niallco

I'm back in Yokohama in early December, I seen most of Tokyo & Yokohama during my trip in June. I've a spare full Saturday before I fly home the Sunday morning.

Am staying next to the Yokohama Shin station - is it do-able & worthwhile to see Mt Fuji?

If so, can anyone recommend a good tour company / some logisitics?

Thanks..

5khours

Try Google Maps. Shin Yokohama Station to Mt. Fuji 5th Station. Should be about 3 or 4 hours by public transport. Or you could rent a car. No need for a guide.

JapanFlyerT

By "see" do you mean climb or view?
The best views of Mt Fuji around about 10-20km away. Once on the Mt you don't see it (though views of the surrounding can be nice IF the weather is fine).

I agree there is no need for a guide.

niallco

That I don't know! I was told it was worth a visit - wouldn't mind doing some of a hike but If there is somewhere else I can get better pics/view - I'd head there instead?

niallco

Thanks for that, I'd prefer to just pay for a one stop tour though without multi stops

KI-NRT

Early Winter is a great time to see Mt. Fuji - the crisp air and clear skies often result in very nice views of Fuji. If all you want to do is have a good look, two great places are Kawaguchiko (Lake Kawaguchi) as well as Hakone, which has two (of many) great spots in Ashinoko (Lake Ashi) and Owakudani.

You can get to Kawaguchiko Station by taking the Shinkansen to Mishima, and then transferring to a local line. It takes roughly 2 hours. Getting to Hakone is far easier (and quicker); you take the Shinkansen to Odawara Station, then take the local line to Hakone-Yumoto Station. From there, you can either bus it or take a taxi to Owakudani or Ashinoko. Or just rent a car - it gives you the most flexibility and it's easy to drive in most parts of the country.

Before you go, make sure to check out one of the various forecasts as well as webcams to check that Fuji will be visible. Early morning (and to a slightly lesser extent, late afternoon) will give you the best shot at a clear view.

YariGuy

Why not Hakone? Fastest way may be ~1.5 hours each way. It's a shame you're not spending the night, but it's a great view. This is one from the pirate ship.

Shin-Yokohama by shinkansen to Odawara, then quick bus ride.

niallco

That's great and very helpful thanks, will look into those options

niallco

Brilliant thanks

SP0

I am thinking about a day trip to Hakone from Yokohama later this week. Would welcome some advice. It does seem very spread out, and if I don’t plan well I might spend the whole day waiting for buses.

I was thinking of going to the open-air sculpture museum, an onsen, Pola Museum of Art, and perhaps Owajudani for the steaming vents if it is not too touristy. Does that sound doable in a day? Are there plenty of taxis so I can avoid some slow buses?

KI-NRT

If you really want to try and squeeze everything into a day, then for some of those places you might want to grab a taxi rather than waiting for buses (especially if you just missed one.)

By the way - last I checked (last week), Fuji had zero snow in its peaks. It was barren brown at the top, making it less photogenic than what it will typically look like at around this time next month.

JapanFlyerT

The Mt Fuji summit is a full day (3-5hrs up, 2-4hrs down).

A bus to the 5th station is easy, and there are a some short walks. But you won't be viewing the mountain itself.

One of the most famous views is from Chureito. You can walk up to the Pagoda in about 10-15 minutes.
https://www.kanpai-japan.com/fujiyos...urayama-sengen

RichardInSF

The original poster is planning to visit in December. It's highly unlikely they'd be attempting a climb then!

In addition to the pirate ship, there is a great view of Fuji on a clear day from the Hakone ropeway. If you do decide to go to Hakone, be sure to get the Hakone Free pass in Odawara. Despite the name, it's not free, but it covers pretty much every form of transport you will take, yes, including the pirate ship, arrrgh!

JapanFlyerT

Good point. Even the 5th station may not be accessible.