Mount Fuji Day Trip from Tokyo: Private Car & Custom Route

4.92

(737 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

We pulled away from our Tokyo hotel just after sunrise — I was still clutching my coffee, half-awake, but our driver (Kenji) was already chatting about the route. The city faded behind us fast. Somewhere past the expressway tolls, the air started to feel sharper through the window crack. I kept glancing up for that first glimpse of Mount Fuji; it took longer than I thought. Kenji grinned and said, “She hides sometimes.” When we finally rounded a bend and there she was — that snow cap — it felt oddly quiet in the car for a minute.

Our first stop was Arakura Sengen Shrine. Honestly, those 400 steps are no joke if you’re not used to stairs (I had to pause halfway up pretending to admire some moss). But reaching Chureito Pagoda with Fuji in the background? Worth every gasp. There were school kids on a field trip giggling at each other’s photos, and one older man who nodded at me like we were both in on some secret. Afterward, Kenji suggested Oshino Hakkai — eight spring-fed ponds so clear you can see every pebble. The water tasted icy sweet; locals filled bottles while I tried (and failed) to pronounce “Oshino” right. Kenji laughed but didn’t correct me.

I’d read about Lake Kawaguchi before this Mt Fuji private day trip from Tokyo but didn’t expect how peaceful it would be off-season — just a couple of fishermen casting lines and a breeze that smelled faintly of pine needles. We took the panoramic ropeway up Mount Tenjo; my ears popped as we climbed and suddenly Fuji looked close enough to touch. There’s something about seeing clouds drift across her peak from that high up… makes you feel small in a good way.

We could pick our own route for this day trip — Kenji was game for whatever: Oishi Park’s late lavender or even shopping detours if we wanted them (we skipped Gotemba Outlets though). He told stories about climbing season crowds at 5th Station; apparently it’s closed sometimes for weather or maintenance, so we tried but didn’t get all the way up this time. Didn’t mind much — honestly, just being out there with someone who knew all the little shortcuts made it feel easy and real.