Mt. Fuji is a must-see on any Japan trip, and the best place to get a view of the mountain is in Kawaguchiko. You can do that near Kawaguchiko Station — but there are lots of other great things to do in the area.
In spring 2024, there was controversy over a from taking pictures of Mt. Fuji in front of its entrance. Crowds were causing problems for local residents — think littering, standing in the roads, and general noise.
But there are way more interesting spots to get pictures of the iconic mountain. Here are our top recommendations for what to do near Kawaguchiko Station, including the best places to see Mt. Fuji.
Note: We’ve tried to keep everything within a maximum distance of 20-30 minutes by foot. Renting a bicyle or taking the local buses will shorten travel time. You can save money with a , which covers a lot of transport in the area.
You can’t visit Kawaguchiko without seeing its namesake, Lake Kawaguchiko! Head to Oike Park to get right up close to the water, and turn around to snap some pics of Mt. Fuji. The park is a great place to start cycling around the area, with Fujisan Bike Rental nearby.
Afterwards, if you’re looking for some geographical wonders, head to the Yamanashi Gem Museum opposite the park to see gems from around the world. For sweeping views of Lake Kawaguchiko down below, head to the Komagari Observation Plaza and get some panoramic shots. You can’t see Mt.
Fuji from here, but when we visited, we had the entire area to ourselves, so i.