The 8 Best Places To Admire Mount Fuji
Japan's famous Mount Fuji. There's just something about its calm, majestic presence that uplifts your spirits and elevates your trip. Indeed, many locals and tourists travel to great lengths so that they can view and take photographs of this well-loved UNESCO World Heritage Site. So won't you want to admire in awe at Mount Fuji and take in its fabulous aura? Presenting to you 8 cool places which are not only easy to get to, but also boast an uninterrupted view of the mountain!
This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
1. Arakurayama Sengen Park [Yamanashi Prefecture]
Mount Fuji exerts its mighty presence on the border between Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures. As such, a fabulous place in Yamanashi where you can enjoy Mount Fuji will be Arakurayama Sengen Park in Fuji Yoshida City. It houses the strikingly red and green five-storied Chureito Pagoda, which when juxtaposed against the pure white Mount Fuji makes for a photograph that is quintessentially Japanese. Be sure to visit this landmark in early April because pockets of cherry blossoms will bloom in full glory, thus adding to the visual feast.
Let's head on over to the observation deck in this park so as to partake in this million dollar view!
How to Get to Arakurayama Sengen Park from Tokyo:
1. Go to Takao Station in the far west of Tokyo and take the 40-minute Chuo Line train to Otsuki Station.
2. Upon reaching Otsuki Station, take the Fuji Kyuko Line and alight at Shimoyoshida Station.
3. Upon reaching Shimoyoshida Station, walk 10 minutes to arrive at Arakura Sengen Shrine. Climb up the hill for another five minutes and you will arrive at the pagoda.
2. Oshino Hakkai [Yamanashi Prefecture]
Another awesome place to savor the sight of Mount Fuji is a village called Oshino Hakkai in the Fuji Five Lake region. It is composed of eight ponds that showcase tantalisingly delicious spring water from Mount Fuji. (Yes, you can drink water directly from one of the ponds!)
Nestled within this village is an open-air museum called Hannoki Bayashi Shiryokan. Featuring a traditional thatched roof farmhouse, this museum is the perfect foreground to complement Mount Fuji. It truly makes you marvel at the majesty of Mount Fuji - eras come and go, but it will always be around.
It's best if you can visit this landmark in autumn as the vivid colors of the fall foliage will add an attractive dimension to your photographs.
How to Get to Oshino Hakkai from Tokyo:
1. Make your way to Shinjuku Highway Bus Terminal and board an express bus bound for Mount Fuji. You can check the bus timings and fares here.
2. Get off at Oshino Hakkai bus stop.
3. Lake Shoji [Yamanashi Prefecture]
This is for travellers who just want to admire the entire expanse of Mount Fuji without any distractions. This is also for travellers who wish to savor the rare sight of Mount Fuji reflected in a lake. If these descriptions appeal to you, read on. At Lake Shoji - which is one of the Fuji Five Lakes - you can take in a gorgeous sweeping view of Mount Fuji from its foot to its summit and witness its unbridled serenity.
As if this isn't enough, you get to see the smaller Mount Omuro positioned strategically in front of Mount Fuji - what a rare geographical sight this is! So come here and take photographs that will make your social media followers swoon!
How to Get to Lake Shoji from Tokyo:
1. Make your way to Shinjuku Highway Bus Terminal and board an express bus bound for Mount Fuji. You can check the bus timings and fares here.
2. Alight at Kawaguchiko Station and board the Narusawa, Lake Shoji, Lake Motosu tour bus (Blue Line).
3. After 40 minutes, alight at Kodakifuji View Point bus stop.
4. Nihondaira [Shizuoka Prefecture]
Part of Mount Fuji also lies in Shizuoka Prefecture, so without further ado, let's find out where the sweet spots for viewing it in Shizuoka are.
If you wish to see how the panoramic landscape of Mount Fuji fuses with the cityscape of man-made structures, we recommend that you make your way to Nihondaira. Located near Suruga Bay in Shizuoka City, Nihondaira offers an elevated spot of 307 meters above sea level that enables you to look out over Shimizu Port, the Izu Peninsula and Mount Fuji. The night view here is especially stunning, and it's wonderful to take in the numerous flickering lights and imagine how Japanese people go about their daily lives, with Mount Fuji as their guardian spirit.
How to Get to Nihondaira from Tokyo:
1. At Tokyo Station, take the JR Tokaido Shinkansen directly to Shizuoka Station.
2. At Shizuoka Station, take the Shizuoka Nihondaira bus to the Nihondaira stop, which is the final stop. This bus ride takes about 35 minutes. Nihondaira is a short walk away
5. Miho no Matsubara [Shizuoka Prefecture]
Nature lovers will surely gravitate towards Miho no Matsubara, a spellbinding area on the Miho Peninsula of Shizuoka City. Here, the vivid blue sea is flanked with rows of majestic pine trees that are reportedly two hundred years old. Feel the commanding presence of these trees as they lend a dynamic touch to the sight of Mount Fuji spanning the background.
In fact, the juxtaposition of these ancient pine trees with Mount Fuji is so compelling that the pine groves were recognized as part of the Fujisan Cultural Site by UNESCO in 2013!
So go on, have a spiritual moment here. Listen to the sea waves crashing in and appreciate how the magnificence of Mount Fuji and pine trees transcends time.
How to Get to Miho no Matsubara from Tokyo:
1. At Tokyo Station, take the JR Tokaido Shinkansen directly to Shizuoka Station.
2. At Shizuoka Station, take the Tokaido line and alight at Shimizu Station.
3. At Shimizu Station, take the Shizutetsu bus bound for the Tokai University Miho Aquarium. You will reach the pine grove and beach about 25 minutes later.
6. Mt. Fuji Shizuoka Airport [Shizuoka Prefecture]
Watching planes take off or land is a great way to pass a lazy afternoon and aviation fans, in particular, will be thrilled to observe planes and Mount Fuji at the same time. At Mt. Fuji Shizuoka Airport, there are not just one, but two observation decks in which you can do so - all the better to compare differing views of Mount Fuji. So at the Sekiun-in Temple Observation Deck and the Terminal Observation Deck, you can marvel at the technological wizardry of Japanese airline planes as well as soak in the awesomeness of Mount Fuji.
How to Get to Mt. Fuji Shizuoka Airport from Tokyo:
1. At Tokyo Station, take the JR Tokaido Shinkansen directly to Shizuoka Station.
2. At Shizuoka Station, board a Shizutetsu Justline bus and alight at the last stop, which is the Mt. Fuji Shizuoka Airport stop. This bus ride will take about 50 minutes. For the bus timetable, you may click here.
7. Hakone Ropeway [Kanagawa Prefecture]
Perhaps you do not have time to visit Yamanashi and Shizuoka. Fret not. Some popular sightseeing spots also allow you to get up close and personal with Mount Fuji. Take for instance Hakone Ropeway that will allow you to reach the resort town of Hakone. Stretching for about 4 kilometers, it connects stations like Sounzan Station and Togendai Station, both of which boast unparalleled views of Mount Fuji.
What's more, as you set off from Sounzan Station, the ropeway gradually ascends up the mountain, thus setting your heart on fire. You will feel as if you are walking on air and coming closer to the warm embrace of Mount Fuji!
How to Get to Hakone Ropeway from Tokyo:
1. At Tokyo Station, take the JR Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen directly to Odawara Station.
2. At Odawara Station, board the Hakone Tozan Line mountain train and alight at the terminus Gora, where you can get on the Hakone Ropeway gondola.
8. Lake Ashinoko [Kanagawa Prefecture]
Once you reach Hakone, why not join the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise that lets you continue to be enamored of Mount Fuji. This cruise brings you on a journey across the idyllic Lake Ashinoko. Here, the snow-capped Mount Fuji adds an air of tranquility to the placid lake, so you should just sit back and enjoy the splendor of Mother Nature.
Also be sure to look out for the humongous torii gate known as the Torii of Peace. Its bright red exterior contrasts nicely with the pristine white Mount Fuji. Your social media accounts crave for such uniquely Japanese photographs as this!
How to Get to Lake Ashinoko from Tokyo:
1. At Tokyo Station, take the JR Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen directly to Odawara Station.
2. At Odawara Station, board the Hakone Tozan Line mountain train and alight at the terminus Gora, where you can get on the Hakone Ropeway gondola.
3. Get off at Togendai Station, which is at the northern end of the lake. Join in the queue for the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise.
Arguably the symbol of Japan, Mount Fuji arrests travellers' attention the moment they see it from their airplane window during their entry to Japan. We at tsunagu Japan hope that these eight places - each showcasing a regal and awe-inspiring side of Mount Fuji - will allow you to gain as much spiritual energy as you can from this world gem!
If you want to give feedback on any of our articles, you have an idea that you'd really like to see come to life, or you just have a question on Japan, hit us up on our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!
The information in this article is accurate at the time of publication.
About the author
