the famous view of Mt Fuji behind it

Recommended Mt Fuji Day Tours from Tokyo

Choosing a day tour to Mt Fuji was such a headache, so I hope to make your time easier with my recommendations below.

Choose a day tour without as many stops, so you can spend more time out of the bus.

As mentioned, I’d recommend skipping Oshino Hakkai village and the Lawson convenience store.

Here are some group tour options that don’t include these but do include one of the five lakes and Chuerita Pagoda, which are must sees.

Mt. Fuji 5th Station, Kawaguchiko Cable Car, & Cruise — includes 2 stops:

Mt Fuji 5th Station
Lake Kawaguchi (cable car ride and boat cruise)

Mount Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi Scenic 1-Day Bus Tour — includes 3 stops:

Arakurayama Sengen Park (Chuerita Pagoda)
Lake Kawaguchi and Oishi Park
Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nenba (traditional Japanese village)

Mt Fuji Area Guided Tour with Traditional Lunch — includes 3 stops:

Mt. Fuji 5th Station
Lake Kawaguchi and Oishi Park
Arakurayama Sengen Park (Chuerita Pagoda)

Mt. Fuji, Oishi Park, & Arakurayama Park Day Tour with Lunch — includes 3 stops:

Mt. Fuji 5th Station
Lake Kawaguchi and Oishi Park
Arakurayama Sengen Park (Chuerita Pagoda)

Mt. Fuji, Lake Kawaguchi, Seasonal Fuji Views, and Yamanakako Onsen Day Tour — includes 3 stops:

Mt. Fuji 5th Station or Arakurayama Sengen Park (Chuerita Pagoda), depending on season
Lake Kawaguchi
Lake Yamanaka boat tour or Yamanakako Hot Spring

Mt.Fuji, Lake Kawaguchi and Yamanaka Day Tour — includes 4 stops:

Arakurayama Sengen Park (Chuerita Pagoda)
Mt. Fuji 5th Station
Lake Kawaguchi
Lake Yamanaka

Mount Fuji Highlight Photo Spots Full-Day Tour — includes 5 stops:

Shiraito no Taki (waterfall)
Obuchi Sasaba (tea fields)
Oishi Park and Lake Kawaguchi
Hikawa Clock Shop
Arakurayama Sengen Park (Chuerita Pagoda)

*This one has a lot of stops, but I included it because two of the stops are unique, places tourists don’t usually go.

Where to Stay While in Tokyo

I did a lot of research into the neighborhoods of Tokyo to figure out where to stay.

I had a couple of conditions:

Stay somewhere in Tokyo that’s close to a major train station — so you can reach your day trip destinations easily.
Stay somewhere in Tokyo with an active nightlife — so you can continue exploring and making the most of Tokyo after day trips.
Stay somewhere in Tokyo that is not too touristy (definitely avoid Shinjuku and Shibuya) — so you can look forward to returning and not have to deal with crowds.

My conclusion? Stay in Akihabara!

Where I stayed: I stayed at the JR-East Hotel Mets Akihabara and LOVED it. I would definitely stay here again. The hotel rooms were clean and pretty roomy considering Tokyo standards, and a buffet breakfast was included with the stay. The hotel staff was also so friendly and considerate. It checked all the boxes.

The JR-East Hotel Mets Akihabara is steps away from Akihabara Station, a major train/metro station with connections to Tokyo Station and more.
The JR-East Hotel Mets Akihabara is in the manga/anime district (Akihabara), a super fun neighborhood with many arcades, gashapons, and claw machines, open late.
The JR-East Hotel Mets Akihabara is not in a touristy area, but it did get more crowded at night, mostly with locals looking to spend a night on the town. Mornings and mid-day are pretty quiet.

tall buildings in Akihabara lit up at night — Akihabara

a girl standing in the middle of a pedestrian street with blurs of people passing by at night time and the light of skyscrapers surrounding it — Akihabara

What to Pack for Your Trip to Japan

Comfortable and convenient footwear

You’ll likely walk a lot while visiting Japan, so a good pair of walking shoes is a must. However, one additional recommendation is make sure your sneakers are slip-in.

Why wear slip-in sneakers?

Many traditional places in Japan require guests to remove shoes before entering. Shoes with a lot of laces are hard to get off. But slip-ins? A breeze.

Slip-in sneakers — I wore this pair of slip-in sneakers from Skechers my entire trip to Japan, and it was so convenient! I didn’t even have to sit down to take off my shoes, like everyone else did. My shoes just slipped right off. I also felt comfortable in these shoes despite walking 20,000 steps every single day.
Ankle socks — Be sure to wear ankle-covering socks with your shoes so you don’t get blisters with all that walking. I wore these Hanes ankle socks every day of my trip to Japan and didn’t get a single blister.

Favorite travel essentials

I really recommend these compression packing cubes. They’re very thick and durable and allow you to pack more than you expect.
I also love this travel backpack that opens like a suitcase, fits almost as much as a carry-on, and has tons of pockets as well as a strap to attach to your luggage handle. It makes traveling so much easier and more organized.
I bring this AirFly receiver for AirPods with me on long-haul flights, so I can connect to the plane’s video screen with my own AirPods.
I no longer hop on a flight without wearing my Sockwell compression socks because they really do help relieve/prevent leg cramps from sitting so long in one place. I have the lotus pattern, but there are other patterns to choose from, such as this cat pattern or this flower pattern. See all sock patterns in the Sockwell storefront.
For Americans, I recommend getting the Capital One Venture X credit card to relax and eat free food in select airport lounges. I’ve had my Capital One Venture X credit card for a few years now, and accessing airport lounges is my absolute favorite perk of the card. Every lounge is different, but most have a buffet available where you can eat and drink to your heart’s content. The annual fee of this card is high, but it evens out with the $300 annual travel credit and 10,000 anniversary miles you get (on top of lounge access and free TSA PreCheck or Global Entry)!