Kawaguchiko Guide: A Day Trip From Tokyo By Car

Mount Fuji is such an iconic sight that many travelers have it on their list of the must-see places in Japan. We were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of it from Hakone on a previous trip but we wanted a closer view this time. Returning to Kanto region this winter, we decided to do a day trip to the Fuji Five Lakes area as winter is said to have the highest percentage of clear days to see Mount Fuji. This post will give you an idea of where to go, what to expect, and why we chose to explore by car.

So, why travel by car to Kawaguchiko?

The answer is very simple: freedom, flexibility, and better Fuji views. You can explore at your own pace, visit less accessible spots to avoid the crowds, and adjust your itinerary as needed. No need to worry about bus/train schedules or deal with crowded public transportation. You lose time that can be used for sightseeing when waiting for and timing buses and trains. In addition, since almost every highlight in this area revolves around views of Mount Fuji, having a car meant we could experience the mountain from multiple angles and with different surrounding landscapes.

While Kawaguchiko is accessible by train and highway buses from Tokyo, and there are sightseeing buses around the lake, public transport has its limitations. The sites that are easy to access by public transport around Lake Kawaguchi are pretty crowded as you can see in some of the photos later in this post. Besides, some places are walkable, but overall, the walking paths in the area are not very wide and not continuous. Other lakes in the area are also harder to reach without a car.

Our guide picked us up at our hotel, The Westin Tokyo in Ebisu, at 8 am. It would certainly be more ideal if we could start the trip earlier, but we are not morning people. For these latter trips to Japan, we prefer to relax as much as possible over chasing a fixed itinerary.

On the way, we made a quick stop at EXPASA Dangozaka Westbound rest stop, a convenient highway service area with souvenir shops, quick dining options, and clean restrooms. If you are starting your trip early from Tokyo, this is a good place to grab breakfast and coffee before continuing toward Mount Fuji.

Fuji Subaru Line

Our guide suggested driving up Mount Fuji, so we drove past Fuji-Q Highland amusement park, the Fujisan World Heritage Center and then entered Fuji Subaru Line. This toll road leads up the northern (Subaru) side of Mount Fuji to the 5th Station, which is the highest point accessible by car. This station is a popular starting point for climbers and hikers in summer.

In winter, snowfall and road conditions can limit access to the 5th Station. On the day we visited, cars were only allowed up to the 4th station. You can check the status of the Fuji Subaru Line here to see how far up vehicles are permitted. For January 2025, the highest accessible point was the 4th Station.

I think the drive itself is quite scenic. However, since you are ascending the mountain itself, you won’t have a great view of Fuji. A very fun and interesting part of the drive to us is to hear melodies of classic Japanese songs related to Mount Fuji as we passed through the musical roads along the Subaru Line. These special sections use grooves in the asphalt that create vibrations, producing musical notes as car tires pass over them.

There are two musical road sections — one when driving up to Mount Fuji and another when descending. Our guide said it could be a bit tricky to trigger the melodies as you need to drive at certain speeds, around 50 km/h. If you drive too fast, the melodies might be difficult to recognize. Larger vehicles like buses may not create the same sound clarity.

These two musical road sections are located near the entrance of the Fuji Subaru Line toll road on the way up and near the exit on the way back down. Be prepared to pay attention to your driving speed and listen closely once you see the music note symbol on the road!

Kawaguchiko (Lake Kawaguchi) is located in the town of Fujikawaguchiko. It is the second largest and most accessible among the Fuji Five Lakes. After descending Mount Fuji, we drove along the lake, passing by Kawaguchiko Station and the entrance to the Mount Fuji Panoramic Ropeway, where an extremely long line of visitors had already formed.

At the suggestion of our guide, we stopped at a small park just about a 15-minute walk from Oishi Park. This spot was much quieter and we got off the car to enjoy unobstructed views of Mount Fuji with open sky, expansive water, and natural vegetation.

The iconic snow-capped peak of Mount Fuji dominated the background, standing tall against a clear blue sky. The lake shimmered under the sunlight and in the foreground, tall golden pampas grass swayed in the breeze, adding to the tranquility of the setting.

After taking our time at this quiet spot, we drove to Oishi Park, just five minutes away and the atmosphere was totally different. As it was pretty busy, we took a quick look around before moving on. Many visitors gathered to take photos, browse souvenirs and enjoy local treats. Lavender ice cream seemed to be a popular choice.

After lunch, we drove past a couple of viral Instagram Fuji view spots including the Lawson spot and Honcho Street. Both locations were crowded with people trying to get the perfect shot, but to be honest, we weren’t overly impressed by the views. In my opinion, both spots are skippable unless you are really keen on checking them off your list.

Our guide briefly dropped us off at Honcho Street so we could take a look around, but we didn’t feel the need to stay long. From there, we continued our journey to Saiko, another lake in the Fuji Five Lakes region.

Saiko means Western Lake and is the fourth of Fuji Five Lakes in terms of surface area. Our stop here was Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nenba, a reconstructed traditional Japanese village. Our guide said it was less crowded than Oshino Hakkai, another small village in the area that is more well-known among tourists.

The village consists of several thatched-roof houses, though they are not original structures but rather rebuilt versions. The houses themselves were not very interesting to us because the inside has been converted into souvenir shops, workshops and food places. Compared to the original farmhouses at The Open-Air Museum of Old Japanese Farmhouses in Osaka which provide insights into lives and hardships of Japanese people in the old time, this village in Saiko lacks authenticity and history.

That said, the location does offer nice views of Mount Fuji. I imagine the scenery would be even more picturesque in spring when the sakura trees scattered throughout the village are in bloom.

Leaving Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nenba, we headed toward Yamanakako, the largest of the Fuji Five Lakes. The weather remained perfectly clear, with excellent visibility, allowing us to see Mount Fuji for much of all the drives since the morning.

As we reached the lakeshore, we unknowingly stumbled upon a rare and stunning natural phenomenon. At the time, I had no idea just how special this event was until I looked it up later at home. It is called Diamond Fuji, which is a natural winter phenomenon when the setting sun aligns perfectly with the summit of Mount Fuji, creating a brilliant diamond-like effect.

I personally found the views from Lake Yamanaka to be more beautiful than those from Lake Kawaguchi. The area seemed more serene, and with the added magic of Diamond Fuji, the experience left a lasting impression on us.

Our next as well as final stop of the day was Yamanakako Panorama-dai, a spacious observation deck that offers panoramic views of Mount Fuji and Lake Yamanaka below. When we arrived, it wasn’t overly crowded and the scenery stretched far beyond what we had seen at previous stops. I think this observation deck would be an incredible place to visit at sunrise or earlier in the day, as the lighting would likely make the landscape look more spectacular.

One thing to note is that the parking lot here is quite small, so I can imagine it might be difficult to find a spot during busier months. The restroom facilities were clean, but, as we had already encountered earlier in the day, there was no soap. Again, if you are traveling outside major cities in Japan, having hand sanitizer or a small bottle of liquid soap with you is always a good idea.

For our day trip from Tokyo to the Kawaguchiko area by car, we managed to visit three of the Fuji Five Lakes. While Kawaguchiko is the most famous, Yamanakako left the strongest impression on us. I think our driving route was probably not the most efficient, but I hope to have given you an idea of a day trip by car to this area.

There were definitely a few museums I would have loved to squeeze into the itinerary, such as the Fujisan World Heritage Center and Kawaguchiko Music Forest Museum. However, our ultimate goal for this trip was simply to see Mount Fuji and get a general feel for the area. We were very lucky to have clear skies, allowing us to see the iconic mountain all day without obstruction.

I understand not everyone wants to deal with the hassle of driving and parking, and we were fortunate enough to be able to afford a private guide with a car, making the experience completely stress-free. That said, if your driving permits allow you to drive in Japan and you are not afraid to get a rental car and brave the roads, it will significantly enhance your visit to the Fuji Five Lakes.

Make sure to check the weather forecast as well as the live cam footage to confirm conditions in advance to maximize your chances of a perfect Fujisan view. My last tip is to wear light colored clothing for better photos. I’m glad that I brought two down jackets with me, one in dark brown and one in white as I was not sure how cold it would be. The lighter-colored jacket looked much better against the bright sky and Mount Fuji’s snowy peak.

If you found this article helpful, please consider sharing it on Pinterest! Thank you so much!