Getting to and tips for things to do at Mount Fuji and Kawaguchiko

Published on 4 April 2024 at 07:56

In Canada we have the Rocky Mountains, which range up to 4,401 meters.  Japan has Mount Fuji which is “only” 3,771 meters so you may ask, what’s the big deal?  Is it worth the hype?   I will tell you this, there is something about Mount Fuji, protruding towards the heavens and being the only major mountain for miles.  There is no wonder there are legends and stories about the mountain, it is a unique site seeing the massive mountain sitting there all on it’s lonesome.  It is also the only snow-covered structure for miles, we were there in winter, and yes Japan gets a bit of snow, but it doesn’t stay for long.  So, looking up at a massive mountain covered in snow, while being in a quintessential Japanese village where there is no snow is magnificent.

There are a number of things to do if you’re going to Mount Fuji, but after some thorough research, we decided to ride the Mount Tenjo ropeway to get a view of the mountain and Lake Kawahuchi and then go to Chuerito Pagoda.

Getting to Mount Fuji isn’t difficult but it is time consuming.  It took us about 2 hours to get there then another 2 hours to get home.  If we had more time, we’d have stayed a night in the town of Kawaguchiko.  There is lots to do in the town, including many activities revolving around Mount Fuji.  There are hot springs, boat tours of Lake Kawaguchi and quaint restaurants and cafes in the quiet but charming town. 

Anyways, to get there, there are a number of routes to take, and it’s going to take you about two hours so plan accordingly.  We took the JR Fuji limited express train to Otsuki.  When you get to the Otsuki station, you really begin to feel like you’re in rural Japan.  At Otsuki you need to board the Fujikyu Railway and get off at Kawaguchikio… as tempting as it sounds don’t get off at the Mount Fuji stop! The Fujikyu train isn’t covered by the JR pass, so you’ll have to buy a ticket for about 250 or so yen (about $2 CAD).  You can take the Fuji Excursion express directly to Kawaguchiko and part of the journey will be covered by your JR Pass, but then you’ll have to pay an additional fare.  This will be quicker but cost a little bit more.  Whichever option you choose, make sure you book your seat for the express train, limited or not.  If you get a window seat on the left side of the train on the way there, you will also get a nice ride with views of Mount Fuji.  And don’t forget to book it for the way back, we booked it 15 minutes prior to our departure, and it was almost full and we didn’t get to sit together.  You can book it at the train station on one of the kiosks or with the help of a JR worker in the office.  Just make sure you know the schedule and plan your day/how you use your time; there are only a few Fuji express trains travelling back to Tokyo, and the last one is at 5:00 pm.

Once you get off at Kawaguchiko, it’s time to explore.  The town is cool and you will be able to see Mount Fuji in the distance.  But it was a long journey and we were hungry so our first order of business was to get lunch in Kawaguchiko.  There are a number of restaurants here, the one we stopped at one on the walk to the Mt. Tenjo Ropeway.   The food was pretty good and reasonably priced.  After walking about 15 minutes we arrived at the Ropeway.  We bought roundtrip tickets which cost 900 Yen a person (About $8 CAD) and waited about 15 minutes in line to get in the cable car.  The price and wait were worth it.  The ride up the mountain gave views of the town and Lake Kawaguchi and at the top there was a coffee shop, a gift shop and of course amazing views.  There were views of Mount Fuji and the lake.  After taking some photos, braving the cold and enjoying a nice coffee we were off to our next stop, Chuerito Pagoda.

To get to Chuertio Pagoda, you can take a bus or train.  But that would have involved walking 15-20 minutes back to the station then another 45-minute train/bus ride.  Instead, we opted to pay a little bit more, save some time and take a taxi.  It cost us about $15 CAD and was totally worth it.  We saved time and energy and made it back to the train station on time and we didn’t even have to take the last train, so we ended up getting back to Tokyo at a reasonable time.  Remember it’ll take about 2 hours to get to and from Tokyo.  Chuerito Pagoda isn’t on Mount Fuji but it is a picturesque temple with Mount Fuji in the backdrop.  It is where most of the iconic photos of Mount Fuji come from.  Still, even though it isn’t on Mount Fuji you have to climb to get to the temple.  It’s about a 20 minute climb up some stairs and was a difficult trek with a baby.  I carried my bag, and the stroller, while Gerlie, my fiancé carried the baby on the carrier.  It was extremely tiring but worth the view.  It would have been even worse if we didn’t cab too.  Mount Fuji looked amazing and even better with a silhouette of Chuerito Pagoda.  The walk down wasn’t as bad and the parking attendant called us a cab which we took back to the station where we got on the local train and got to Otsuki in time to catch the 4:30 train back to Shinjuku.

It was a long and tiring day but well worth it.  We had a good lunch, went up the Ropeway for panoramic views of Lake Kawaguchi along with Mount Fuji then went to the iconic Chuerito Pagoda Temple.  We got lucky and the sky was relatively clear but the view of the mountain changed throughout the day.  If you have flexibility, make sure you check the weather and plan the clearest day possible to see the mountain.  It was good for us, but I had friends who went and could barely see the mountain.  Again, if you have the time, stay the night so you don’t have to rush.  But if you don’t id recommend doing the ropeway and Chuerito Pagoda.  If you’re feeling adventurous you can actually hike the mountain, but you’ll definitely need a day or two in Kawaguchuko.  Regardless what you choose to do, Mount Fuji is an icon of Japan and is a must see if you’re in Tokyo or the surrounding areas.

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