By air
Haneda, Tokyo (HND), ~2 h by road or express bus
East Asia · Japan
Mount Fuji, Japan
Japan's sacred peak above lakes and hot springs
Getting there
Best time to visit
October to February for clear views; July to early September to climb
Don't miss
Lake Kawaguchi
The Chureito Pagoda
Hakone's Owakudani
The Fuji Five Lakes
Things to do
An onsen with a Fuji view at Hakone or Kawaguchiko
A Lake Ashi cruise
The climb in season
Where to eat
What to pack
Warm layers — it is cold by the lakes
A quieter corner
Oshino Hakkai's spring-fed ponds
Questions travellers ask
When can I see Mount Fuji clearly, and when can I climb it?
October to February is the time for clear views. The climbing season runs from July to early September.
How do I get to Mount Fuji from Tokyo?
It's about 2 hours by road or express bus from Haneda (HND) in Tokyo.
What should I pack for the Fuji lakes?
Warm layers — it is cold by the lakes.
What else is there to do around Mount Fuji?
Soak in an onsen with a Fuji view at Hakone or Kawaguchiko, take a Lake Ashi cruise, and try the black eggs boiled in Owakudani's springs.
About Mount Fuji
- Mountains
- Lakeside
Where it is
Mount Fuji rises on the border of Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures on Honshu, Japan, about 100 km south-west of Tokyo; at 3,776 m it is the country's highest mountain, with the Fuji Five Lakes at its northern foot and Hakone to the east.
History
An active volcano, Fuji last erupted in 1707, when the Hoei eruption scattered ash as far as Edo. Worshipped for centuries as a sacred mountain in Shinto and Buddhist tradition, it drew pilgrims who climbed in white robes, and it inspired artists such as Hokusai and Hiroshige. In 2013 it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a sacred place and source of artistic inspiration.
People
The towns at Fuji's foot, such as Fujiyoshida and Fujikawaguchiko, are Japanese-speaking communities that live from tourism, farming and a long tradition of textile weaving. Fujiyoshida is known for its thick Yoshida udon noodles and for the Yoshida Fire Festival each August, which marks the traditional end of the climbing season.
Known for
- The summer climb to the summit
- Views across Lake Kawaguchi
- The Chureito Pagoda framing the peak
- Hokusai's Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji
- Hot springs at Hakone
Did you know?
Women were not permitted to climb to the summit of Mount Fuji, which was regarded as sacred, until the ban was lifted in 1872.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.