Photo by Sho: Haneda Airport, looking toward Mt Fuji
Yamanashi and Shizuoka · Private tour

Three ways to spend a day near Mt Fuji

Lake Kawaguchi and Fujiyoshida, Mishima and Gotemba, or a shopping day at Gotemba Premium Outlets. One private group of up to six, by train, bus and on foot.

Ask for a free quote →See the routes
LengthsFull day (7 to 8 hours), three routes
GroupPrivate, up to 6 guests
LanguageEnglish (Japanese on request)
Meeting pointKawaguchiko Station for Lake Kawaguchi and Fujiyoshida. Mishima Station for Mishima and Gotemba. Busta Shinjuku (the Shinjuku highway bus terminal) for the outlets day.
Overview

One mountain, three routes

Every route here is a full day of 7 to 8 hours, and each gives you a chance to see Mt Fuji, cloud permitting. Pick Lake Kawaguchi and Fujiyoshida, Mishima and Gotemba, or a day at the outlets.

In Fujiyoshida the mountain sits at the end of an ordinary shopping street. Honcho-dori is five minutes' walk from Shimoyoshida Station. From the same station it's about 25 minutes on foot to Arakurayama Sengen Park, then 398 steps up to the Chureito Pagoda deck. The city itself warns that it gets very busy with overseas visitors, so I like to get there early.

Lunch there is Yoshida udon. The town sits high up on volcanic soil that was poor for rice, so flour-based food took hold. The noodles are known for their firm bite.

In Mishima, the Mishima Skywalk is a footbridge 400 metres long and 70 metres up. From it you can see Mt Fuji and Suruga Bay at the same time. Mishima isn't where the eels come from. They're kept in Mt Fuji's spring water for a few days, which takes away extra fat and any strong smell.

Gotemba Premium Outlets has about 290 shops. The Yume no Ohashi bridge on its grounds is one of Gotemba City's twelve chosen views of Mt Fuji.

Highlights

  • Ride the Mt Fuji Panoramic Ropeway up to 1,075 metres
  • Climb the 398 steps to the Chureito Pagoda deck
  • Eat Yoshida udon, the thick, firm local noodle
  • Walk the Mishima Skywalk, 400 metres long and 70 metres up
  • Try Mishima eel, kept for a few days in Mt Fuji's spring water
  • Walk the stepping stones in the Genbei River
  • Shop at Gotemba Premium Outlets, with about 290 shops
Routes

Pick the route that suits your day

Lake Kawaguchi and Fujiyoshida (7 to 8 hours)

Lake Kawaguchi in the morning, Yoshida udon for lunch, Fujiyoshida in the afternoon.

  1. Mt Fuji Panoramic Ropewayabout three minutes up to a deck at 1,075 metres.
  2. Oishi Parka 350-metre flower walk by the lake, with lavender from late June to mid-July and kochia in autumn.
  3. Itchiku Kubota Art Museumreached by the Red Line bus, about 20 minutes from Kawaguchiko Station.
  4. Yoshida udon in Fujiyoshidaby Fujikyu train from the lake. Toppings often include horse meat, and I'll help you order without it if you'd rather.
  5. Chureito Pagoda and Honcho-dori398 steps up for the view over the pagoda, then the shopping street with the mountain behind the shop signs.

We finish at Shimoyoshida Station or Mt Fuji Station. The Kawaguchiko sightseeing buses, including the Red Line, have a 1,500-yen day pass.

Mishima and Gotemba (7 to 8 hours)

The Mishima Skywalk in the morning, eel and spring water at midday, Gotemba Premium Outlets in the afternoon.

  1. Mishima Skywalkabout 25 minutes on the Tokai Bus from the south exit of Mishima Station.
  2. Eel lunch near Mishima StationUnagi no Bando, a minute's walk from the south exit, is one example. I'll check the shop ahead for allergies, but I can't promise a table.
  3. Genbei River and Shirataki Parkboth about five minutes' walk from the station, with stepping stones laid along the river. If there's time, Mishima Taisha is about 15 minutes' walk from the station.
  4. Gotemba Premium Outletsabout an hour by local bus from Mishima Station. We'll stop on the Yume no Ohashi bridge for the view of Mt Fuji.

We finish at the outlets, where highway buses leave for Shinjuku. Mishima is about an hour from Tokyo Station by shinkansen.

Gotemba Premium Outlets (7 to 8 hours)

A shopping day, and I ride the bus from Tokyo with you. The 7 to 8 hours includes the bus.

  1. Busta Shinjukuthe highway bus terminal, where we meet and take the Odakyu Highway Bus together, about 1 hour 50 minutes. The adult fare is 2,000 yen one way.
  2. Gotemba Premium Outletsabout 290 shops. I'll help you find the ones you came for and translate when you need it.
  3. Yume no Ohashithe bridge on the grounds that Gotemba City lists among its twelve views of Mt Fuji.
  4. Back to Shinjukuby bus, or after a soak at Konohana no Yu, the day-use hot spring on the grounds (10:30 am to 10 pm, last entry 9 pm).

The outlets open at 10 am and close at 8 pm from March to November, or 7 pm from December to February. Roadworks on the Tomei Expressway from 24 September to 18 December 2026 may slow the bus.

Details

Before you book

Included

  • Sho as your private guide for the route you book, in English (or Japanese, if you prefer)
  • A route planned for your group before the day
  • Food stops checked ahead for any allergies you tell me about

Not included

  • Your train and bus fares
  • Ropeway tickets (1,000 yen return, rising to 1,200 yen from 1 November 2026)
  • Itchiku Kubota Art Museum entry (1,500 yen)
  • Mishima Skywalk entry (from 1,100 yen for adults, and the price varies by day)
  • Food and drinks, and anything you buy at the outlets

Good to know

  • The Chureito Pagoda deck is 398 steps up. If stairs are hard for you, tell me and I'll build the afternoon around Honcho-dori instead.
  • Clouds can hide Mt Fuji, and I can't promise a view. The FAQ below has what we do on a grey day on each route.
  • The ropeway can stop in strong wind. It also runs shorter hours on 25 and 26 November 2026 for inspections.
  • The Mishima Skywalk can close in strong wind, thick fog, snow or lightning. You can't use an umbrella on the bridge, so in rain they hand out free raincoats at the entrance.
  • I look after the day itself. Train tickets, hotels and any entry tickets you want to book ahead are yours to arrange. I'll tell you exactly where and when to meet me.
  • We get around by train, bus and on foot, the same way people here do. I don't drive guests, and I'll show you how the ticket machines work as we go.
Your guide

I'm Sho, and I'll be your guide

Sho, your guide

In January 2011, in my last year of junior high, I left Japan for Brisbane. I stayed until I'd finished university in March 2020. That's nine years of Australian school, uni and part-time jobs.

I speak English and Japanese without any trouble, and I don't get shy around people from other cultures. What I care about most on the day is simple: that you're having a good time.

I'm based in Yokohama. I've been photographing planes since 2009. Since moving back to Japan in 2020, photography has taken me to airports and towns all over the country. Every area I guide is somewhere I've been myself.

I have a serious kiwi fruit allergy (anaphylaxis) and react to some fruit in the rose family. So I check our food stops with the restaurants before the day. If there's anything you can't eat, tell me when you first get in touch.

  • Nine years in Brisbane, from junior high to the end of university
  • Comfortable in English and Japanese
  • Has been to every area on this site
  • Checks food stops ahead of the day
Pricing

Quotes in six currencies

Free quote

Quotes are provided in USD, CAD, AUD, NZD, GBP or EUR, so you can skip the hassle of currency conversion. Other currencies are quoted in USD. Each quote covers your whole group of up to six people. When you send an enquiry, please include your preferred dates and the kinds of experiences you'd like.

FAQ

Questions people ask

Will we definitely see Mt Fuji?

Nobody can promise that. I check the live cameras that morning. If the mountain's hidden, the Lake Kawaguchi and Fujiyoshida route leans on the art museum and the free Mt Fuji World Heritage Centre. In Mishima we give more time to the springs and Mishima Taisha. The outlets day doesn't depend on the view.

Can we skip the stairs?

Yes. On the Lake Kawaguchi and Fujiyoshida route we'll leave out the pagoda steps and spend longer on Honcho-dori.

Can we spend the whole day shopping?

Yes, that's the Gotemba Premium Outlets route. We meet at Busta Shinjuku, ride the highway bus down together and spend the day at the outlets.

Free quote

Tell me your dates near Mt Fuji

Let me know when you'll be in the area, how many of you there are and anything you can't eat. I'll send back a route and a free quote.

Ask for a free quote →

More places I can take you

AsakusaShibuyaShinjukuYokohamaKamakura, Shonan & EnoshimaHakoneAtamiShimodaOsakaKyotoKanazawaFukuoka, Dazaifu & YufuinHaneda AirportKansai's three airportsSapporo

Ask me about other areas.

Chat on LINE