One Day Mt. Fuji & Hakone Group Tour

After a hearty greeting and a brief introduction, your guide will accompany you on a 2-hour charter bus ride to Mount Fuji 5th Station. Long ago, when the measuring unit “gou” was used in Japan, some found that the shape of a pile of 10-gou (one-liter) rice magically resembled the shape of Mount Fuji. Then, the climbing route from the base to the summit of the mountain is divided into 10 stages accordingly, from 1st Station to 10th Station. Mount Fuji 5th Station thus refers to the halfway point up Mt. Fuji, with an altitude of about 2,300 meters (7,546 feet). As the highest point transportation can reach, it is considered the boundary between the human world and the divine realm. Standing here, whether the sacred Mt. Fuji almost within reach or the magnificent sea of clouds makes you feel as if you are truly approaching the divine realm.

► Tips

1. You can admire Mt. Fuji clearly only on sunny and clear enough days. So, you are recommended to check the weather forecast carefully before deciding your tour date.
2. The high altitude of Mount Fuji 5th Station leads to its about 10°C (18℉) lower temperature compared with that of Tokyo city, meaning an extra piece of clothing that is easy to put on and take off is always necessary. In addition, for a summer visit, remember to pay attention to sun protection.
3. From about December to early April, when the roads to Mount Fuji 5th Station are closed due to poor road conditions, we will visit Fujisan Museum, Lake Kawaguchi Oishi Park, Fujisan World Heritage Center, Itchiku Kubota Art Museum, or Oshino Hakkai instead.

At noon, you’ll enjoy a Japanese-style meal for lunch, with tea or coffee provided. While dinning, you may have a chance to experience local culture by admiring a performance of wadaiko – a traditional Japanese drum.

► Vegetarian meals, Muslim-friendly meals, and Indian thali meals can also be provided, as long as you inform us in advance when making a reservation.

After lunch, we’ll move to Hakone, a good place to view Mt. Fuji from a distance. Let’s enjoy a leisurely cruise on Lake Ashi first. During the 15-minute trip, in addition to the splendid Mt. Fuji, you can also see vast and deep blue Lake Ashi, Hakone Shrine’s iconic vermilion torii gate standing in the water, and meandering Hakone Mountains all at once.

To gain more different experiences during this Hakone trip, we’ll take the Komagatake Ropeway next. During the 7-minute upward cable car journey, the beautiful scenery of Hakone can be seen clearly from the huge glass windows. When arriving at the summit of Komagatake Mountain, you’ll obtain a broader perspective. Standing at the observation deck of Hakone’s highest mountain, you can overlook the whole Lake Ashi and take a picture together with Mt. Fuji in the distance. A visit to the mountaintop’s Hakone Mototsumiya Shrine and its torii gate will impress you: they look like floating in the blue sky and clouds. In ancient times, people need to spend several hours to get to and visit this shrine, but now, we can arrive there in just a few minutes! We will take the ropeway down the mountain after visiting. 

► Tips

1. Comfortable walking shoes are more recommended since you need to walk through gravel roads to get to Hakone Mototsumiya Shrine.

2. When the Lake Ashi Cruise and Komagatake Ropeway are not operating due to bad weather, your guide will accompany you to enjoy other activities or attractions, like the Appare Sightseeing Boat on Lake Kawaguchi, Hakone Ropeway, Hakone Shrine, or Owakudani Valley.

After descending by ropeway, we will drive back to Tokyo and arrive at Shinjuku Station West Exit by around 21:00. Please go back to your hotel or explore the nightlife of Tokyo independently.

► If you plan to stay in Hakone tonight, tell your guide in advance, get off and end your tour at Odawara Station, the gateway and an important hub to Hakone.
► If you want to end your trip at Tokyo Station, please inform us when booking this tour.

● For Your Information:
After dropping off at Shinjuku Station, why not consider enjoying your dinner at Kabukicho, which is about a 5- to 10-minute walk away? You can step into an izakaya - Japanese-style bar, to taste fried foods, ramen, and Japanese sake. After that, strolling through Kabukicho to experience local nightlife and Geisha culture will be interesting. If you get off at Tokyo Station, Marunouchi, the home to many restaurants and famous stores, is right nearby. At night, the area is illuminated and looks romantic.

It is kind of a pity for a trip to Japan without seeing Mt. Fuji. However, this iconic landscape is visible for only 80 to 100 days throughout the year. The best time is from December to February, when the visibility is highest and its snow cap is largest. March to May and September to November are also relatively welcomed times: though the visibility is a little lower, there are cherry blossoms or red leaves to see.

If seeing Mt. Fuji is your top priority, our private multi-day itineraries are more recommended, which can flexibly arrange the Mount Fuji visit on the most suitable day according to the weather. In addition, you can choose either the southeastern Hakone or northern Lake Kawaguchi route based on the varying visibility of your visit day, which can also increase your chances of seeing Mt. Fuji.