Japan · Updated October 2026
Lake Kawaguchiko in Japan is the gateway to the Fuji Five Lakes. It sits at about 800 metres1 on the north side of Mount Fuji, about 1 hour 45 minutes2 by highway bus from Shinjuku.
Start here
The guide is split into things to do, areas, itineraries and where to stay, so start with whichever question is on your mind.
Trip plans
Most visitors to Fujikawaguchiko come on day trips3. The plans cover both: a day trip from Tokyo, and an overnight stay with a night by the lake. Compare the day-trip and overnight plans.
Still picking your side trip from Tokyo? The Hakone vs Kawaguchiko comparison puts the two side by side.
Lakeside beds
Lake Kawaguchi has many lakeside hotels, camp sites and windsurfing facilities1, so you can sleep anywhere from a hotel on the shore to a camp site. The cards below show room prices and what each stay includes.
To choose a base, look at the Fuji Five Lakes area options, read up on where to stay around Fuji Kawaguchiko, or compare hostels around Lake Kawaguchi.
Kawaguchi, Kawaguchiko
¥48,400–148,940 per room per night, 2 adults (JTB, 2026)
Check first
Book the shuttle ahead. Wine at dinner costs extra.
JTB (booking agent) · Dormy Hotels (Kyoritsu Resort) (resort)
Funatsu, Kawaguchiko
¥59,400–118,800+ per room for 2 adults (Standard plan with 2 meals, tax incl., official site 2026)
hpdsp.net (Konansou official booking) (resort) · hpdsp.net (resort) · Konansou (resort)
Funatsu, Kawaguchiko
From ¥9,875 per person (room only) to ¥23,512 per person (kaiseki dinner & breakfast)
Check first
Bathing tax extra; onsen closed 11:00–14:00; Fujikawaguchiko accommodation tax ¥200 pp from 1 April 2027
Hotel Regina Kawaguchiko (resort) · Toyoko Inn (operator)
Bus, train or car
Kawaguchiko is the main point of entry to the Fuji Five Lakes4. From Tokyo you’ll be choosing between a highway bus and the train, and driving takes around 1 hour 30 minutes5 to Kawaguchiko I.C. on the Chuo Expressway.
Shinjuku bus: about 1 hr 45 min2
If you take the Fuji Excursion limited express, every seat is reserved6. Tickets go on sale one month before6 your travel date.
Highway buses leave Shinjuku's south exit bus terminal and reach Kawaguchiko Station in about 1 hour 45 minutes. Routes also start at Haneda Airport, Akihabara and Tokyo Station.
Take the JR Chuo line to Otsuki, then change to the Fuji Kyuko Line for Kawaguchiko Station. The train from Shinjuku takes about 2 hours 10 minutes.
Coin lockers are on the 1st floor of the Fuji Kanko Building, in front of the station.
The Red Line sightseeing bus circles the northern shore area, including Oishi Park and the Kawaguchiko Herb Museum.
Every option is set out in Tokyo bus and train routes to the lake.
Seasons and the climb
Spring is the busiest season, as the lake draws especially large numbers of visitors in cherry blossom season4. August is the warmest month, with a daily mean of 22.5 °C, while January averages −0.4 °C7.
Yoshida Trail open 1 July to 10 September8
To climb Mount Fuji, go while the Yoshida Trail is open, 1 July to 10 September8. The hiking fee is ¥4,0008 (about US$25) (checked October 2026) per person per trip.
For each month in turn, see Kawaguchiko weather through the seasons.
Views, shrines and day tours
Most visitors come for views of Mount Fuji, especially from Lake Kawaguchi10. Around the lake, people go sport fishing, hiking, yachting and cycling4. Oishi Park is a popular spot with photographers11, so allow extra time, as it gets very crowded at certain times of day12.
Kawaguchi Asama Shrine is said to have been founded after the Jōgan eruption of 86413. Saiko Iyashi no Sato Nenba is a village of traditional thatched-roof houses on the shore of Lake Saiko14. Wherever you take photos, the town asks you never to block paths or enter private land without permission15.
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Day tour
From US$50.95
See dates on Klook
Day tour
From US$46.89
See dates on Klook
Day tour
From US$49
See dates on GetYourGuideThere’s more in the Fuji-area shrine visitor guide, the full list of things to do around Lake Kawaguchi and a numbered map of Kawaguchiko sights. The Mount Fuji day tours from Tokyo page compares the tours.
Before you go
Generally, yes: international credit, debit and prepaid cards are accepted throughout Japan. For cash, use Japan Post Bank and Seven Bank ATMs.
Yamanashi Red Cross Hospital, 6663-1 Funatsu, Fujikawaguchiko (0555-72-2222). It shares emergency care with Fujiyoshida Municipal Hospital, which asks emergency patients to phone first.
Stay on the trail: the forest is vast with few obvious landmarks, and GPS, phone signal and WiFi don't work under the dense trees.
Lava from the Jōgan eruption of 864 split the ancient lake Senoumi into Lake Sai, Lake Shōji and Lake Motosu. Floods hit Lake Kawaguchi's shores until a canal was finished in 1914.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons and Pexels. Authors and licences: image credits
