Day tour
Mount Fuji Scenery Day Tour: Arakurayama Sengen Park, Kawaguchiko Oishi Park, Oshino Hakkai, Lawson and Hikawa Clock Shop (from Tokyo)
From US$50.95
See dates on Klook
Tokyo to Lake Kawaguchiko: buses, trains, times and fares
Day tour
Mount Fuji Scenery Day Tour: Arakurayama Sengen Park, Kawaguchiko Oishi Park, Oshino Hakkai, Lawson and Hikawa Clock Shop (from Tokyo)
From US$50.95
4.9 (12,278 reviews) on Klook, checked October 2026
We may get a commission from Klook, Viator or GetYourGuide bookings, with no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure
See dates on KlookQuick pick:
- Cheapest: the highway bus from Busta Shinjuku, ¥2,0001 (about US$13) on the discounted adult fare.
- Fastest by public transport: the same bus, about 1 hour 45 minutes1 to Kawaguchiko Station.
- Fastest overall: driving, about 1 hour 30 minutes4 to Kawaguchiko I.C. on the Chuo Expressway.
- No change of train: a JR direct train runs daily between Tokyo and Kawaguchiko with no change5.
Lake Kawaguchi is the easiest of the Fuji Five Lakes to reach6, and every public transport route below ends at Kawaguchiko Station. The town sits on the north side of Mount Fuji4 (Mt. Fuji).
The bus from Shinjuku
The route: Busta Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko Station, step by step
About 1 hour 45 minutes1
The highway bus from the Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal (Busta Shinjuku) is the simplest way in: one booking, one seat, and you step off at Kawaguchiko Station. The terminal is about 2 minutes7 from the New South Gate of JR Shinjuku Station.
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Book your seat
Booking opens one month before travel, and online seats sell until 10 minutes before departure.
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Find Busta Shinjuku
Busta Shinjuku (the Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal) is about 2 minutes from the New South Gate of JR Shinjuku Station.
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Go up to the highway bus terminal
Buses to Kawaguchiko leave from the 4th floor. Luggage can't be reserved, so be early with big bags.
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Ride to Kawaguchiko Station
The trip takes about 1 hour 45 minutes; accidents, traffic and bad weather can make it later.
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Carry on from the station
The bus up the Fuji Subaru Line takes about 50 minutes; the train to Shimoyoshida, for Arakurayama Sengen Park, is ¥310.
Once you’re off the bus, local buses and bikes around the lake take over.
Trains and the mountain bus
Timetable: through trains and the first bus up Mount Fuji
Rail is the limited option from Tokyo: only a handful of through trains run each day, so pick yours before you plan anything else.
Fuji Excursion: 4 round trips a day3
| Train | Route | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Fuji Excursion | Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko |
4 round trips a day, plus one more in some seasons3 |
| JR direct train | Tokyo to Kawaguchiko |
2 a day each way5 |
For the highway bus, choose a departure when you book on Fujikyu Bus’s site. The onward bus from Kawaguchiko Station up the Fuji Subaru Line runs to its own timetable:
Fares and tolls
What you pay from Tokyo and at the lake
Buses are the budget choice; the Fuji Excursion costs the most but books you a train seat all the way.
Bus from ¥2,2001
Fares and tolls from Tokyo and at the lake
| Ticket | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| Highway bus, Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko | From ¥2,200 | From ¥1,100 |
| Highway bus, Shinjuku, discounted fare | ¥2,000 | Half the adult fare |
| Highway bus, Tokyo Station or Ueno | From ¥2,300 | – |
| Fuji Excursion, Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko | ¥4,200 | – |
| Fujikyu Line, Otsuki to Kawaguchiko | ¥1,170 | – |
| Fujikyu Line, Kawaguchiko to Shimoyoshida | ¥310 | – |
| Bus up the Fuji Subaru Line, one way | ¥2,000 | – |
| Bus up the Fuji Subaru Line, round trip | ¥3,400 | – |
| Chuo Expressway toll, Kawaguchiko IC to Takaido IC (ordinary car) | ¥3,010 | – |
Fujikyu Bus (operator); Fujikyu Railway (operator); Drive Plaza (operator)
The Fuji Excursion’s ¥4,200 (about US$27) (checked October 2026) is a ¥2,580 (about US$16) basic fare plus a ¥1,6203 (about US$10) limited express ticket. The Subaru Line bus fares in the table took effect on 1 July 20268.
Bus, train or car
Which is the best way from Tokyo?
For most people it’s the highway bus from Busta Shinjuku: the cheapest and quickest public option, bookable online until 10 minutes7 before departure.
| Route | Leaves from | Time | Adult fare or toll | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highway bus from Shinjuku | Busta Shinjuku, 4th floor | About 1 hour 45 minutes | From ¥2,200 | Opens one month ahead |
| Highway bus from Tokyo Station | Yaesu South Exit bus terminal | About 2 hours | From ¥2,300 | All seats reserved, buy in advance |
| Fuji Excursion train | Shinjuku | About 2 hours 10 minutes | ¥4,200 | JR East ticket offices and machines |
| JR Chuo Line, change at Otsuki | Tokyo | Not listed | ¥1,170 for the Otsuki leg | Not listed |
| Car | Chuo Expressway | About 1 hour 30 minutes to Kawaguchiko I.C. | ¥3,010 toll from Takaido IC | No booking |
Fujikyu Bus (operator); Fujikyu Railway (operator); yamanashi-kankou.jp (official); Wikivoyage; Drive Plaza (operator)
Going via Otsuki on the JR Chuo Line
From Tokyo you can take the JR Chuo Line to Otsuki and change there to the Fujikyu Line6. The Fujikyu Line runs 26.6 km9 from Otsuki to Kawaguchiko. Its fare table shows ¥1,170 (about US$7) for that run, with a ¥40010 (about US$3) Fujisan Express limited express charge on top.
Driving from Tokyo
The drive is about 1 hour 30 minutes4 to Kawaguchiko I.C., and the standard ordinary-car toll between Takaido IC and Kawaguchiko IC is ¥3,01011 (about US$19). The Mt Fuji Panoramic Ropeway asks drivers to use the free prefectural car park on the lakeshore12, which holds about 30013 cars.
Stopping at Arakurayama Sengen Park
Arakurayama Sengen Park is an easy add-on by rail. Shimoyoshida is the Fujikyu Railway station that serves it9, ¥31014 (about US$2) from Kawaguchiko.
Entry is free15, and Fujiyoshida’s official tourism site calls it one of Japan’s most spectacular viewpoints of Mount Fuji16. More on visiting Arakurayama Sengen Park and the pagoda.
Letting a day tour do the transport
A guided day tour from Tokyo takes the bookings and connections off your hands. Compare Kawaguchiko tour types and prices, or plan it yourself with this day-by-day Kawaguchiko itinerary from Tokyo.
Day tour
Tokyo: Mt Fuji & Oishi Park & Lake Kawaguchi & Oshino Hakkai
From US$49
See dates on GetYourGuideHaven’t settled on the lake yet? Start with choosing between Hakone and Kawaguchiko.
Booking traps
Tips and common mistakes
Most problems on this trip come from booking rules, not from the journey itself.
- Turning up for the Fuji Excursion without a ticket. The train has no unreserved seats3. Tickets go on sale one month before the travel date, at JR East Midori no Madoguchi ticket offices and JR East reserved-seat ticket machines3.
- Doing the same at Tokyo Station. On the Tokyo Station bus, all seats are reserved and tickets must be bought in advance17.
- Ringing too early on opening day. Phone bookings for the Shinjuku bus are taken only from 9:00 AM1 on the day reservations open.
- Changing a booking in the wrong place. Cancellations and changes must be made on the website where you booked18.
- Waiting for a bus on a busy day. On public holidays and in the autumn leaves season, bicycles may be faster than buses around the lake6.
Staying the night takes the pressure off the return trip: see Kawaguchiko hotel options by area.
Before you set off
Road and weather on the way in
Road conditions decide how long the bus or the car takes, and the area gets extremely cold in winter4.
Subaru Line full opening: 18 April 202619
- Bus arrival times can be delayed by accidents, traffic jams and extreme weather, and fares aren’t refunded when the bus arrives late1.
- Yamanashi Prefecture announced on 15 April 2026 that the full Fuji Subaru Line was expected to open from 9 AM on 18 April 202619.
- In the same release, the prefecture said traffic restrictions may still be imposed after full opening, depending on the weather19.
- Lake Kawaguchi has frequently icy winters20, and January’s average daily low is −5.7 °C21. Check the month by month weather guide before a winter trip.
Flying into Japan
Arriving from abroad
Entry rules are set by Japan, not by Kawaguchiko. Japan’s Immigration Services Agency asks every foreign national entering Japan for the first time to submit a Disembarkation Card for Foreigners (ED card)22.
- The agency recommends submitting the ED card electronically through Visit Japan Web22 to speed up entry.
- If you’re not comfortable with a smartphone, submit the paper ED card instead; it must be filled in in English or Japanese22.
- Check your length-of-stay figures: wrongly entered length of stay is a common error22.
Fujikyu runs highway buses straight from both Tokyo airports to Kawaguchiko Station:
| From | Time | Adult fare | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haneda Airport or Shinagawa | About 2 hours 50 minutes24 from Haneda |
From ¥2,30024 (about US$15) (Haneda costs more than Shinagawa) |
Advance reservation required for some departures24 |
| Narita Airport | About 3 hours 40 minutes, including a rest stop25 |
From ¥6,00025 (about US$38) |
Online or by phone, from one month before25 |
Questions people ask
Is Kawaguchiko in Tokyo?
No. Lake Kawaguchi is in the town of Fujikawaguchiko in southern Yamanashi Prefecture, on the north side of Mount Fuji.
How far is Lake Kawaguchiko from Tokyo?
By road, the Chuo Expressway route from Kawaguchiko IC to Takaido IC in Tokyo is 93.9 km.
What is there to do at Lake Kawaguchiko?
Most visitors come for Mount Fuji views. The area also has art museums, theme parks, ski slopes and hot springs; swimming isn't allowed in the lakes.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons and Pexels. Authors and licences: image credits
Checked against 26 sources · last checked October 2026
- Fujikyu Bus (operator) · checked October 2026
- European Central Bank (official) · checked October 2026
- Fujikyu Railway (operator) · checked October 2026
- yamanashi-kankou.jp (official) · checked October 2026
- Fujikyu Railway (operator) · checked October 2026
- Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
- Fujikyu Bus (operator) · checked October 2026
- Fujikyu Bus (operator) · checked October 2026
- Fujikyu Railway (operator) · checked October 2026
- Fujikyu Railway (operator) · checked October 2026
- Drive Plaza (operator) · checked October 2026
- mtfujiropeway.jp (operator) · checked October 2026
- mtfujiropeway.jp (operator) · checked October 2026
- Fujikyu Railway (operator) · checked October 2026
- gltjp.com (travel guide) · checked October 2026
- fujiyoshida.net (official) · checked October 2026
- Fujikyu Bus (operator) · checked October 2026
- Fujikyu Bus (operator) · checked October 2026
- pref.yamanashi.jp (official) · checked October 2026
- Wikipedia · checked October 2026
- data.jma.go.jp (official) · checked October 2026
- moj.go.jp (official) · checked October 2026
- moj.go.jp (official) · checked October 2026
- Fujikyu Bus (operator) · checked October 2026
- Fujikyu Bus (operator) · checked October 2026
- Travel Japan (japan.travel) (official) · checked October 2026
Page history · last changed 20 October 2026
- Updated: new sections: The route: Shinjuku bus step by step; Timetable and frequency; Routes compared: which is the best way from Tokyo?; …, 6 sections removed, 4 sourced facts added, 7 removed; Updated: new sections: The route: Busta Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko Station, step by step; Timetable: through trains and the first bus up Mount Fuji; What you pay from Tokyo and at the lake; …, 5 sections removed, 15 sourced facts added, 3 removed.
- First written
