Kawaguchiko bus passes, bikes and taxis for getting around
Tour
Lake Kawaguchiko: Electric Mini Car Guided Tour
From US$256
5 (37 reviews) on GetYourGuide, checked October 2026
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See dates on GetYourGuideRound the lakes without a car
The route: Kawaguchiko bus lines step by step
Kawaguchiko Station is your hub. The bus ticket counter, the 5th Station buses5 and many bicycle rental outlets6 are all there.
No reservation needed2
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Arrive at Kawaguchiko Station
Highway buses from Busta Shinjuku 4F take about 1 hour 45 minutes; the train takes about 2 hours 10 minutes.
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Get a bus pass
Buy it at the Kawaguchiko Station counter, online or on the bus. The 2-day pass is not sold on board.
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Pick your line
Red Line: northern shore and Oishi Park. Green Line: Saiko, Aokigahara, Narusawa Ice Cave. Blue Line: Lake Shoji, Lake Motosu, Shibazakura venue.
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Hop on and pay
No reservation needed. Without a pass, zone-based fares start at ¥180.
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Chureito Pagoda by train
Take the Fujikyu Railway to Shimoyoshida Station, then walk about 25 minutes.
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Up Mount Fuji by bus
Buses leave Kawaguchiko Station: ¥2,000 one way, cash or IC card, no credit cards.
Your pass also covers the general bus lines in its area7, as well as the sightseeing loops. Coming from Tokyo first? See how to get to Kawaguchiko from Tokyo.
Match each line to your list of Kawaguchiko attractions by type. If you’d rather have the day planned for you, start by comparing Kawaguchiko itinerary options.
The Chureito Pagoda is about 25 minutes on foot from Shimoyoshida Station8 on the Fujikyu Railway Line. For the full visit, see walking up to the Chureito Pagoda.
Before you board
Bus ticket counters and opening hours
Check the counter hours below before you set off. The Kawaguchiko Station counter keeps the longest hours.
Station counter 6:30 AM–7:00 PM2
| Ticket counter | Opening hours |
|---|---|
| Kawaguchiko Station | 6:30 AM–7:00 PM2 (checked October 2026) |
| Mt. Fuji Station | |
| Yamanakako Asahigaoka Bus Terminal | 9:00 AM–4:00 PM2 |
| Fuji-Q Highland Bus Terminal | 11:00 AM–7:00 PM9 |
Fares and passes
What you pay
Local bus fares are low and one pass covers most of the lakes. The bus up Mount Fuji and driving the Fuji Subaru Line cost more.
Day pass ¥1,5002
Bus, bike and road costs around Kawaguchiko
| Ticket | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| Sightseeing bus, single ride | from ¥180 | – |
| Sightseeing bus day pass | ¥1,500 | ¥750 |
| Sightseeing bus multi-day pass | ¥2,000 (2 days) | ¥1,000 |
| Mount Fuji bus, one way | ¥2,000 | – |
| Mount Fuji bus, round trip | ¥3,400 | – |
| Rental bicycle, standard | about ¥600 per hour | – |
| Fuji Subaru Line toll, ordinary car | ¥2,800 round trip | – |
| Fuji-san Parking during the car ban | ¥1,000 per car | – |
Fujikyu Bus (operator); fujisan.ne.jp (official); japan-guide.com (travel guide); pref.yamanashi.jp (official)
Single bus fares are zone-based2, so a ride out to Lake Motosu costs more than a hop along the north shore.
Bus, bike or taxi
Routes compared
The bus or a bike covers Lake Kawaguchi itself. Taxis are quicker for single hops, and highway buses link you to Gotemba and Mishima.
Lake lap just under 20 km4
| Way | Goes to | Time | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Line bus | Northern shore, Oishi Park, Kawaguchiko Herb Museum | – | from ¥180 | Fujikyu Bus (operator) |
| Green Line bus | Saiko, Aokigahara, Narusawa Ice Cave | – | from ¥180 | Fujikyu Bus (operator) |
| Blue Line bus | Lake Shoji, Lake Motosu, Shibazakura venue | – | from ¥180 | Fujikyu Bus (operator) |
| Mount Fuji bus | Fuji-Subaru Line 5th Station | – | ¥2,000 one way | Fujikyu Bus (operator) |
| Train and walk | Chureito Pagoda via Shimoyoshida Station | about 25 min walk from the station | – | fujiyoshida.net (official) |
| Rental bike | Lap of Lake Kawaguchi, just under 20 km | – | about ¥600 per hour | fujisan.ne.jp (official) |
| Taxi | Oishi Park | about 15 min | – | yamanashi-kankou.jp (official) |
| Taxi | Kawaguchiko Music Forest Museum | about 16 min | about ¥2,000 | Kawaguchiko Music Forest Museum (operator) |
| Highway bus | Gotemba | about 55 min | from ¥2,300 | Fujikyu Bus (operator) |
| Highway bus | Mishima Station, booking required | about 80–90 min | from ¥2,700 | Fujikyu Bus (operator) |
Fujikyu Bus (operator); fujiyoshida.net (official); fujisan.ne.jp (official); yamanashi-kankou.jp (official); Kawaguchiko Music Forest Museum (operator)
Quick pick. Fastest to the north shore: a taxi, about 15 minutes10 from the station to Oishi Park. Cheapest: a single bus ride from ¥1802 (about US$1). Most flexible: the day pass, with no booking needed2 on any line.
Still choosing a base? The Lake Kawaguchiko area guide sets out the options around the shore.
Can you cycle around Kawaguchiko?
Yes. You can rent bicycles at shops around Lake Kawaguchiko11, and one lap of the lake is just under 20 km4.
- Fuji Kanko Travel, in front of Kawaguchiko Station: bike rental and luggage storage, open 9:00–17:30, last rental 15:3012. It closes temporarily in bad weather12.
- Other outlets: Wikivoyage counts many bicycle rental outlets outside Kawaguchiko Station6.
- Bike types: some shops also rent cross bikes, e-assist bikes and children’s bikes4.
Lake-hopping by bike is another matter. japan-guide.com warns that some roads are busy and the distances between the lakes are considerable1, so ride round Lake Kawaguchi and take the Green or Blue Line to Saiko and beyond.
Walking the full lap makes for a long day. Walk a stretch of the northern shore instead and catch the Red Line back.
Where can you park for free at Lake Kawaguchi?
The free prefectural car park on the Lake Kawaguchi shore holds about 300 cars13. The Mt Fuji Panoramic Ropeway asks its drivers to park there14.
Taxis and guided drives
Taxis work well for one-off hops, and the table above shows two sample rides from the station. Fuji Kanko Travel also runs sightseeing taxis to popular spots around the Fuji Five Lakes12.
If you’d rather someone else plans the route round the lake, these guided trips can be booked online:
Save yourself the hassle
Tips: common mistakes to avoid
Most mix-ups come down to payment, booking and the weather.
No credit cards on the Mount Fuji bus5
- Paying by card on the bus up Mount Fuji. Credit cards are not accepted on board5. Pay in cash or with a transport IC card such as PASMO5.
- Counting on the Mount Fuji bus in any conditions. The buses up the mountain are suspended when the Fuji Subaru Line is closed or open only up to the 1st Station5.
- Turning up for the Mishima bus without a seat. It must be booked in advance, and every seat is reserved16.
- Buying an express ticket for a short hop. Between Kawaguchiko and Mt. Fuji stations, a regular train ticket is enough, even on express trains17.
- Dragging big bags round the lake. The town tourism site advises coin lockers or luggage storage for large bags4.
- Underdressing in winter. January’s average daily low is −5.7 °C18, so dress warmly for bus stops and bike rides.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons and Pexels. Authors and licences: image credits
Checked against 23 sources · last checked October 2026
- japan-guide.com (travel guide) · checked October 2026
- Fujikyu Bus (operator) · checked October 2026
- European Central Bank (official) · checked October 2026
- fujisan.ne.jp (official) · checked October 2026
- Fujikyu Bus (operator) · checked October 2026
- Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
- Jorudan (booking agent) · checked October 2026
- fujiyoshida.net (official) · checked October 2026
- Fujikyu Bus (operator) · checked October 2026
- yamanashi-kankou.jp (official) · checked October 2026
- yamanashi-kankou.jp (official) · checked October 2026
- fujisan.ne.jp (official) · checked October 2026
- mtfujiropeway.jp (operator) · checked October 2026
- mtfujiropeway.jp (operator) · checked October 2026
- pref.yamanashi.jp (official) · checked October 2026
- Fujikyu Bus (operator) · checked October 2026
- Fujikyu Railway (operator) · checked October 2026
- data.jma.go.jp (official) · checked October 2026
- Fujikyu Bus (operator) · checked October 2026
- Travel Japan (japan.travel) (official) · checked October 2026
- yamanashi-kankou.jp (official) · checked October 2026
- japan-guide.com (travel guide) · checked October 2026
- Kawaguchiko Music Forest Museum (operator) · checked October 2026
Page history · last changed 20 October 2026
- Updated: new sections: The route: Kawaguchiko bus lines step by step; Bus ticket counters and opening hours; Tips: common mistakes to avoid, 3 sections removed, 1 sourced fact added, 13 removed.
- First written
