How To Get To Mount Fuji
Located around 2.5 hours to the west of Tokyo, Mount Fuji is approachable from many directions and using different methods of transport. The following page provides information to reaching the area around Fuji – and Mount Fuji itself using local bus services from the nearest stations – primarily using the train network. On this page you will find the following information:
— 30 Things to Do Around Mount Fuji & Where To Stay
— Book With Us! Nagano’s No.1 Tour & Charter Operator
It should be noted that express bus services operate between several major cities including Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and others – a good option for visitors with limited time and needing to make the journey directly to Fuji. For others, doing so by train allows allows a visit to the mountain to be combined with some of the region’s many attractions.
For visitors wanting to explore Central Japan in the comfort and convenience of their own vehicle, we can arrange private charters to any regional destination – a great option for families and groups wanting to avoid the hassle of public transport. For further information, see ‘Book With Us! Nagano’s No.1 Tour & Charter Operator’ below. We hope the following information assists with planning your visit to Mount Fuji:
WHERE IS MOUNT FUJI?
Mount Fuji straddles and dominates the border of Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures and part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. It sits approximately 100km to the south-west of Tokyo making it easily accessible from the capital as a day or overnight trip. Standing 3,776 metres tall, Fuji is visible at great distances including from the capital and many other areas. Considered one of Japan’s ‘Three Sacred Mountains’ – along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku – Fuji acts as a beacon calling visitors from Tokyo and to explore the mountainous heartland of Central Japan.
HOW TO GET TO MOUNT FUJI
In this section you will find information on how to reach Fuji from the following starting points:
MT FUJI (FUJISAN) & KAWAGUCHIKO STATIONS – OTSUKI STATION – HAKONE – TOKYO – NARITA AIRPORT – HANEDA AIRPORT – NAGANO CITY – JIGOKUDANI MONKEY PARK – MATSUMOTO – TAKAYAMA – KAMIKOCHI – SHIRAKAWA-GO & GOKAYAMA – KANAZAWA & TOYAMA – TATEYAMA-KUROBE ALPINE ROUTE – NAGOYA – KYOTO & OSAKA
We endeavour to keep this information as up-to-date as possible and in recognition that most international visitors will be using the train network to move around Japan, most directions are for using the trains. If there is alternative option i.e. express or local bus, that is notably faster or economical, we also include that information.
FROM MT FUJI (FUJISAN) STATION or KAWAGUCHIKO STATION
If you intend to head onto Fuji, bus services operate from both Mt Fuji (Fujisan) Station and Kawaguchiko Station, taking around 60 minutes to reach the mountain. For further details, please refer to the specific station page.
FROM OTSUKI STATION
A convenient stop on the Chuo Main Line running from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo to Matsumoto Station, Otsuki Station is the terminus of the Fujikyu Railway Line that runs to stations nearby Mount Fuji including Mt Fuji (Fujisan) Station and Kawaguchiko Station. Most visitors coming to and from Fuji by train will do so via Otsuki. All services on the line stop at both Mt Fuji (Fujisan) Station – 35 to 55 minutes / JPY1040 to JPY1640 – and Kawaguchiko Station 45 to 65 minutes / JPY1170 to JPY1770.
FROM HAKONE
One of Japan’s most popular hot spring towns, Hakone also enjoys some of Japan’s best views of the mountain making it a great place to visit and stay anytime of year. While it is located relatively close to Mount Fuji, there are no direct train services from Hakone to the mountain meaning the best way is to drive yourself – taking between 40 to 80-minutes to reach the eastern and northern-sides of the mountain (depending on your exact destination) – or use a taxi or bus. The Hakone Tozan Bus service runs from Hakone to Gotemba Station and from there, another bus service runs onto the Kawaguchiko (Kawaguchi Lake) area. If you are interested in this option, it’s worth considering the Fuji Hakone Pass which covers 3-days of transport in and around the area. But if you’re headed to Hakone our recommendation is to just stay put and enjoy the great views of the mountain in combination with the town’s many attractions.
FROM TOKYO
Reaching Mount Fuji from Tokyo is straightforward, most easily done via Shinjuku Station. Running on the Fujikyu Railway Line, the Limited Express Fuji Excursion runs direct from Shinjuku to stations including Otsuki, Mt Fuji and Kawaguchiko – taking around 115 minutes / JPY4130 to make the journey.
There are however only a limited number of these services each day. If the Fuji Excursion is not running at a convenient time, take the Limited Express Kaiji to Otsuki Station and transfer any service on the Fujikyu Railway Line – a journey that takes around 130 to 150 minutes / JPY3730 (depending on the specific service).
It should also be noted, some Limited Express Azusa services stop at Otsuki, allowing passengers to transfer to the Fujikyu Railway. Most however do not making the Limited Express Kaiji the most likely convenient service to reach Otsuki.
FROM NARITA AIRPORT
Mount Fuji can be reached from Narita Airport via Shinjuku Station. While not all Narita Express (NEX) services run to Shinjuku, so do and are the quickest way to make the onward journey to Fuji. Services that run to Shinjuku Station take around 75 minutes / JPY3270. Alternatively, visitors can take the NEX to Tokyo Station and transfer to the JR Chuo Line Rapid Service or Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line bound for Shinjuku – a total journey of around 75 minutes / JPY3270. Once at Shinjuku Station, follow the directions above.
FROM HANEDA AIRPORT
Fuji can be reached from Haneda Airport via Shinjuku Station. To do so, take the Tokyo Monorail to Hamamatsucho Station and then switch to the JR Yamanote Line bound for Osaki. This service stops at Shinjuku Station – a total journey of around 50 minutes / JPY700. Once at Shinjuku Station follow the directions above.
FROM NAGANO CITY
Lying in the north of Nagano Prefecture, Nagano City is the gateway to the region including many of Japan’s best ski resorts and other great destinations. When heading to Mount Fuji from Nagano Station, visitors have the option of doing so via Matsumoto or Omiya – in Saitama/greater Tokyo. We recommend doing so via Matsumoto. By doing so, travellers can incorporate other destinations and activities in Central Japan into their itinerary and it avoids using crowded inner-city train lines in Saitama/greater Tokyo – which can be tricky to navigate when carrying luggage. To do so via Matsumoto, take the Limited Express Shinano service from Nagano Station to Matsumoto Station – approximately 50 minutes / JPY2370. Once at Matsumoto, follow the direction below under ‘From Matsumoto’ to reach Fuji.
FROM THE JIGOKUDANI MONKEY PARK
To reach Fuji from the Jigokudani Monkey Park takes time and requires visitors to go through Nagano Station. From the park, you have the option of: 1. a direct express bus from the park to Nagano Station or 2. a local bus to Yudanaka Station followed by an express train to Nagano Station. Starting from the park, the express bus costs JPY1500 each way and takes 55 minutes to reach Nagano Station.
In comparison, taking the local bus from the park to Yudanaka Station followed by the train, takes 15 minutes and costs JPY310 before the limited express train to Nagano takes 45 minutes and costs JPY1290 – a total journey of around 60 to 70 minutes and costing JPY1600. Once at Nagano Station, follow the directions above.
FROM MATSUMOTO
Most famous for its castle, Matsumoto is one of Central Japan’s most historic and pleasant cities to visit. The Limited Express Azusa runs regularly from Matsumoto Station. All services stop at Kofu Station while some also stop at Otsuki Station. Taking a service that stops at Otsuki Station – 100 minutes / JPY4220 – is the most convenient, as it allows passengers to transfer onto the Fujikyu Railway Line headed toward the mountain. Alternatively, take the Limited Express Azusa to Kofu Station and transfer to the Limited Express Kaiji service to Otsuki Station. Once in Otsuki, follow the directions above to reach Fuji.
FROM TAKAYAMA
To reach Fuji from Takayama, visitors have the option of doing so via Matsumoto or Nagoya. To do so via Matsumoto the Nohi Bus service to Matsumoto – approximately 2.5 hours / JPY3500. The bus departs from the Takayama Bus Terminal, located next to Takayama Station. Once in Matsumoto, transfer to the train and follow the directions above. To do so via Nagoya, take the Limited Express Hida service from Takayama Station to Nagoya Station – 145 to 160 minutes / JPY5610. Once at Nagoya – follow the directions below – under ‘From Nagoya’ – to reach Fuji.
FROM KAMIKOCHI
From the Hirayu Onsen Bus Terminal – around 20 minutes from Kamikochi – take the Nohi Bus service to Matsumoto – around 75 minutes / JPY2700 – and follow the directions above. The journey can also be made via Takayama, however it is faster and easier to do so via Matsumoto. Please see the following page for information including timetables and fares.
FROM SHIRAKAWA-GO & GOKAYAMA
From one of the bus stops in Shirakwawa-go and Gokayama, take the Nohi Bus Takayama-Shirakawago/Kanazawa Line to either Takayama or Kanazawa. Both bus journeys take around one hour to reach the respective stations. Please see the following page for information including timetables and fares. Once in Takayama, follow the directions above or once in Kanazawa, follow the directions below.
FROM KANAZAWA & TOYAMA
To reach Mount Fuji from Kanazawa or Toyama requires visitors to use the Hokuriku Shinkansen to first reach Omiya Station – 130 to 170 minutes / JPY13,310-JPY14,040 from Kanazawa Station and 110 to 145 minutes / JPY12,000-JPY12,730 from Toyama Station (depending on which service you choose). Once at Omiya, transfer to the JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line or JR Saikyo/Kawagoe Line Rapid service to Shinjuku Station – 30 minutes / JPY480. Once at Shinjuku, follow the directions listed below under ‘From Tokyo’, to reach Mount Fuji.
FROM THE TATEYAMA-KUROBE ALPINE ROUTE
When heading to Mount Fuji directly from the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route, it will be most convenient to do so via Nagano Station. To do so, descent on the Nagano-side of the mountain range to Ogizawa Station – 145 minutes / JPY2600. Once at Nagano, follow the directions above. Alternatively, from the Toyama-side/Tateyama Station, use the Toyama Chiho Railway to reach Toyama and then follow the directions above.
FROM NAGOYA
Lying to the west of Mount Fuji, Nagoya is the largest city in Central Japan and as such, is easy to get to and from via Nagoya Station. To reach Fuji from Nagoya, take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Shin-Yokohama Station and transfer to the JR Yokohama Line for Hachioji Station. Once at Hachioji, transfer to the Limited Express Kaiji or Limited Express Azusa bound for Otsuki Station – a total journey of around 160 minutes / JPY11,870. Once at Otsuki Station, follow the directions above.
FROM KYOTO & OSAKA
The nearby cities of Kyoto and Osaka are some of the most popular destinations for international visitors. While they are located a long way from Mount Fuji, the efficiency and speed of Japan’s train network make it easy to reach the mountain from either city. From Kyoto Station or Shin-Osaka Station, take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Shin-Yokohama Station and transfer to the JR Yokohama Line for Hachioji Station. Once at Hachioji, transfer to the Limited Express Kaiji or Limited Express Azusa bound for Otsuki Station – a total journey of around 195 minutes / JPY14,510 from Kyoto and 210 minutes / JPY15,510 from Osaka. Once at Otsuki Station, follow the directions above.
30 THINGS TO DO AROUND MOUNT FUJI & WHERE TO STAY
Whether you plan to climb the mountain or just want to see it in all its grandeur, there are plenty of reasons to visit Mount Fuji throughout the year. Our ’30 Things To Do Around Fuji & Where To Stay’ page has lots of great tips and suggestions of what’s on offer on and near the mountain including other great destinations in Central Japan.
BOOK WITH US! NAGANO’S NO.1 TOUR & CHARTER OPERATOR
Central Japan offers many, many reasons to visit. Based in Nagano City and operating all year round, we are Nagano’s No.1-rated tour and charter operator, offering a range of services including group tours, private tours and charters. We can arrange transport including a private vehicle and driver, along with an English-speaking guide, to transport to, from and between any of these destinations and more!
Our drivers and vehicles are fully certified, allowing us to transport you to and from your preferred destinations in combination with any activity that suits your schedule. All vehicles are fitted with a protective screen – separating the driver from passenger and luggage area – and our drivers wear protective masks, allowing you to move between your destinations in comfort and safety.
We can arrange both private tours with an English-speaking guide or a private charter, including a private vehicle and driver but without a guide. We’d love to be part of your adventure in Central Japan and help you discover even more!
Why choose us?
Awarded a 2022 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Award for our 1-Day Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple & Sake Tour – recognised as one of the Top 10 Experiences in Japan – we have the local knowledge and experience to help you get the most out of your time in Nagano and Central Japan.
Got a question about visiting Central Japan? Contact us and let’s get planning together!
