Kawaguchiko vs Hakone: times, costs and who each suits

Kawaguchiko

Lake town on the north side of Mt. Fuji

• Mount Fuji views are why most visitors come
• About 800 m up: cool summers, icy winters
• Art museums, theme parks and ski slopes nearby

Hakone

Mountain area west of Tokyo, the closest getaway from the city

• Hakone 17 hot springs and many onsen ryokan
• Fuji seen from many spots; more history and culture
• Crowded, expensive and kitschy, says Wikivoyage

Getting there from Tokyo

Hakone is the quicker ride: its tourist association calls it the closest tourist destination to central Tokyo⁵. Kawaguchiko takes longer whichever way you go.

Japan Experience, a travel agency, rounds it to about 1h30 for Hakone and 2h to 2h30⁶ for Kawaguchiko by train or bus. For every bus and train option, see Tokyo to Lake Kawaguchiko.

How do you get from Hakone to Kawaguchiko?

Take the bus: Hakone’s tourist association says the two are conveniently connected by bus⁷. Its suggested route from Shinjuku, the Romancecar to Hakone-Yumoto and then the direct bus on to Kawaguchiko, takes about 2.5 hours⁸ in total.

If you’d rather see the Kawaguchiko side without moving hotels, the same site recommends the Sunrise bus day trip⁸ from Hakone.

Choose Kawaguchiko if…

• Mount Fuji is the reason you’re going. Japan Experience rates Kawaguchiko the better option for proximity to Mount Fuji and for climbing it⁶.
• You want Fuji from your room. Hotels and ryokan around the lake often offer rooms with views of Mount Fuji⁶.
• You’d like to see more than one lake. Kawaguchiko is the most popular base¹⁴ for the Fuji Five Lakes, and JNTO’s itinerary runs 3 days, staying overnight near Lake Kawaguchi¹⁵.
• You don’t mind the cold. January averages a low of −5.7 °C¹⁶, so check seasonal weather and closures before you book.

Choose Hakone if…

• You want the shorter journey and more to do. Japan Experience rates Hakone the better option for the journey from Tokyo and for leisure activities⁶.
• Hot springs are the point. The official tourism site counts the Hakone 17 hot springs⁵, and Hakone has many onsen ryokan⁴.
• You like history and culture. Hakone’s tourist association says it has more historical and cultural attractions⁸, and Fuji is still visible from many places.
• You want a choice of room types. You can stay at a traditional ryokan, a luxury resort or a Western hotel¹⁷.

Neither place is quiet. Hakone gets called crowded, expensive and kitschy⁴ by Wikivoyage, and Lake Kawaguchi is the most touristic¹⁴ of the five lakes.

Which is easier as a day trip from Tokyo?

Hakone is the easier day trip: it’s closer, and Japan Experience says you can enjoy its attractions without staying overnight⁶. Hakone’s own tourist site agrees a day trip works, though it says an overnight stay lets you see more¹⁷.

For Kawaguchiko, most visitors come on day trips¹⁸, which adds to the traffic. A guided tour from Tokyo takes the bus planning off your hands.

Day tour

Mount Fuji Scenery Day Tour: Arakurayama Sengen Park, Kawaguchiko Oishi Park, Oshino Hakkai, Lawson and Hikawa Clock Shop (from Tokyo)

4.9 (12,278 reviews) on Klook, checked October 2026

From US$50.95

See dates on Klook

Day tour

Tokyo: Mt Fuji & Oishi Park & Lake Kawaguchi & Oshino Hakkai

4.8 (6,332 reviews) on GetYourGuide, checked October 2026

10 hours

From US$49

See dates on GetYourGuide

For other routes and prices, browse more Kawaguchiko day tours from Tokyo.