4 Days around Mount Fuji: Kawaguchiko & Hakone

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Mount Fuji is often hidden in clouds, so give it time. Two nights by the Fuji Five Lakes and one in Hakone give you several chances of a clear view.

Chureito Pagoda and Mount Fuji
  • Length4 days, 3 nights
  • RouteTokyo → Kawaguchiko → Fujiyoshida → Hakone → Tokyo
  • Best forPhotographers, couples, a side trip from Tokyo
  • When to goNovember–February for clear views; spring and autumn
  • Rail passNo pass needed: highway buses and the Hakone Free Pass.

Make it yours: open this route in the trip planner, add your dates and get travel times, seasonal alerts and links to flights and hotels.

Open in the trip planner →

The route at a glance

  1. Day 1 · Kawaguchiko: Tokyo to Lake Kawaguchiko
  2. Day 2 · Fujiyoshida: Chureito Pagoda and Oshino Hakkai
  3. Day 3 · Hakone: To Hakone
  4. Day 4 · Hakone: Hakone Open-Air Museum and back to Tokyo

Day 1 · Kawaguchiko

Tokyo to Lake Kawaguchiko

Highway bus from Shinjuku (about 1 hour 45 minutes). Walk the north shore to Oishi Park, then ride the Kachi Kachi ropeway for sunset.

Lake Kawaguchiko
  • Oishi Park
  • Kachi Kachi Ropeway

Day 2 · Fujiyoshida

Chureito Pagoda and Oshino Hakkai

Climb the steps to the Chureito Pagoda at sunrise, then the spring-fed ponds of Oshino Hakkai and the Arakura shrine.

Oshino Hakkai
  • Chureito Pagoda
  • Oshino Hakkai
  • Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Jinja

Tip: Fuji is clearest early in the morning and in winter.

Day 3 · Hakone

To Hakone

Bus via Gotemba to Hakone (about 2 hours). Lake Ashi cruise, the lakeside torii of Hakone Shrine and a ryokan with an onsen.

Hakone Shrine
  • Lake Ashi
  • Hakone Shrine
  • Owakudani

Day 4 · Hakone

Hakone Open-Air Museum and back to Tokyo

Sculptures in the mountains at the Hakone Open-Air Museum, then the Romancecar to Shinjuku.

Hakone Open-Air Museum
  • Hakone Open-Air Museum

Getting around

Highway buses Shinjuku–Kawaguchiko and Kawaguchiko–Gotemba–Hakone; Romancecar Hakone–Shinjuku.

When to go

November–February for clear views; spring and autumn. Add your dates in the trip planner to see cherry blossom and autumn leaf timing, the rainy season, typhoons and holidays for this route.

Where to stay

  • Kawaguchiko (2 nights): by the lake, in a room with a view of Fuji.
  • Hakone (1 night): a ryokan with an onsen.

Frequently asked questions

When is Mount Fuji most visible?

From November to February, especially early in the morning.

Can I climb Mount Fuji?

Only in the summer climbing season, roughly July to early September.

Can I do Kawaguchiko as a day trip?

Yes, but staying overnight gives you a sunrise and much better chances of a clear view.

Prefecture guides for this trip

Want a different pace or more stops? The planner rebuilds the itinerary around your dates and choices.

Customise this itinerary →

Last updated: 19 October 2026 · Japan47.org, by Francesco Consalvo. Travel times are approximate; check timetables and opening days before you go. Photos: Wikimedia Commons.

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