One of the perks of visiting Tokyo is that you’re not too far from one of the most iconic locations in the world, Mt Fuji. There are many different ways to visit Fuji and it could be a lifetimes work to find every possible viewpoint and angle. For most people visiting Japan, time is of the essence so spending weeks driving around the mountain might not be realistic. This is why I suggest visiting Fujiyoshida, a small sleepy town right next to the mountain.

Not only does it have some of the most famous viewpoints, but also plenty of lesser known areas. If you’re worried about too many tourists, that worry only applies to a handful of Instagram spots that everyone flocks to. Those areas will be busy and for good reason, they offer some of the most beautiful views of Fuji. If you come early enough, you can avoid 80% of the chaos. With that said, the vast majority of Fujiyoshida is empty and some can be described as deserted.

Another great reason to visit Fujiyoshida is for a Japanese small sleepy town feel. If you like to photograph still life and some old semi abandoned places, this is a great location for it. In many cases you can incorporate Fuji into the background too.

Getting Here

There are 4 main ways to get to Fujiyoshida. By far the easiest and cheapest way is to take the bus from Shinjuku. You need to pre-book your seats and keep in mind that seats get booked days in advance. So although it’s affordable, you do have to gamble with the weather. We got lucky but many don’t. The journey takes around 2 hours and you need to pre-book specific times, so you are restricted in that way. Make sure to book a return from Kawaguchiko. There are many operators. We used https://highway-buses.jp.

Another option is to take the train. You don’t need to book ahead and it’s also a fairly affordable option although more expensive than the bus. The issue is the journey isn’t straight forward and takes up to 3+ hours depending on connections and stops. It’s definitely doable if you didn’t get a chance to reserve the bus.

One other option for going from Tokyo to Fujiyoshida is to use Uber. It’s expensive at around $200 one way however if there are 4 of you and you plan on going very early, it might be a good option. Then you can always reserve a bus for the way back. One thing to note is that although it might be fairly easy to get a cab to Fuji, the other way around might not be as straight forward. Finally you can always hire your own car and drive.

How Much Time Do You Need

A full day is the absolute minimum however if you want to explore everything at a relaxing pace, then 2-3 days is a good amount. You can always stay here overnight and save the commute from Tokyo.

Fujiyoshida

When you arrive in the town, there are two main instagram spots that you have seen everywhere. Honcho street and the Chureito Pogoda. These places will be busy so come early. Although most instagram spots are over rated, in all honesty these two look incredible. No wonder they are so popular.

After that I suggest to walk around the town. When I visited I simply walked from one end to the other, walked across and then back down. It took me about 5-6 hours to cover a good part of it.

Fujikawaguchiko

Once you’re done, I suggest walking to Kawaguchiko. It’s about an hour walk from the town and it’s where the bus will pick you up and where you can get a train. You can also take a train there from any number of stations on the way if you prefer. The town is very nice and worth exploring as well as walking along the lake.

You will see a cable car that can take you to the top of a small mountain overlooking Fuji, however I don’t recommend using it. Instead follow the hiking trail along side and enjoy amazing views and a good workout. The trail is clearly marked on Google Maps and it starts just to the right of the cable car. Give yourself an hour to get up, 30 minutes at the tip and another hour back down.

Finally not far from the cable cars you will see little huts where you can pay to take a speed boat out on the lake. I highly recommend this as you will get an amazing experience and great view of Fuji.

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