...

Vegetarian's Japan Guide

The Ultimate Guide to How to Get to Kawaguchiko from Tokyo

Kawaguchiko (河口湖) or Lake Kawaguchi are one of Japan’s top tourist destinations. But because the lake at the foot of Mt. Fuji isn’t located in Tokyo’s city center, you may be wondering how to get from Tokyo to Kawaguchiko. If that is the case, read on to discover the best way for you to get to Mt. Fuji from Tokyo. Whether it is from Shinjuku, Haneda Airport, or Shinagawa, we got you covered!

As there are many ways to get to Kawaguchiko from Tokyo, it would be complicated to consider the convenience, cost, and boarding point at the same time while planning. We have split the different ways for you to get to Mt. Fuji from Tokyo into three categories:

Tip: Refer to HERE for a list of the tours with an English-speaking guide to explore Mt. Fuji/Kawaguchiko and the surrounding attractions.

By Fuji Excursion

To accommodate the mass amount of passengers traveling from Tokyo to Kawaguchiko, JR East Japan introduced the limited express service, Fuji Excursion (富士回遊), in March 2019.

© photo-ac.com

Fuji Excursion connects JR’s Chūō Line and Fujikyūkō Line, replacing the Narita Express (成田エクスプレス).

The best thing about Fuji Excursion is that it saves the trouble of transferring, saving you time on transportation. But Fuji Excursion only has three services to and from Kawaguchiko each day, so advance planning is required if you want to take Fuji Excursion to Kawaguchiko.

For more information, refer to our article on Fuji Excursion!

Tip: Get the JR Tokyo Wide Pass for unlimited rides on Fuji Excursion. You can pre-purchase yours HERE!

By Direct JR Trains – Rapid Trains

Apart from the Fuji Excursion, you can also take the rapid trains (快速) from Tokyo to Kawaguchiko. However, note that the rapid trains only depart from Tokyo at night. The rapid train services arriving in Tokyo from Mt. Fuji leave in the early morning, which makes this option inconvenient if you plan on spending one day at Mt. Fuji.

The rapid service is also available from Mt. Takao (Takao Station, 高尾駅).

© photo-ac.com
Train Service/TimetableMain StationsNo. of ServicesRequired TimeOne-Way Cost
Tokyo ⇔ KawaguchikoTokyo, Shinjuku, Mitaka, Hachiōji, Ōtsuki2 services to and from KawaguchikoAround 3 hours2,690 from Tokyo
Takao Station ⇔ KawaguchikoŌtsuki1 service to and from KawaguchikoAround 2 hours1,760 from Takao

By JR Chūō Line (中央線) + Fujikyūkō Line (富士急行線)

© photo-ac.com

If Fuji Excursion’s departure time doesn’t suit your schedule, your next option is JR Chūō Line + Fujikyūkō Line. While this option takes 2 to 3 hours, depending on the train type you choose, it still provides much more flexibility. Some trains might even be decorated!

JR Chūō Line departs from Shinjuku (新宿). The connecting station from Fujikyūkō Line is Ōtsuki Station (大月駅). Both JR and Fujikyūkō lines have both local and limited express trains.

Train TypeNumber of TransferRequired TimeOne-Way Cost from Shinjuku
Both limited expressOne timeAround 2 hours3,530 yen
Both local trainsAt least twiceAround 3 hoursAround 2,500 yen

JR Chūō Line’s Limited Express Trains

The limited express trains that may stop at Ōtsuki Station are Kaiji (かいじ), Azusa (あずさ), and Super Azusa (スーパーあずさ). All three of them are covered by the JR Tokyo Wide Pass. Because they depart from Shinjuku Station, it will be less confusing if you make a transfer at Shinjuku. The Chūō Line has a designated platform there.

Important: Not all Kaiji, Azusa, and Super Azusa trains stop at Ōtsuki Station. Please confirm before boarding.

© photo-ac.com

Fujikyūkō Line’s Limited Express and Local Trains

© photo-ac.com

After you get to Ōtsuki Station, you can decide if you want to spend extra money to take a limited express to Kawaguchiko.

  • Local trains: the local train will stop at all stations from Ōtsuki Station to Kawaguchiko. But you might be just in time to catch one of the four services decorated with Thomas & Friends images.
    • Refer to Fuji Kyuko’s website HERE for the Thomas & Friends trains’ timetable. You can translate it to English using Google Chrome’s translation function at the right of the address bar.

Direct High-Speed Bus

If you still find the above information confusing, the easiest and cheapest way to travel from Tokyo to Mt. Fuji is by direct high-speed bus. The required amount of time for this option is around the same as taking trains without the traffic jam.

© photo-ac.com
Depart fromRequired TimeCost
Haneda AirportAround 3 hours2,520 yen
Tokyo Station2.5 – 3 hours2,000 yen
ShinagawaAround 2 hours2,040 yen
Shinjuku Bus Terminal (バスタ新宿)Around 2 hours2,000 yen
Shibuya/FutagotamagawaAround 2 hours2,000 yen
YokohamaAround 2 hours2,020 yen

Important: Taking a bus to Mt. Fuji/Kawaguchiko isn’t recommended on weekends and public holidays as you will most likely be stuck in traffic.

Exploring Mt. Fuji and the Surrounding Attractions With a Tour

If you prefer to explore the magnificent Mt. Fuji with a guided tour, below is a list of tour packages you can consider!

Mt. Fuji/Fuji Five Lake Tours

Mt. Fuji and the Surrounding Attractions Tours

Mt. Fuji + Hakone Tours

Finding out the Tokyo Transportation Ticket that Suits You the Most

Asukayama-Park-Cherry-Blossom-Festival-Tokyo-Japan
Click the photo for more information on Tokyo’s transportation passes!

Whether it is your first time in Tokyo or you have been to Japan’s capital previously, deciding which Tokyo’s transportation pass is suitable for you can be tricky. So if you are unsure which discounted transportation ticket you should get, our Guide to Tokyo’s Transportation Passes should hopefully point you in the right direction!