A short journey from Tokyo will lead you to the foothills of Mount Fuji, where the captivating Fuji Five Lakes region awaits. Exploring the five stunning lakes and their breathtaking views of Mount Fuji during our 3 days in Kawaguchiko was one of the highlights of my most recent Japan trip.
In this guide, I cover all you need to know about exploring Fuji Five Lakes, including the ultimate Fuji Five Lakes itinerary. From all you need to know to get around, to an optimised 3 day itinerary to cover the best of the region (plus some lesser-known gems!). This travel guide has all you need to know to plan your own unforgettable adventure in this remarkable corner of Japan.
About the Fuji Five Lakes Area
Fuji Five Lakes is arguably the best place to view Mt Fuji from – it felt like every corner I turned, Fujisan was there standing tall in all it’s glory.
Unsurprisingly, the Fuji Five Lakes area is made up of, yep you guessed it – five lakes!
The area comprises five lakes: Lake Kawaguchiko, Saiko, Yamanakako, Shojiko, and Motosuko. These lakes all offer stunning views of Mount Fuji.
Most visitors to the area stay in Kawaguchiko, as it is the most developed and accessible for tourists. Lake Yamanakako is the largest of the five Fuji lakes and has a small number of accommodation lodgings.
How Long to Spend in Fuji Five Lakes
I’d recommend spending at least 2 nights in Kawaguchiko.
In April 2023, I stayed 3 nights which was a decent amount of time, though we still left with a few activities and sights we didn’t quite manage to fit in!
It’s also possible to explore Fuji Five Lakes on a day trip from Tokyo.
Some popular tour options are included below which explore the main sights near Kawaguchiko. However, if you have the time, I highly recommend spending at least a couple of nights in Kawaguchiko.
Day Tours from Tokyo
These are the most popular day tours from Tokyo to Kawaguchi
- Scenic 1 Day Tour: Chureito Pagoda, Oishi Park & Lake Saiko Traditional Village
- Mt Fuji Sightseeing Trip: Oishi Park, Chureito Pagoda, Fuji Fifth Station & Oshino Hakkai
- Private Customisable Day Trip from Tokyo (up to 5 People)
Best Time to Visit
You can visit the Fuji Five Lakes area all year round, however, the best time to visit for clear views of Mount Fuji is between November to April.
As Japan has a hot and humid summer, there are more often clouds to obstruct the view. This is why I’d recommend spending at least a few days in Kawaguchiko, to give you the best chance of seeing Mount Fuji on a clear morning.
During our 3 night, 4 day stay in Fuji Five Lakes in April, we had clear views for three of those. One morning we woke up and we couldn’t even see Mount Fuji as it was heavily obscured by clouds!
Cherry blossom season in early-mid April is a very popular time to visit – while it’s beautiful to see Mount Fuji framed by cherry blossoms, it’s also extremely busy.
Read my dedicated guide for the best viewpoints of Mount Fuji.
Where to Stay
Following my itinerary, you’ll base yourself around Kawaguchiko. For stays longer than three nights, you could consider spending a night or two at Yamanakako.
- Budget – Hostel Michikusa: this small, family-run guest house was wonderful. We booked the private tatami mat triple room with a Mount Fuji view. It was incredible waking up to see Mount Fuji each morning. There is a small common area and modern, clean shared bathrooms.
- Mid-Range – Fuji View Hotel: Overlooking Lake Kawaguchi, this hotel is surrounded by Japanese gardens and has a public onsen (hot spring bath).
- Luxury – La Vista: A short walk from the lake, this hotel offers rooms with clear views across to Mount Fuji plus a sauna, hot tub and onsen hot spring bath.
Explore all accommodation options in Kawaguchiko
Where to Eat
Below are my tried and tested recommendations from our trip:
- Tanpopo: Unique family-run izakaya where the wife speaks to you via a hand-held translator. There are no menus and they serve you fresh seasonal local cuisine! Bookings required.
- Kosaku: A busy restaurant serving the regional specialty, Houtou noodles. Word of warning, the seating is traditional tatami mat style so wear stretchy clothes!
- FabCafe Fuji: A great coffee spot after a visit to the nearby Chureito Pagoda
- Ramen Kaneyuki: One of the few ramen restaurants in the middle of town. Meals are served in this casual, open-air restaurant out of a food truck.
After a few long days exploring and eating lunch out, we had some quick, easy and tasty grab-and-go dinner meals from the Ogino supermarket in town which we ate at our guesthouse.
How to Get to Fuji Five Lakes from Tokyo
Getting to Fuji Five Lakes from Tokyo is straightforward. I found it easiest (and cheapest!) to get the direct highway coach bus, but you can also catch the train.
By Bus
I booked the highway bus from Tokyo Station to Kawaguchiko Station (buses also depart from Shinjuku Station). The bus travels directly between the two stations, with no transfers required and takes around 2 hours.
I purchased our tickets with Fujikyu Bus from Japan Bus Online and simply showed the driver our electronic tickets when boarding. This cost ¥2,060 per adult (2023 pricing).
By Train
Catching the train to Kawaguchiko will usually require at least one transfer.
Catch the JR Chuo Line from Shinjuku Station to Otsuki Station, and transfer to the Fujikyu Line to Kawaguchiko Station. This takes around 2 – 2.5 hours and costs ¥3,530 on the Limited Express train from Shinjuku.
There are also limited departures a day on a direct train which varies in length, depending on whether it is a Limited Express. It’s pretty easy to work out the best option, as both bus and train times and routes are synced into Google Maps.
In summary, getting the highway bus is often the cheapest and quickest route. Book your tickets a few days in advance, especially if travelling during peak periods.
How to Get Around Kawaguchiko and Fuji Five Lakes
The easiest way to get around the Fuji Five Lakes area is by rental car, especially if you’re planning to visit the other lakes or other attractions.
It’s also possible to get around by bus, but as we wanted to visit some attractions early in the morning and visit the other lakes, we decided for the convenience it was worth the cost to hire a car for our 3 days in Kawaguchiko.
Renting a Car in Kawaguchiko
We hired a car from Toyota Rent a Car near Kawaguchiko Station, however, the booking form was in Japanese which was quite challenging and a bit convulated to navigate. Step by step instructions are available here if you’d like to give it a go.
For an easier option, you can book a rental using Rental Cars with pick up from Mt Fuji Station / Fujiyoshida Station (as shown in the image below), which is only one stop further from Kawaguchiko Station.
Getting Around by Bus
Getting around Kawaguchiko by bus is another option. The tourist bus Omni Bus has three lines (red, green and blue) that run around Lake Kawaguchiko, Lake Shojiko and Lake Motosuko.
There is also the Free retro bus Fujikyu Loop Shuttle Bus (brown line).
You can purchase an Unlimited Ride Pass for 1,700 JPY per adult which covers 2 days of unlimited rides in all areas, or most buses accept Suica or Pasmo.
Click here for an easy-to-follow Omni Bus route map. For more information, timetables and all bus routes, you can find them here.
3 Day Kawaguchiko Fuji Five Lakes Itinerary
Day 1
Day 1 of your Kawaguchiko itinerary will be spent exploring the northern side of Lake Kawaguchi.
Assuming you’ve come from Tokyo today, this might only be a half day, so if you run out of time you could always spend your last morning before departing Fuji Five Lakes to squeeze in any attractions you don’t get time for today.
Mt Fuji Panoramic Ropeway
I recommend visiting this panoramic lookout of Lake Kawaguchi and Mt Fuji early in the morning.
When visiting around midday, the lines were pretty long! This popular attraction involves catching a short cable car ride up the mountain to take in the incredible views from the Observation Area.
You can either hike or catch the cable car down. The hike down Mount Tenko is called the “Hydrangea Route,” due to the blooms of hydrangeas from mid-July to August. The trail is a great way to soak in extra views of Mt Fuji, without the crowds!
Open: Daily 9 am – 4 pm
Entrance: ¥900 return cable-car trip, purchase at the counter or online
Oishi Park
Continue around the edge of the lake to reach Oishi Park.
This spot has some spectacular views of Mount Fuji across the lake and is a lovely spot to go for a stroll and admire the gardens and seasonal flower fields. You’ll find a couple of cafes here and the Kawaguchiko Natural Living Centre, with a large range of Fuji-themed souvenirs and ice cream.
Kawaguchiko Music Forest Museum
We skipped this one, but one of the highly-rated museums and unique attractions in Kawaguchiko is the Kawaguchiko Music Forest Museum.
You might feel like you’ve stepped into a fairytale, the mediaeval-style buildings, a large collection of music boxes playing and an art garden on the shore of Lake Kawaguchiko.
Open: Friday – Monday, 10 am – 6 pm
Entrance: From ¥1,800 on weekdays, ¥2,100 on weekends
Kawaguchi Asama Shrine & Tenku no Torii
In need of a coffee stop, we set out for the nearby Nagasaki Coffee Roasters. This was one of the best hand-drip coffees we had during our one month in Japan! You’ll find this spot in a small hut near the entrance of the Kawaguchi Asama Shrine.
This shrine is impressive for its towering giant cedar trees that line the path to the shrine, and was a very serene and peaceful sanctuary to wander through after our coffee.
You can hike through the forest from the shrine to reach the Tenku no Torii viewpoint, which has become a popular Instagram photo spot, and costs ¥100 to enter with a timed stay of 3 minutes to reduce the length of the line of people queueing for a photo.
We’re not a big fan of queuing or over-commercialised attractions, so decided to skip this one (but the photos are pretty impressive).
Day 2
I was SO excited to begin our second day in Kawaguchiko by seeing the famous Chureito Pagoda – this iconic spot has become a photo on postcards and tourism brochures worldwide, synonymous with Japan.
Luckily, we awoke to clear skies and views of Mount Fuji, so we quickly hurried to get to the pagoda before it got too busy.
Chureito Pagoda
Chureito Pagoda is located within Arakurayama Sengen Park and is reached via a steep 398-step climb part-way up the hill. It’s worth it though for the views that await – it felt like a dream come true to finally capture this iconic view through my own camera lens.
I recommend visiting as early as possible to get the best photos, as it’s a popular spot – for good reason!
When visiting in late April, parking was free, however during peak periods like Cherry Blossom season, there is limited parking and a fee payable. After visiting the observation deck with the viewpoint of the pagoda and Mount Fuji, we walked for a further 10 minutes up the hill for another great viewpoint of Fujisan – and we had it ourselves!
At the base of the hill, there is a small shrine and an orange torii gate, and some food trucks were beginning to set up as we left around 9 am.
Shimoyoshida Street
In need of caffeine after our early start, we drove over to FabCafe Fuji for coffee and breakfast.
Outside the cafe, there were signs and even a traffic controller to stop people from walking out into the middle of the busy road to take photos of the picturesque street with views of Mount Fuji in the background.
I was excited to see this scenic street for myself after having seen some beautiful photos online, but it was pretty disappointing to see a lot of people jumping out onto the road to take photos in front of cars, and the obvious impact it was having on local businesses and residents with signs up everywhere encouraging people not to do this.
Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine
A short 5-minute drive took us to Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine.
My favourite part about this shrine was walking up the path through the forest to reach the shrine, surrounded by towering ancient cedar trees. Hikers seeking to scale Mount Fuji visit here before beginning the trail for a prayer for safety.
Open: Daily, 8.30 am – 5 pm
Entrance: Free
Onshirin Garden
After spending some time wandering the shrine complex, we set off in search of a potential hidden gem near the shrine. Onshirin Garden wasn’t a spot listed on any tourist maps, and looking at the Google reviews it seemed more to be a popular playground for families.
What intrigued me though was a few photos of an incredible viewpoint of Mount Fuji, with fields of blue nemophila. This beautiful spring flower is most notably seen at the Hitachi Seaside Park near Tokyo, but I hadn’t heard of it in Fuji Five Lakes.
Our hunting paid off, and we came across this spectacular, quiet and free photo spot just near the entrance to Onshirin Garden.
Fujisan World Heritage Center
On the way back to Kawaguchiko, consider stopping in at Fujisan World Heritage Center.
This free visitor centre is a must-see if you are interested in learning more about Mount Fuji. Facilities include a 4D Theater, a 15-metre wide model of Mount Fuji, interactive exhibits and an observation viewing deck.
Ide Sake Brewery
In the centre of Kawaguchiko, you’ll find Ide Sake Brewery tucked away down a side street.
As big sake lovers (pretty much the reason we visited Takayama on this same trip!), we loved it.
This small family-run brewery produces both sake and whisky. You can do a self-pour tasting for ¥550 and sample a few different varieties of their products. There is also a small shop, where we picked up our own sake set to take home with us!
Ide Sake Brewery also runs guided tours in both English and Japanese – unfortunately, they were already fully booked on the day of our visit, but we would have loved to do this.
You can enquire online here.
Day 3
On your third and final day of exploring Fuji Five Lakes, we’ll be exploring attractions outside of Lake Kawaguchi.
Fuji Shibazakura Festival
During my visit in the spring of 2023, the Fuji Shibazakura Festival was being held near Lake Motosu to the west of Kawaguchiko.
Typically held from mid-April to late May, this festival is popular for the incredible fields of bright pink moss phlox that cover the landscape, with breathtaking views of Mount Fuji in the background.
Even if you aren’t visiting during the festival period, the rest of the itinerary is still relevant as there are some unique things to see in this area to the west of Lake Kawaguchi.
Read my detailed guide on all you need to know about visiting the festival.
Lake Motosuko
After spending a few hours walking the grounds, taking many photos and having morning tea at the cafe onsite, we headed off to our next stop, Lake Motosuko.
Lake Motosu is featured on the 1000 yen bill. It’s also known as the mirror lake, due to the stunning mirrored reflection of Fuji – this is what we set off in search of.
Driving around the lake, there were camping grounds and campers set up right on the lake’s edge. Coming to Motosukotenbo Park, we pulled over and took these incredible photos of Mount Fuji and the lake. If you have a car, it’s well worth the short detour to visit this viewpoint.
Fugaku Wind Cave and Narusawa Ice Cave
On the highway driving towards Kawaguchiko, you’ll pass two ice caves, the Fugaku Wind Cave and Narusawa Ice Cave. There are thought to be over 100 caves at the base of Mount Fuji, as a result of volcanic eruptions creating lava caves.
We decided to stop and explore the Fugaku Wind Cave. Descending into the cave, you instantly feel the point that the temperature drops – it stays consistently around 0 degrees Celsius throughout the year in the cave. Due to this, the cave was used as a natural refrigerator and used to store silkworms.
It takes around 15 minutes to explore the cave, with the highlight being the impressive ice stalactites illuminated in the depth of the cave.
When you resurface, there is a 30-minute forest trail that connects the two caves.
We followed this trail, going for a walk in the serene Aokigahara Forest in favour of visiting the second ice cave.
There’s also a third cave a short drive away, the Bat Cave, which is also the largest of the three caves open to the public in the Fuji Five Lakes area.
Onsen with a View of Mount Fuji
As you head back to Kawaguchiko, you can stop at the Fuji Yurari Onsen for a blissful afternoon of relaxation.
With 16 hot springs including 2 outdoors with views of Mount Fuji, this is a great way to unwind after a busy few days exploring Fuji Five Lakes. Plus for an extra fee, you can also book a private onsen. Just note that no tattoos are allowed.
Alternative Day 3
An alternative option for a day trip from Kawaguchiko is visiting Oshino Hakkai.
Also a popular day trip from Tokyo, visitors can explore the small traditional village reconstruction surrounded by eight ponds, fed by spring water from the snow on the slopes of Mount Fuji.
As we had just visited the similar Hida Folk Village open-air museum in Takayama, we decided to skip this one, but it is an enjoyable (if somewhat touristy) alternative.
Another option for thrill-seekers is to spend the day riding the gravity-defying roller coasters at Fuji-Q Highland. This park is best known for its four giant roller coasters and anime-themed rides.
Buy your tickets online in advance for a discounted admission price.
Final Thoughts – Mount Fuji Itinerary
That wraps up this complete guide to Mt Fuji Lake Kawaguchi and the Fuji Five Lakes region. With this itinerary, you’ll uncover the highlights of the region plus a few unique things to do that aren’t possible on a day trip.
Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions about this Kawaguchiko guide, and check out my other articles to help you plan your Japan trip.
More Japan Guides:
- How to Easily Visit the Chureito Pagoda from Tokyo
- 10 Most Mesmerising Views of Mt Fuji from Kawaguchuiko
- An Exciting 4 Days in Osaka Itinerary for First-Timers
- Koyasan Temple Stay: Essential Travel Guide & Tips
- A Fun 7 Day Tokyo Itinerary: Complete 1 Week in Tokyo Guide
- A Perfect 4 Weeks in Japan Itinerary: Ultimate Travel Guide
- Takayama Itinerary: 2 Days Discovering Traditional Japan
Thank you.
The link to book bus ticket from Tokoyo to fuji doesn’t show up kawaguchiko in the locations
Hmm, that’s strange I can see it when I look. Here’s the direct link (to/from Tokyo Station): https://japanbusonline.com/en/CourseSearch/11500410001?AreaCd=313