Kawaguchiko Day Trip from Shinjuku: Mt. Fuji 2026 Route

If you have an extra day during your Tokyo trip

and want to get up close and personal with Mount Fuji,

you're probably considering a day trip to Kawaguchiko.

I’ve always wanted to get a proper view of Mount Fuji

at least once during my travels to Tokyo,

so this time, I hopped on a highway bus from Shinjuku

for an unforgettable day trip to Kawaguchiko.

Kawaguchiko is easily accessible from Shinjuku by bus,

and once you arrive, you can rent an electric bike

to explore the famous Mount Fuji Lawson photo spot, Oike Park, and Oishi Park

—making it the perfect one-day itinerary.

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Quick Summary

Category	Details
Departure	Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal (Busta Shinjuku)
Destination	Kawaguchiko Station
Transportation	Highway Bus
Travel Time	Approx. 2 hours one-way
Local Transport	Electric bike highly recommended
Recommended Route	Kawaguchiko Station → Lawson Photo Spot → Local Restaurant → Oike Park → Oishi Park → Mt. Fuji Pudding → Kawaguchiko Station
Tips & Warnings	Book bus tickets in advance / Rent electric bike in the morning / Bring cash

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Highway Bus: Shinjuku → Kawaguchiko

I booked my highway bus tickets from Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko

in advance on the Highway-bus.com reservation website.

▼ Shinjuku → Kawaguchiko Bus Booking Site ▼

Seats sell out incredibly fast during peak seasons and weekends,

so if you're planning a day trip to Kawaguchiko,

I highly recommend booking your round-trip tickets well in advance.

After waking up early and getting ready,

I headed straight to the Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal.

The golden rule of a Kawaguchiko day trip: Leave early!

The ride from Busta Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko Station

takes about 2 hours by highway bus.

I grabbed a quick rice ball (onigiri) from the terminal convenience store

for a simple breakfast

and boarded the bus right away.

Even though it was early morning, the bus was almost fully booked.

It goes to show how incredibly popular Mount Fuji is!

When traveling from Tokyo to Kawaguchiko,

I highly recommend reserving a seat on the left side of the bus.

That way, you can catch gorgeous views of Mount Fuji along the way!

I fell asleep as soon as we started,

but woke up about an hour and a half later

to find Mount Fuji looming outside the window.

That's when it finally hit me that we were almost there!

Renting an Electric Bike in Kawaguchiko

Right after stepping off the bus at Kawaguchiko Station,

I headed straight to the bicycle rental shop next to the station.

It's only about a 3-minute walk, so it's super easy to find.

Since I planned on exploring all day,

I opted for a full-day electric bike rental.

The area around Lake Kawaguchiko is quite vast,

and there are some uphill stretches on the way to Oishi Park,

so an electric bike is definitely the way to go over a regular one.

At the rental shop I used,

they only accepted cash,

so make sure to have some cash on hand!

⚠️ Cash only for payment

⚠️ Uphill sections on the way to Oishi Park

⚠️ Electric bikes might sell out if you arrive too late

The Famous Lawson Convenience Store Photo Spot

After renting my electric bike,

my very first stop was

the iconic Mount Fuji photo spot in front of the Kawaguchiko Lawson.

They say it's rare to see Mount Fuji without any cloud cover,

but the weather was absolutely perfect that day,

and the mountain was crystal clear!

Everywhere I turned, Mount Fuji was right there,

and the scenery was simply breathtaking.

A Cozy Local Restaurant in Kawaguchiko

After cruising around and exploring the neighborhood for about 30 minutes,

I headed to a local restaurant I had scouted out beforehand.

It opens at 11:00 AM, so I timed my arrival perfectly.

Instead of the famous, tourist-packed restaurants,

I decided to look for a cozy local spot with a true neighborhood vibe.

It turned out to be a tiny little joint run by an elderly gentleman,

where neighborhood regulars were just popping in for a quick, casual meal.

I ordered the fried rice and shoyu ramen,

and they had that clean, comforting taste of a home-cooked meal—

perfect for a simple, satisfying lunch.

Since it was a local spot with virtually no tourists around,

it actually made me feel like I was truly exploring off the beaten path.

Oike Park

After finishing my meal,

I hopped back on my e-bike

and headed over toward Oike Park.

I took in the peaceful views of the calm lake,

snapped some pictures along the way,

and kept moving toward my next destination, Oishi Park.

The path leading to Oishi Park

runs right along the edge of the lake,

which meant I had stunning views of Mount Fuji the entire ride.

I stopped by a cute cafe along the way

to grab a cup of coffee and enjoy a little breather.

Even with an electric bike,

riding continuously can take a bit of energy,

so taking a quick rest mid-way was a great call.

Even the cafes in Kawaguchiko are absolutely gorgeous...!

Oishi Park is famous for that iconic shot

where the lake and Mount Fuji fit perfectly into a single frame.

It wasn't lavender season during my visit, so I missed out on the blooming fields,

but seeing Mount Fuji and the lake together

was a spectacular view that made the stop

completely worth it.

I was a little sad to miss the lavender flowers,

but I made up for it by treating myself to some lavender soft-serve ice cream! :)

After soaking in the views,

I got back on my bike and started heading back toward the station.

Mount Fuji stayed in sight the entire way back,

allowing me to fill my eyes with that majestic scenery right up to the very last moment.

Mount Fuji Pudding

After wrapping up my time at Oishi Park,

I made my way back toward Kawaguchiko Station.

Before returning my bike,

I made a quick stop at the famous Mount Fuji Pudding shop near the station.

They come in these adorable Mount Fuji-shaped jars,

making them perfect as a little souvenir

or a cute gift for friends.

However, keeping them cold without an insulated bag

would be tricky if you're flying back home,

so I just bought a few to devour during the rest of my trip.

Once I returned my bike,

I slowly wandered around the station area, killing time before my bus.

As dusk began to fall, the sky shifted colors,

giving Mount Fuji a completely different, magical vibe compared to daytime.

To wrap up my day,

I snapped a few final photos of Mount Fuji softly glowing in the sunset near the station.

Riding the e-bike all day

left my backside feeling a little sore, but...

Because I got to capture so many beautiful photos,

this day trip is going to be a memory I'll cherish for a really long time.

A day trip from Tokyo to Kawaguchiko

takes just about 2 hours by highway bus from Shinjuku,

making it an incredibly easy and scenic getaway just outside the city.

If you have a spare day in your Tokyo itinerary,

if you want to catch the ultimate, unobstructed views of Mt. Fuji,

or if you just love the freedom of exploring on two wheels and local buses,

I absolutely recommend heading out to Kawaguchiko!

That being said, since the round-trip travel alone takes about 4 hours

and you'll be doing a fair share of cycling,

I'd definitely suggest planning for an early morning start! :)