JAPAN | Mt. Fuji and Hakone day tour from Tokyo

Mt. Fuji is Japan’s highest peak and one of the country’s most famous landmarks. Commonly called “Fuji-san, this active volcano about 100 kilometers southwest of Tokyo is the country’s tallest peak, at 3,776 meters.

Designated in 2013 as a World Heritage Site, Mt. Fuji is considered one of Japan’s 3 sacred mountains, and summit hikes have remained a popular activity for centuries. The beauty of this famed mountain has been featured in world-renowned woodblock prints by artists like Hiroshige and Hokusai.

It’s possible to visit Mt. Fuji on your own. If you want to go hiking or spend more time in the area, visit an onsen, and spend time in other tourist spots, you could opt to stay 2 or 3 days in the area.

Fujisan is located just about 2 hours away from Tokyo, so it’s a popular day tour from Tokyo, with different itineraries available from platforms like Klook. While most of the main stops are the same, some tours have stops at a Ninja Village or include rides on a Pirate Ship. (Book here).

Navigating Japan’s public transport system can be tricky for first-time visitors so if you want hassle-free transport, you can also just take a guided day tour aboard coach and bullet train, which saves you hours in travel time. You can customize the stops you want and choose to include pre-arranged meals in the tours to minimize waiting time.

During a family trip in May 2019 with my mom and nephew, we took the day trip to Mt. Fuji and Hakone from Tokyo after visiting the classic Tokyo landmarks and spending a day in Tokyo Disneyland.

For those traveling with family especially younger kids and seniors, the day trip is a comfortable option if you don’t want to worry about coming up with an itinerary, and would rather hire a guide to help give information about the region and its highlights.

Here are some of the stops included in the Mt. Fuji day tour and what to expect.

Fujisan World Heritage Center

We met up with the rest of the group at a designated pick up point from our hotel. After a comfortable ride on the coach and a couple of hours on the road, our first stop was a quick visit and restroom break at the the Fujisan World Heritage Center, a museum with exhibits on the wildlife and folk history of Mount Fuji. This area area offered a good glimpse of the snowy peak.

The center contains traditional artwork, a huge scultpure that depicts the mountain in 3D, videos showing the ascent of the mountain, and VR to experience the journey to Mt. Fuji. The center combines tradition with technology, so that everyone can experience hiking up the Japanese landmark without the physical effort.

Mt. Fuji 5th Station

Our next stop was one of Mt. Fuji’s 5th Stations, the areas designated for people to climb Mt. Fuji. These pit spots are located already a good part up the mountain. The are 4 different 5th stations, roughly one in each wind direction, located at around 2,000 meters above sea level. The stations are said to be the closest visitors can get to the top of Mount Fuji without actually hiking up.

Many hikers start their trek from here, since these stations are still reachable by vehicles. From this point, it takes about 6 hours to get to the top of the mountain through the established hiking trails.

Aside from the busloads of tourists on day tours and the hikers heading up, the 5th station is a popular sightseeing spot for riders as well. I noticed a group of Harley Davidson motorcycle riders and cyclists in the area. With its high elevation and stunning views, the 5th station is a worthy spot for two-wheeled tours from Tokyo.

We just took a few souvenir photos here and checked out the nearby souvenir shops. One of my favorite finds was the “World Treasure” Mt. Fuji Original Craft Beer brewed by Echigo Beer Company.

The beer can art features the iconic woodblock prints by Japanese artist Hokusai, with one side showing one of the 36 views of Mt. Fuji while the reverse side had the “Great Wave off Kanagawa.”

Lunch at Hakone National Park

After visiting the 5th station, we proceeded to our lunch stop at one of the areas of Hakone National Park, which offered a view of Lake Kawaguchi.

Our tour included a tempura rice set per person. The meal consisted of some type of deep-fried Wakasagi (a type of lake fish), along with sashimi appetizers, rice, pickled vegetables, and stewed mountain vegetables.

The restaurant was located at the 2nd floor of a 3-story building, which provided a great view of the lake.

Lake Ashi Cruise

From the lunch stop area, we took the coach again to the Hakone Kojiri Terminal for a cruise around Lake Ashi (also referred to as Hakone Lake).

This crater lake lies along the southwest wall of the caldera of Mount Hakone, a complex volcano.

The lake is known for its views of Mount Fuji the hot springs, historical sites, and ryokan (traditional Japanese style inns). The lake is located on the Tokaido road, the main link between Kyoto and Tokyo.

A number of leisure boats and ferries traverse the lake, providing scenic views for tourists and passengers. Some of the boats are inspired by the design of sailing warships, including pirate ships.

Komagatake Ropeway

Our last sightseeing stop was the summit of Mt. Komagatake, reachable by the Hakone Komagatake Ropeway, one of Japan’s highest aerial tramways.

We got to enjoy spectacular views from the tramway and take a quick stroll along a mountain trail at the top.

The Hakone Shrine Mototsumiya is a short walk away from the actual peak at Komagatoke.

We didn’t have time to go all the way up to the shrine, so we just enjoyed the view from the observation deck. The area offers a stunning view of the lake 1,327m above sea level.

Heading back to Tokyo

Our return trip to Tokyo was via the Shinkansen bullet train, which was an experience in itself.

The trains reach a top speed of 320 km/h, allowing people to get to wherever you need in little time.

After a fulfilling day of sightseeing, it was back to our hotel in Tokyo. All in all, this Mt. Fuji and Hakone day tour was a great trip to get away from the usual Tokyo city sights.