Fuji Hakone one day trip sample itinerary. You can visit both Lake Kawaguchi and Hakone by day trip from Tokyo!

fuji kawaguchiko1 to 3 days
2016.09.25
View of Mt Fuji from Lake Kawaguchi
View of Mt Fuji from Lake Kawaguchi

I actually do not recommend to visit Lake Kawaguchi and Hakone in one day. There are many places to see. One way is not obviously enough to visit these places. But some of you have very tight schedule. You cannot choose which one you visit. You may be wondering if you have to visit one of Lake Kawaguchi or Hakone. This sample itinerary may be suitable for you. It is very very tight schedule and you have to give up many places. But you can visit most of highlights at both side of Fuji, Hakone and Lake Kawaguchi. You may be okay to see these places in Hakone and Lake Kawaguchi.

This itinerary has been created by timetable in September, 2016. If you try to do this plan, please check the updated timetable before you go.

If you look for the itinerary to Hakone only, please see the link below:

How to build the trip plan to Hakone. Various sample itineraries of Hakone

You also find 2-day itinerary of Fuji and Hakone in the link below:

Fuji and Hakone 2-day trip sample itinerary

Purchase Fuji Hakone Pass

This deal covers both Fuji and Hakone area. It is valid for 3 days. This is one day itinerary but this deal is cheaper than total fares anyway. Please get this pass day before departure day because you will leave Shinjuku in early morning.

Fuji Hakone Pass (official site)

If you want to take limited express train “Romancecar” from Hakone to Shinjuku, you may book when you purchase a pass. Limited Express seat fee is extra on top of Fuji Hakone Pass. But this express train takes you to Shinjuku directly from Hakone-Yumoto. Interior is very comfy. It is highly recommended.

Shinjuku to Lake Kawaguchi

Fuji Kyuko Railway’s Kawaguchiko station. All bus services around Mt. Fuji depart / arrive in this station.

Shinjuku 06:05 (Express bus) 07:54 Kawaguchiko station (Lake Kawaguchi)
This is the earliest bus that runs in all season.

Shinjuku – Fuji Express Bus timetable

After you arrive in Lake Kawaguchi, you have two options.

Option 1, Mt. KachiKachi Ropeway and Lake Kawaguchi Cruise

View from Mt. Kachikachi Ropeway (C) Ippukucho (Own work) [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Kawaguchiko station 09:00 (walk 15 minutes) 09:15 Mt. Kachikachi (Kachikachiyama) Ropeway 10:05 (walk 15 minutes) 10:20 Lake Shore boarding pier 10:30 (Lake cruise) 10:50 (walk 10 minutes) 11:00 Kawaguchiko station

This option plan includes two popular attractions around Lake Kawwaguchi. You can view Lake Kawaguchi and Mt. Fuji from the view point by Kachikachiyama Ropeway. This gondola takes you to the observation deck at the mid mountain in 3 minutes.

Mt. Kachikachi Ropeway official site

After enjoy the view from the mountain, you board the ship on Lake Kawaguchi.

Kawaguchiko Lake Cruise “En Soleil”

These two attractions are not covered by Fuji Hakone Pass. But you can purchase discount combo ticket for gondola and cruise at Mt. Kachikachi Ropeway ticket booth. It is sold at 1,300 yen.

Hotels in Tokyo
Hotels in Hakone
Hotels in Lake Kawaguchi (Kawaguchiko)

Option 2, Chureito Pagoda

One of most famous shot in Japan is taken at Chureito pagoda. (C) Fujiyoshida City / JNTO

Kawaguchiko station 09:35 (Fuji Kyuko railway local train) 09:49 Shimo-Yoshida 11:07 (Fuji Kyuko railway local train) 11:21 Kawaguchiko station

You may have seen the photo of Chureito Pagoda. This is very famous spot especially in cherry blossom season. You can enjoy the view of cherry blossom, pagoda and Mt. Fuji at same time. It may be the best place to see cherry blossom in Japan.

Chureito is one of the building in the shrine. Official name of this place is Arakura Fuji Sengen shrine. This shrine is only 10 minutes away from Shimo-Yoshida station of Fuji Kyuko Railway. Unfortunately the train does not run very frequently between Kawaguchiko and Shimo-Yoshida. There is no earlier trains to get Shimo-Yoshida.

Option 3, Fuji Subaru line 5th station

This option is available during summer season only. Because the number ot trips is fewer in the winter time. You cannot complete the trip to 5th station in the morning during the winter time.

Kawaguchiko 08:30 (Fujikyu bus) 09:25 Fuji Subaru line 5th station 10:30 (Fujikyu bus) 11:15 Kawaguchiko

Fuji Subaru line 5th station is a popular place in Kawaguchiko area. But it is about one hour away from Kawaguchiko. If you go to 5th station, you cannot see any other places around Lake Kawaguchi.

Lake Kawaguchi to Gotemba Premium Outlet or Gotemba station

You can choose 1 hour at Kawaguchiko area or 1 hour at Gotemba Premium Outlet. You cannot get both because this trip schedule is very tight.

If you want 1 hour at Kawaguchiko, you can get a lunch time at Kawaguchiko and your schedule to Gotemba is the following:

Kawaguchiko station 12:30 (Fuji Kyuko bus) 14:00 Gotemba station

If you want to visit Gotemba Premium Outlet, your trip schedule is the following:

Kawaguchiko station 11:30 (Fuji Kyuko bus) 13:05 Gotemba Premium Outlet

Gotemba Premium Outlet is very popular spot for a shopping spree. You do not have enough time to eat lunch before you leave Kawaguchiko. Please try to eat something at Outlet mall.

Fuji Kyuko Bus between Kawaguchiko and Gotemba timetable

Gotemba Premium Outlet or Gotemba station to Owakudani via Togendai

Hakone Ropeway is one of the best way to see the mountains surrounding Hakone. (C) Odakyu Electric Railway / JNTO

If you arrive in Gotemba station, your schedule is the following:

Gotemba station 14:20 (Odakyu Hakone Highway Bus) 15:00 Togendai (16 minutes by Hakone Ropeway) Owakudani

If you arrive in Gotemba Premium Outlet, your schedule is the following:

Gotemba Premium Outlet 14:00 (Hakone Tozan Bus) 14:22 Sengoku 14:41 (Odakyu Hakone Highway Bus) 15:00 Togendai (16 minutes by Hakone Ropeway) Owakudani

There are lots of routes of the bus in Hakone. It is sometimes very hard to find the best route. You can check the route and schedule in the link below.

Hakone Navi – Transportation guide and the timetable

Owakudani cannot be missed in Hakone. This is an active volcanic area. You can experience lots of steam and bubbling hot springs along the short trail. Boiled egg that is cooked in this hot water is very famous food at Owakudani. You may try to eat this local food.

Owakudani is one of Must-See spots in Hakone. ©Odakyu Electric Railway/©JNTO

You can access there by gondola from Togendai where is located at the shore of Lake Ashi. Hakone Ropeway is operated until 17:00 during the summer season. But the operation hour is shorter and it is operated until 16:15 in the winter season. You have to leave Owakudani around 15:55. Your actual time to stay in Owakudani is approximately 30 minutes. Most of you spend usually 20 minutes to walk the trail.

Hakone Ropeway official site

Owakudani to Hakone-machi Port via Togendai

Lake Ashi and Mt. Fuji (C) Odakyu Electric Railway / JNTO

Owakudani 15:50 (16 minutes by Hakone Ropeway) 16:10 Togendai 16:20 (Hakone Sightseeing Cruise) 17:00

You will take the sightseeing cruise on Lake Ashi that is most famous lake in Hakone. You will enjoy one way trip from Togendai to Hakone-machi.

Hakone Checkpoint historical site is one of famous spots in Hakone and that is located near Hakone-machi port. But it is open until 17:00 (16:30 in winter time). You have to enter 30 minutes before closing. If you want to visit there, you have to give up Owakudani.

If you travel there between December and February, cruise ship leave at 16:10.

Hakone Sightseeing Cruise official site

Hakone-machi port to Hakone-Yumoto

Hakone-machi 17:38 (Hakone Tozan Bus) 18:00 Hakone-Yumoto

There are many more bus services available to Hakone-Yumoto. You can find some more route at Hakone Tozan Bus route finder.

Hakone Tozan Bus official site, Route search

Hakone-Yumoto is the biggest Onsen town in Hakone. You can take just an Onsen bath without overnight stay. I have two recommended Onsen facilities. I put the links but these are unfortunately in Japanese. These two Onsen facilities are located within 5 minutes from Hakone-Yumoto station by walk.

Kappa Tengoku
It is located just behind Hakone-Yumoto station. It is open until 22:00. You can eat some light meals and drinks there too.

Yajikita no Yu
It is located in Hakone-Yumoto ryokan area. It is open until 21:00. This facility does not have a dining.

Hakone-Yumoto to Shinjuku

Interior of Odakyu Romancecar 50000 series. (C) Sonic Rail Garden

Hakone-Yumoto (Odakyu Railway 1.5 hours by Romancecar without transit, 2 hours with transit at Odawara) Shinjuku

Odakyu railway train runs until late night. I recommend you to take Odakyu Railway’s limited express train, “Romancecar”. It connects Hakone-Yumoto and Shinjuku directly and it offers very comfy accommodation. You have to pay extra 1,110 yen for the seat fee but it is worth paying. Please see the timetable of Romancecar in the link below:

Odakyu Railway Romancecar timetable

If you do not want to pay any extra, you can take local train to Odawara from Hakone-Yumoto. And you can take a regular commute train to Shinjuku.

Hope this itinerary gives you some idea to make your trip plan!

Comments

  1. Rachel says:
    August 16, 2019 at 10:56 pm

    Hi Takeshi san

    I and my husband are planning to visit Japan for 9 Days in late October and early November this year and will be reaching Nartia airport at 8.30am, please advise when should I activate my 7-days JR pass as this is our first time in Japan?

    Upon reaching Nartia airport, we would like to head straight to Tokyo and stay there for 3 nights, then from Hakone to proceed to kyoto for 2 nights and lastly Osaka for 2 nights then back to Tokyo.
    During our stay in Tokyo we would like to visit to Mount Fuji and Hakone in Day 3 and stay 1 night in Hakone, can you please help me see if this works? Thank You

    Best regards
    Yen

  2. chung lee Yun says:
    July 24, 2019 at 8:24 pm

    Hi Takeshi san,

    I plan to have Lake Kawaguchiko and Hokone in 3 days, any itinerary recommended?

    Haneda on 8th Dec – Take highway bus to Kawaguchiko and stay 2 nigh at Royal Hotel Kawaguchiko.
    9th Dec – Kawaguchiko
    10th Dec – Hakone
    11th Dec – Fuji Q Highland
    12th Dec – Tokyo

  3. Deny says:
    July 10, 2019 at 6:20 pm

    Hi Takeshi Shan,

    We are a couple planning to go Hakone and Kamakura and Mt Fuji within 3 days from Shinjuku.

    Any idea how to plan for this trip ?
    Day 1 : Shinjuku to Kamakura – stay 1 night at Kamura
    Day 2 : Kamakura to Hakone – stay 1 night Hakone
    Day 3 : Hakone to Mount Fuji & Lake Kawaguchi and back to Shinjuku

    Appreciate for your advise how should we plan for this. Is it easy to explore mount fuji by using public transport ? Or is it better to get day tour from hakone to mount fuji, any recommendation ?

    Thank you so much

    • Takeshi Shimomura, Author of JPRail.com
      Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      July 10, 2019 at 9:35 pm

      Hi Deny san,

      There is no deals available to cover Kamakura, Hakone and Fuji unfortunately. There are deals available which covers Hakone and Kamakura OR Hakone and Fuji. Hakone Kamakura Pass includes the round trip between Shinjuku and Kamakura/Hakone. But you will go back to Shinjuku from Lake Kawaguchi. You will waste one way of the round trip.

      Fuji Hakone Pass Shinjuku departure version includes Shinjuku to Hakone one way and Lake Kawaguchi to Shinjuku one way. However you cannot stop by Hakone on the way to Hakone from Shinjuku by this pass.

      So your choice is Fuji Hakone Pass Odawara version:
      https://www.odakyu.jp/english/passes/fujihakone/

      This is Fuji Hakone Pass which exclude Shinjuku to Hakone one way and Lake Kawaguchi to Shinjuku one way. It offers unlimited ride of the local transportation in Hakone and Fuji. So you have to add the regular fare for Shinjuku to Kamakura, Kamakura to Odawara and Lake Kawaguchi to Shinjuku. You have to add many things but this is only choice.

      You can get many places by the local bus which is covered by Fuji Hakone Pass. However this pass does not cover the bus to Mt. Fuji 5th station. If you intend to visit there, you have to add the regular fare to take the bus.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  4. Raelene says:
    July 4, 2019 at 10:46 pm

    Hi Takeshi,

    I need some advice, I will be spending a night at Hakone and then 3 nights at Lake Kawaguchiko (mt fuji). We would like to visit Hakone, Gotemba and Mt fuji sites. But we are aware that the pass is only good for 3 days. What is the best solution for us? We are a family of 3 adults and 3 kids(8,12,15). Thanks

  5. Wendy says:
    May 5, 2019 at 11:44 pm

    Hello Takeshi san,

    I’m super confused on what to do with my itinerary . I’m hoping to go from tokyo to hakone, stay 1 night in hakone and the following morning go for a day trip to lake Kawaguchiko. From lake Kawaguchiko I need to go to kyoto. Do you think this is possible or is there another alternative

  6. Jeen says:
    April 15, 2019 at 7:31 pm

    Hi Takeshi san

    I’d like to know if Fuji Hakone Pass (by Odakyu) includes the bus routes around Yamanakako (as illustrated in the following link:
    http://bus-en.fujikyu.co.jp/pdf/heritagetour/routemap_fujikkogo.pdf

    Thank you.

    • Takeshi Shimomura, Author of JPRail.com
      Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      April 16, 2019 at 4:49 pm

      Hi Jean san,

      Unfortunately this bus is not covered. This is a sort of sightseeing bus around Fuji Five Lakes. This pass covers only a regular route bus. If you see the map in the link below, you will find where you can go by Fuji Hakone Pass.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

      • Jeen says:
        April 16, 2019 at 6:01 pm

        Thank you for the confirmation Takeshi san.

        I see that the sightseeing buses have different passes for unlimited travels. I’d like to know if it is compulsory (also cheaper) to have this pass to travel around Fuji Five Lakes OR can I just pay as I go?

        Thanks.

  7. kausar dabhiya says:
    April 14, 2019 at 7:22 am

    Hello Takeshi San,
    How if we start from hakone and end at kawaguchiko and from there return to shinjuku?

  8. Kausar Dabhiya says:
    April 14, 2019 at 3:45 am

    Hello Takeshi San,
    I am overwhelmed by the info put on this page. I have only one day to cover Mt. Fuji and Hakone. I will be travelling from Tokyo for this day trip. I can forego the cruise but need to visit Owakudani. I am a little confused with the time line suggested by you. Considering all the rushed travelling, do you recommend that we do kawaguchiko lake area and five lake area in one day and them do a day trip to hakone area again? But that would take one day off Tokyo for me. If you can email me an itinerary covering Mt. Fuji and Hakone area with 5th Station too, I will be really gratefull.

  9. dorothyha
    dorothy says:
    March 1, 2019 at 12:00 pm

    Thank you Takeshi san

  10. dorothyha
    Dorothy says:
    February 26, 2019 at 6:25 pm

    Hi Takeshi san

    Can you please help me see if this works. We will arrive from Tokyo to Hakone the early morning of Day 1 stay 1 night in Hakone Yumoto area, and Day 2 leave for Kyoto perhaps in the late morning.
    We’d like to see both Mt Fuji and Hakone. We have already purchased Japan Rail Pass, and perhaps we should purchase a Fuiji Hakone Pass one way?
    We’re thinking of going to Fuji first, then what do we do with our luggage?

    What do you think of our itinerary:

    – Should I use JR Chuo Line from Shinjuku station and change to the Fujikyu railway at Otsuki station to Shimoyoshida Station.
    Then walk up to Chureito Pagoda

    – After visiting the Pagoda, is there a bus from Shimoyoshida station to the 5th station? Or do we need to bus to Kawaguchiko station and take the Hiking Bus to 5th station?

    – After the 5th station, we’d like to go to Hakone.
    We’ll bus to Gotemba premium outlet station (but will not shop there). Take a bus from Gotemba station to Gora station. Isn’t there 1 direct bus from Kawaguchiko to Gora station?
    From Gora station, we take the cable car up to Sounzan station; transfer to the Hakone ropeway up to Owakudani. Should we go up to Ubako station for photo?

    – When we’re back down, we’ll do the Lake Ashi boat cruise stopping at Hanone Shrine stop to see the torii gate. Around here, I’ve read that there’s an excellent teahouse (Amazake-chaya) where we can take Hakone-Yumoto bound bus #5 from Moto-Hakone.

    – We should be done for the day, taking the Hakone bus back to Hakone Yumoto where our hotel is.

    – The next morning, we can take the Gora train to Chokoku-no to see the Hakone Open-Air museum. Return to Odawara and head to Kyoto around 10am?

    What do you think please?
    Thank you
    Dorothy

    • Takeshi Shimomura, Author of JPRail.com
      Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      February 27, 2019 at 6:39 am

      Hi Dorothy san,

      I think it’s too much on day 1. Because you will exchange JR pass at Haneda. JR Pass exchange counter opens at 6:45.
      http://www.japanrailpass.net/en/exchange.html

      So even if you arrive there in very very early morning, you have to wait until the counter opens at 6:45. You will spend probably 30 minutes there and then go to Shinjuku. I estimate that you will be Shinjuku at 8:00 if everything will go smoothly. And if day 1 is weekday, it will be rush hour. The train is packed and super busy. It is very hard to take trains with luggage.

      If you get Shinjuku at 8:00 and take train for Otsuki, you will be Shimoyoshida in late morning. There is no direct bus to 5th station from Shimoyoshida. You have to go to Kawaguchiko or Fujisan station. You will be there probably after noon. And then go to 5th station and go to Gotemba. I think that’s all you can do on day 1. You don’t have any extra time to see in Hakone. There is no direct bus to Gora from Kawaguchiko. You have to change the bus at Gotemba.

      Regarding a luggage, if you do this, you cannot store the luggage other than Kawaguchiko station. When you go to 5th station, you can store it there but you have to carry for the rest of part in your trip.

      You have to see Hakone on day 2. I don’t think you cannot leave for Kyoto in the morning.

      Fuji Hakone Pass Odawara version is recommended. But you have to buy this at Shinjuku. It’s not available in Haneda. So you have to spend another 30 minutes in Shinjuku to buy this and your trip is much more tight.
      https://www.odakyu.jp/english/passes/fujihakone/

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

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