Mt. Fuji is Japan’s most iconic and revered mountain, attracting millions of visitors every year who want to admire its majestic beauty. Whether you want to climb to the summit, explore the surrounding nature, or enjoy some thrilling attractions, there are plenty of ways to experience Mt. Fuji.
In this article, I’ll be sharing with you my top 10 things to do in Mt. Fuji. I can guarantee for each of these options, you’ll have a wonderful time—and a view of Fuji-san to boot!
1. Stay in a Traditional Ryokan (With an Onsen!)
A ryokan is a traditional Japanese-style inn, and an onsen is a traditional hot spring bath. Fuji’s location in the countryside is the perfect place to stay in a traditional ryokan. Enjoy the tatami flooring, a wonderful soak in an onsen, and perhaps even see if you can have a traditional kaiseki meal. (Don’t know what these words mean? Discover traditional Japanese living in my article here.)
We stayed at Yamadaya Hotel and were blown away! For less than $200 a night, we were able to have a beautiful and spacious traditional room, delicious kaiseki for dinner, a traditional Japanese breakfast in the morning, and a private onsen! This is not sponsored, I just absolutely recommend this hotel and would book it again in a heartbeat.
Book your stay at Yamadaya Hotel through Booking.com here.
2. Visit the Fuji Shibazakura Festival
Shibazakura, or phlox moss, are not true sakura flowers, but a kind of moss that grows close to the ground. However, they look similar to sakura with 5 elegant petals! There are several colored varieties of shibazakura, but my favorite is the bright hot pink variety that blankets the grounds of Fujigoko. Each year from April to May, 800,000 pink shibazakura become a stunning attraction to see with Mt. Fuji in the background.
I have a full article about the Mt. Fuji Shibazakura festival if you are interested in visiting! Please check it out here.
3. Experience History at Oshino Hakkai
Oshino Hakkai is a traditional Japanese village in the Fuji lakes area. It feels a bit like stepping back into history; you’ll find restored old wooden buildings complete with waterwheels and looms.
Entering the village is free, and it’s fun to walk around and try the snacks and desserts (I recommend trying some dried fruit, it’s delicious!). If you want to enter the museum portion of the village, it costs 300 yen per person to enter. It’s totally worth it, by the way, and it’s also where we snapped the first picture below.
4. Walk Around Fujiyoshida
Fujiyoshida is one of the popular areas to stay in near Mt. Fuji. The other and most popular station is Kawaguchiko Station, but I enjoyed staying in Fujiyoshida—it’s slightly less touristy and crowded, and you have the added benefit of seeing Mt. Fuji wherever you walk.
I highly recommend simply walking around Fujiyoshida, or grabbing a meal in this area so you can see Mt. Fuji towering in the background of every street view!
Tip: The photo spot above is extremely popular and becomes busy with street traffic as the morning goes on. If you want this shot, I suggest arriving around 6:00 AM because the congestion gets intense around 7:00.
5. Bike Around Lake Kawaguchi
Lake Kawaguchi, or Kawaguchi-ko, is the largest and most popular lake in the Mt. Fuji area. Because it’s absolutely massive, I recommend either driving or biking instead of trying to walk. Even with a bike, you only need to bike a small portion to see beautiful views of Mt. Fuji from the east side of the lake.
Boating here is also very popular, including the romantic swan-shaped pedalboats! However, there are often long lines, so plan accordingly.
6. Take the Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway
If you love sweeping views and cable cars, the Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway is perfect for you. For a shockingly reasonable price (900 yen roundtrip), you can take a beautiful cable car to the top of a mountain and enjoy the spectacular views of Mt. Fuji from there.
Even better, there’s a swing located at the top that offers amazing views of Mt. Fuji as well. You’ll need to buy a separate ticket (500 yen) from the Tanuki Teahouse, and note that the swings only operate from 10 AM – 2 PM on weekdays, whereas the observatory is open from 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM. There’s also usually an exceedingly long line, so I suggest arriving at opening time at the very latest.
Check up-to-date policies from the official website here.
7. Ride the Fujikyuko Line
There is only one train line in the Mt. Fuji area, which may come as a shock to visitors who are used to the extensive transit system across Japan’s more metropolitan regions. Riding the Fujikyuko Line is not only a necessity for those without cars, but also offers lovely views of Mt. Fuji when the weather is good.
My favorite station for viewing is Gekkouji Station, which looks beautiful both from the station and when crossing the tracks (be careful of passing trains, of course).
8. Wear a Kimono at Saiko Iyashi no Sato Historic Village
Saiko Iyashi-no-sato Historic Village is another restored traditional village full of old houses and views of Mt. Fuji. Wandering around the peaceful grounds makes you think of how people must have experienced the massive mountain throughout history. It’s also possible to rent a kimono here, which adds to the historic feel.
Not only is Saiko Iyashi-no-sato good for sightseeing, but you can enjoy traditional craft-making activities, galleries, teahouses, and shopping.
Admission is 350 yen for adults and 150 yen for children. Note that the village is closed on Wednesdays.
9. Climb Up to Chureito Pagoda
After climbing 400 stairs to the top of Chureito Pagoda, you’ll be rewarded with this iconic view of Mt. Fuji. Chureito Pagoda was built in 1963 to memorialize citizens of Fujiyoshida who died in previous Japanese wars. Today, its tall red spire marks the most famous view of Mt. Fuji in all of Japan.
The long set of 400 steps is completely vertical and takes a decent amount of effort, but it’s well worth the investment. You cannot enter the pagoda itself, but the grounds have no opening or closing hours, making this spot perfect for either sunrise or sunset.
The only thing I didn’t see anyone else mention was how many bugs there are! Everyone we saw here was hounded by a cloud of small flying bugs—harmless but extremely annoying as they try to fly in your hair, your eyes, and your mouth.
The pagoda is located above Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine, so if you have time, make sure to stop here as well!
10. Hike to Tenku no Torii
My apologies for putting two hikes right next to one another, but you won’t regret the hike to Tenku no Torii. This majestic bright red torii located at the top of a mountain with an unrestricted view of Mt. Fuji looming in the background is a must-visit in my opinion.
The hike from the nearest bus station is about half an hour. You can either take the winding asphalt road that the cars take, or take the forest shortcut marked by the red torii at the bottom. We took the forest shortcut and it’s all stairs, but definitely shorter than taking the road.
The torii is located past but not part of Kawaguchi Asama Shrine. Unlike the shrine, which is open 24 hours, the torii is privately owned and only open from 9 AM – 4 PM. It also costs 100 yen to enter and there is a time limit for photos when it’s busy (we read online 3 minutes per group, but we only got 2 minutes and there wasn’t even that long of a line). Make sure you know all this information beforehand so you don’t leave disappointed!
Mt. Fuji is more than just a mountain. It’s a symbol of Japan, a source of inspiration, and a wonder of nature. I’ve shared with you my personal top 10 sights you must visit when visiting Mt. Fuji, but these are just a sample of what this amazing destination has to offer.
I absolutely loved my time exploring Fujiyoshida and Kawaguchiko and I hope you do too. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me anytime.
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