Fujikawaguchiko

Lake town with Mount Fuji views and onsen

Fujikawaguchiko is a town in Yamanashi Prefecture that covers four of the Fuji Five Lakes (Kawaguchi, Sai, Shoji and Motosu). Mount Fuji is on the opposite side of the water from the north shore. Most visitors stay around Kawaguchiko Station, with the lakefront, museums and onsen hotels a short walk or bus ride away. Visitors can ride the Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway up Mt. Tenjo, walk through the flower beds at Oishi Park or cycle the lakeside path. Fuji is often hidden by cloud, so a night here gives more chances at a clear view than a day trip from Tokyo.

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Town in Japan

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$$	Medium
$$$	Expensive, upscale
$$$+	Very expensive, luxury

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Safety: 8.3

General Safety:	9
Health & medical:	7
Accessibility:	6
Tap water:	10

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3/5

English is moderately available at hotels, tourist attractions and major shops. Staff at smaller restaurants or shops may have limited English, but signage and menus are often bilingual. A translation app is handy.

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Last update: 20 Oct 2026

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Fujikawaguchiko Summary

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Outstanding for Mount Fuji views and lakeside nature. Enjoy scenic viewpoints, cycle around the lake, photograph Mount Fuji reflections, visit flower parks and relax in hot springs.

Place score

8.1

Best at:

Lakes

Natural sites

Spotless

Volcanoes

Forests

Personal score

Suited for

👶 7

Families

🧓 6

Seniors

🛡️ 8

Travel Beginners

❤️ 7

Couples

Japan – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	100 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type A Type A: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Japanese Yen (JPY) £1 ≈ JP¥210
Cashless info:	Rating 4/5 Cashless payments are becoming more common, especially in cities, with some shops still preferring cash. Be prepared for occasional cash-only situations in rural areas. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is not customary in Japan and can be considered rude. Excellent service is the norm, and tipping is unnecessary in most places.
Public drinking:	Public drinking is legal and commonly accepted, particularly during festivals and events.
Public smoking:	Smoking is prohibited in indoor public places but allowed in designated outdoor areas. Some restaurants may have smoking sections.

New Year (January)	One of the most important holidays, expect crowded temples and high prices. Plan ahead.
Golden Week (April-May)	The busiest travel time, expect high demand for accommodation and transport.
Obon (August)	A time to honour ancestors, many businesses close, and transport can be crowded.

Emergency contact:	Emergency Number: 110 (Police), 119 (Fire & Ambulance)
Taxi apps:	Uber, JapanTaxi, DiDi
Other:	Japan is a country of respect, so understanding local customs and etiquette is important. Public transport is efficient, but can be crowded during peak hours.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.

Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for Fujikawaguchiko, Japan

🌨️

Jan

🌨️

Feb

🌨️

Mar

🌦️

Apr

🌦️

May

🌦️

Jun

⛈️

Jul

🌦️

Aug

🌦️

Sep

⛈️

Oct

🌤️

Nov

☀️

Dec

High season:	April - May, July - Aug., Nov.
Shoulder season:	Jan. - Feb., Sep. - Oct., Dec.
Crowdedness:	9 (Very crowded)

Tap on a month for more info Hover over a month for more info

Climate details

Mt. Fuji climbing season early July to early September; trails closed the rest of the year

Fuji Shibazakura (moss phlox) festival at Lake Motosu, mid April to late May

Mt. Fuji is often hidden in cloud from June to September; clearest views October to February

Don't miss

🏞️ Admire Mount Fuji from scenic Lake Kawaguchiko
🏘️ Explore traditional thatched houses at Iyashi-no-Sato
🚠 Ride the Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway for stunning views
🎶 Visit Kawaguchiko Music Forest for European charm
🏡 Escape to Saiko Iyashi no Sato, a historic village

You've been here?

Why travel to Fujikawaguchiko?

From the lake's north shore Mount Fuji fills the skyline across the water. On calm mornings the lake can reflect it upside down. Oishi Park is the usual place to see this, with seasonal flower beds in the foreground. For a higher view the Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway goes up to the top of Mt. Tenjo (1,075 m) in about three minutes. Many people ride up and walk the trail back down while hikers can continue toward Mt. Mitsutoge. Winter tends to have the clearest air, spring has cherry blossoms and autumn has red maples along the shore. There's more to the town than the mountain. The Itchiku Kubota Art Museum shows kimono made with a dyeing technique the artist revived and the Kawaguchiko Music Forest Museum has music boxes. Onsen hotels are spread around the lake and some have baths that face Fuji. A lakeside cycling path goes around the north and east shores, with hire shops clustered near the station. The town also covers lakes beyond Lake Kawaguchi. Lake Saiko has the Bat Cave and the Fugaku Wind Cave near Aokigahara forest. The Blue Line bus reaches Lake Shoji and Lake Motosu. East of here, the spring ponds of Oshino Hakkai, Chureito Pagoda in Fujiyoshida and the Fuji Subaru Line to the 5th Station are common additions on a second day. One night suits most people since a day trip from Tokyo leaves little room to wait for the clouds to clear.

🏯Places worth seeing

1 Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway
2 Kawaguchiko Music Forest Museum (15)
3 Kawaguchiko Herb Hall (5)
4 Kawaguchiko Natural Living Center (20)
5 Itchiku Kubota Art Museum (17)
6 Itchiku Kubota Art Museum

🎡Places for activities

1 Fuji-Q Highland
2 68
3 Oshino Hakkai
4 Lake Kawaguchi Mt. Tenjō Ropeway

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 Narusawa Ice Cave
2 Lake Shōji
3 Lake Motosu
4 Lake Kawaguchi
5 Momiji Tunnel
6 Mt. Fuji
7 Fugaku Wind Cave
8 Ōishi Park
9 Lake Sai
10 Mt. Mitsutoge
11 Aokigahara Forest

🛍️Shopping

1 Gotemba Premium Outlets

🍽️Eat & Drink

1 Hoto Fudo Kawaguchiko Ekimae
Hoto Fudo specialises in hōtō, Yamanashi’s wide, flat noodles simmered with pumpkin and vegetables in a miso broth. Its Ekimae branch is beside Kawaguchiko Station in Funatsu, making it a practical first meal after arrival.
2 Hoto Fudo Higashi Koiji Branch
This Hoto Fudo branch serves traditional vegetable hōtō in its distinctive cloud-like modern building. It is at 2458 Funatsu on the east side of Lake Kawaguchi, around a five-minute drive from Kawaguchiko Station.
3 Hoto Kura Funari Kawaguchiko Store
Kura Funari serves hōtō in a traditional-style dining room, with broth enriched by Yamanashi miso and vegetables. It is at 707 Kawaguchi on Lake Kawaguchi’s north side, near the Kawaguchiko Music Forest Museum and the maple corridor.
4 Hoto Kura Funari Kawaguchiko Ekimae Store
The station branch of Kura Funari serves hōtō, plus regional dishes such as horse-meat sashimi. It is in the Funatsu station district, a short walk from Kawaguchiko Station and the lakefront bus stops.
5 Fuji Tempura Idaten
Fuji Tempura Idaten serves tempura rice bowls, including a tall Mt. Fuji-shaped tendon, with seasonal ingredients from the Fuji Five Lakes area. It is at 3486-4 Funatsu, around five minutes on foot from Kawaguchiko Station.
6 Yoshida Udon Kuranosuke
Kuranosuke serves Yoshida udon, a notably firm local noodle typically paired with cabbage and meat in a miso-soy broth. It is in Funatsu, Fujikawaguchiko’s central district, near the station and Route 137.
7 Yoshida Udon Hinoki
Hinoki serves handmade Yoshida udon in a house-style setting, with the region’s characteristically thick, chewy noodles. It is roughly two kilometres from Kawaguchiko Station in Fujikawaguchiko Town, best reached by taxi or car.
8 Fujiya
Fujiya offers hands-on Yoshida udon workshops alongside meals using the local firm-textured noodles. It is in Funatsu, around 12 minutes on foot from Kawaguchiko Station, within Fujikawaguchiko’s main visitor district.
9 Kawaguchiko Craft Park
Kawaguchiko Craft Park serves pizza, light meals and desserts in a garden setting with Mt. Fuji views on clear days. It is near Oishi Park on Lake Kawaguchi’s north shore, beside lavender fields and the lakefront walking route.
10 Cafe & Dining Sakura
Cafe & Dining Sakura serves Japanese meals, sandwiches, drinks and takeaway picnic options using local ingredients. It is in the quieter Oku-Kawaguchiko area northwest of the main station district, near the lake’s western shore.

🎈Events

Shibazakura Festival
Fujikawaguchiko Winter Fireworks
Fuji-Q Highland Halloween Event
Kawaguchiko Ice Candle Festival
Fuji Shibazakura Festival (Apr-May)
Fujikawaguchiko Cherry Blossoms Festival (Apr)
Kawaguchiko Herb Festival (Jun-Jul)
Mt. Fuji Marathon (Nov)
Lake Kawaguchiko Winter Fireworks (Jan-Feb)
Momiji Autumn Leaves Festival (Oct-Nov)
Saiko Ice Festival (Feb)
Mt. Fuji Climbing Season Opening (Jul)
Lake Kawaguchi Fireworks (Aug)

Explore on map

Open map view

Knowledge before you go

Check the ropeway's live camera first, since Fuji often hides in cloud.
The two-day bus pass for the Red, Green and Blue lines costs about JP¥1,700 (£8.06).
Oishi Park is open around the clock, so a dawn visit usually misses the tour groups.
On windless mornings the lake can reflect Fuji upside down and the north shore is the classic spot.

How to travel to Fujikawaguchiko

Most people come from Tokyo and both the train and the highway bus take around two hours. The Fuji Excursion limited express runs directly from Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko Station in about two hours with reserved seats only, so book ahead for weekends and peak seasons. Otherwise you can take the JR Chuo Line to Otsuki and change to the Fujikyuko Line, which takes about an hour to Kawaguchiko. Highway buses leave from Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal (about 105 minutes) as well as Tokyo Station and Shibuya. Traffic can add time at weekends. A direct bus connects Haneda Airport (HND) with Kawaguchiko on a limited schedule while Narita (NRT) is most often reached by changing at Shinjuku. Buses also link the town with Mishima on the Tokaido Shinkansen line (about 70 minutes) and with Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka. By car it's about 100 km from central Tokyo on the Chuo Expressway, usually around two hours but longer in holiday traffic.

Access summary

From Haneda (HND): Bus or train via Tokyo–Kawaguchiko, about 3 hours.
From central Tokyo (Shinjuku): Highway bus or JR train, roughly 2–3 hours.
From Osaka/Kyoto: Shinkansen to Mishima, then bus to Kawaguchiko, around 3–4 hours.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in Fujikawaguchiko

Most people stay close to Kawaguchiko Station or along the lakeshore and the area is known for onsen hotels and ryokan. Hotels within 5 to 15 minutes on foot of the station suit travellers without a car and several offer a free pickup from the station. The north and east shores have onsen resorts with some Fuji-view rooms, which is the main reason to pay more for a lakeside spot. Prices run from hostels and business hotels to high-end ryokan with private open-air baths and multi-course dinners. Weekends, cherry blossom time in April, autumn foliage in November and the summer holidays book out early. If you'd rather avoid lakeshore prices, Fujiyoshida can be cheaper and is on the same Fujikyuko Line, with buses to the lakes. Lake Saiko and Lake Motosu have campsites and cabins for people who want a quieter outdoor stay.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

HOTEL MYSTAYS Fuji Onsen Resort

8.8

Highland Resort Hotel and Spa

9.2

Fuji Kawaguchiko Onsen Konansou

9.3

Hotel Kaneyamaen

9.2

Fuji Kawaguchiko Onsen Hotel New Century

9.2

Toyoko Inn Fuji Kawaguchiko Ohashi

Explore more accommodations

How to get around Fujikawaguchiko

Kawaguchiko Station is where everything starts. The lakefront, shops and several hotels are within walking distance of it, while the ropeway, the museums, Oishi Park and the other lakes are a bus ride away. A bike works for the Lake Kawaguchi loop and a car helps only if you want to cover several lakes.

Buses:
The Fujikyu sightseeing bus network has three colour-coded lines leaving from the station. The Red Line goes along the lake past the museums and Oishi Park and stops at the ropeway. The Green Line goes to Lake Saiko and Aokigahara forest and the Blue Line goes further west to Lake Shoji and Lake Motosu.

Passes and timing:
The Red Line runs several times an hour but the Blue Line only about once an hour, so check return times before heading out to the far lakes. A two-day pass covers all three lines and the buses take Suica and PASMO cards.

Bikes:
Hire shops near the station make bikes a good fit for the Lake Kawaguchi loop, which is mostly along the shore.

Car and taxis:
A car helps if you want to see several lakes in a day or visit the caves on your own schedule. For just the lake and the ropeway it's more trouble than it's worth. Taxis wait at the station for short hops.

Food in Fujikawaguchiko

Restaurants cluster near Kawaguchiko Station and along the lakeshore roads. Menus mix Yamanashi regional dishes with ramen, soba, set meals and horse meat dishes such as basashi.

The local dish is houtou, wide flat noodles simmered in a miso broth with pumpkin and other vegetables and served in a cast iron pot. It's thicker and heavier than udon and feels most at home in cold weather, though restaurants serve it all year. Some places make seafood or meat versions. In neighbouring Fujiyoshida the local udon is firm and chewy and often topped with cabbage and meat.

Many restaurants close fairly early in the evening so it's best to eat before about 20:00. Vegetarians should ask about the broth since some houtou stock is made with dried sardines. Convenience stores and supermarkets cover breakfast and snacks, which helps if your hotel doesn't serve meals.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

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To customise this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.

-44 %

Daily expenses in Fujikawaguchiko are around 44% lower than the average across United States. That means you'll spend a lot less on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

-20 %

Your exchange rate (GBP to JPY) is 20% better than in recent years. That means travelling now is considerably cheaper compared to the past.

Travel costs

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	£60	£131	£324
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	£38	£90	£188
🍝 Food per day	£17	£33	£100
🚕 Transportation per day	£5	£8	£37

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	£12
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	£5.50
🍟 Fast food combo	£3.80
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	£7
☕ Cappuccino	£2.20
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l	£2.30

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	£1.30
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	£23
⛽ Petrol, 1 l	£0.85

Other

🎞️ Cinema ticket	£9
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	£29
🤧 Cold medication	£7
💇 Basic haircut	£11

Safety information overview

General safety

Crime is low and the town is very safe for travellers day and night. The risks are outdoors, so stay on marked trails in Aokigahara forest where it's easy to lose your way and expect icy roads in winter. Earthquakes happen across Japan.

Health & Medical

Healthcare in Japan is high quality and the town has clinics and pharmacies, but larger hospitals are in Fujiyoshida and Kofu and English is limited. Travel insurance is sensible. The lake sits at around 830 metres, so mornings can be chilly even in autumn.

Accessibility

The lakefront near Kawaguchiko Station is mostly flat but sights are spread along the shore and need a bus or taxi. Buses fill up in peak season and are hard to board with a wheelchair. The ropeway summit and nearby trails have steps and slopes.

Tap water

Tap water is safe to drink here like in the rest of Japan. Bottled water and vending machines are easy to find at the station and the main sights. Water from lakes and streams is untreated so don't drink it even on hikes.