Mt. Fuji and Hakone Day Trips from Tokyo: Tour or Do It Yourself?

Short answer: if you only have one day and want to see Mt. Fuji from several viewpoints, a day tour is the easiest choice, because the stops around Lake Kawaguchi are spread out and a bus takes you between them. If you're going to Hakone, doing it yourself is easy: the Odakyu train and the Hakone Freepass cover the whole classic loop. Trying to do both Fuji and Hakone in one day on your own is hard work, which is where a combo tour or a private car makes sense.

Below are the options, with official train and bus details. Tour prices and ratings are the ones shown on Klook at the time of writing (October 2026) and change by date and option.

Option 1: a big-bus day tour to Mt. Fuji

This is the most popular way first-time visitors see Fuji. A coach takes you from central Tokyo to several photo spots and back, with no timetables to read.

• Mt. Fuji Instagram-Worthy Spots Day Tour: departs from Tokyo Station or Shinjuku and visits spots around Lake Kawaguchi and Oshino Hakkai. Rated 4.8 from more than 35,000 reviews on Klook at the time of writing; it showed from about US$49 when we last looked, so check the current price. Mt. Fuji day tour on Klook (affiliate link).
• Mount Fuji Popular Instagrammable Spots Tour with Lunch Option: a similar format where you can add lunch. Rated 4.8 from about 3,400 reviews, 30K+ booked, from US$49.35 on Klook at the time of writing. Fuji tour with lunch option on Klook (affiliate link).

Good for: solo travelers and couples on a budget who want the main views without planning. Trade-off: fixed schedule, short stops, and a full coach.

Option 2: a small-group driver-guide tour

The driver is also your guide and the group is small, so there's less waiting around. It costs a little more than a big-bus tour.

• Mount Fuji Full-Day Small Group Experience (pick-up option): rated 4.8 from about 680 reviews, 10K+ booked, from US$56.89 on Klook at the time of writing. Small-group Fuji tour on Klook (affiliate link).
• Tokyo Mount Fuji and Lake Kawaguchiko One-Day Tour: also a driver-guide, small-group format. Rated 4.9 from about 260 reviews, 3K+ booked, from US$55.29 on Klook at the time of writing. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchiko tour on Klook (affiliate link).

If you're a family or a group of four or more, compare these with hiring a car and driver for the whole day. You choose the stops and the pace. See our guide to private cars and chauffeur hire.

Option 3: Mt. Fuji and Hakone in one tour

The Tokyo Mt. Fuji & Hakone Full-Day Guided Tour tries to fit both areas into one day. According to its Klook page, it runs about 11 hours by coach from Shinjuku or Tokyo Station, heads up the Fuji Subaru Line to the 5th Station (weather permitting), then crosses to Hakone for Owakudani, the Hakone Ropeway and a Lake Ashi cruise. There are listed substitute stops if a road, ropeway or boat is closed. You can choose to finish at Hakone-Yumoto or Odawara instead of riding the coach back.

It's rated 4.2 from about 380 reviews, 9K+ booked, from US$88.49 on Klook at the time of writing. That rating is lower than the Fuji-only tours, so it's best for people who really want both places and only have one day. Mt. Fuji & Hakone tour on Klook (affiliate link).

Doing it yourself: Tokyo to Lake Kawaguchi

You can reach Kawaguchiko Station, the main gateway to the lake, by train or highway bus.

• Fuji Excursion limited express (train): a direct train from Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko. It runs on JR East tracks as far as Otsuki and then continues onto the Fujikyu Railway. According to Fujikyu, there are four round trips a day (plus one more in some seasons), the fastest takes 1 hour 53 minutes, and all seats are reserved. The one-way total from Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko, fare plus limited express charge, is ¥4,200 at the time of writing. Tickets go on sale one month ahead at JR East ticket offices, reserved-seat machines and online through JR East's Ekinet.
• JR to Otsuki, then Fujikyu (train): the Fujikyu Railway line runs 26.6 km from Otsuki to Kawaguchiko, so you can also take a JR Chuo Line train to Otsuki and change there.
• Highway bus: Keio's highway bus runs from the Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal to Kawaguchiko Station in about 1 hour 45 minutes, for ¥2,200 per adult each way at the time of writing. You can reserve online.

Doing it yourself: Hakone with the Odakyu line and Freepass

Hakone is the easy one to do on your own. The official Hakone Navi one-day plan follows a loop:

1. Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto by Odakyu Romancecar (Odakyu says about 80 minutes direct).
2. Hakone Tozan Train up the mountain, with a stop at the Hakone Open-Air Museum (Chokoku-no-Mori), to Gora.
3. Hakone Tozan Cable Car from Gora to Sounzan.
4. Hakone Ropeway from Sounzan over Owakudani to Togendai.
5. Hakone Sightseeing Cruise across Lake Ashi to Moto-Hakone, then a short walk to Hakone Shrine.
6. Hakone Tozan Bus back to Hakone-Yumoto (about 40 minutes; Hakone Navi warns evening buses are often delayed).

The Hakone Freepass covers all of that: unlimited rides on the train, cable car, ropeway, cruise and designated buses, plus a round trip on the Odakyu Line from Shinjuku to Odawara. It comes in 2-day and 3-day versions; check the current price before you buy, as official pages showed different figures when we checked. The Romancecar needs an extra limited express ticket (¥1,200 from Shinjuku). The pass also gives discounts at about 70 facilities. On Klook it's rated 4.6 from about 11,700 reviews, 400K+ booked, from US$44.95 at the time of writing. Hakone Freepass on Klook (affiliate link).

Note that "2 days" means until the last service of the second day, not 48 hours. For how the Freepass compares with other passes, including the JR Tokyo Wide Pass, see our guide to which rail passes are worth it.

Fuji-Hakone Pass and Hakone Kamakura Pass: who they suit

Fuji-Hakone Pass. Good if you're staying overnight and visiting both areas. According to Odakyu, it's valid for 3 consecutive days and covers a discounted Odakyu round trip from Shinjuku to Odawara, the same Hakone transport as the Freepass, plus the whole Fujikyu Railway (Otsuki to Kawaguchiko) and Fujikyu buses in designated areas around Fuji. It does not cover the JR Chuo Line from Shinjuku to Otsuki, the highway bus from Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko, or the Romancecar charge. Odakyu lists it at ¥11,100 for adults. On Klook it's rated 4.7 from about 380 reviews, 10K+ booked, US$70.25 at the time of writing. Fuji-Hakone Pass on Klook (affiliate link).

Hakone Kamakura Pass. For people who want Hakone and the coast. According to Odakyu, it's valid for 3 consecutive days with unlimited rides on all Odakyu Line trains, the Hakone transport network and the Enoden (Enoshima Electric Railway) for Kamakura and Enoshima. The Romancecar still needs a separate ticket. Odakyu lists it at ¥8,520 for adults. On Klook it's rated 4.7 from about 1,500 reviews, 30K+ booked, US$53.90 at the time of writing. Hakone Kamakura Pass on Klook (affiliate link).

Quick comparison

Tips before you book

• Book a flexible date. Whether you see the mountain depends on the weather on the day, so if your schedule allows, plan your Fuji day early in your trip and keep a spare day in case you want to move it.
• Check the forecast the day before. Read the cancellation terms before you book. The combo tour's Klook page, for example, says changes the guide makes for weather aren't refunded.
• Check for Hakone Ropeway closures. Hakone Navi has announced maintenance closures with replacement buses: Owakudani–Sounzan from December 7 to 24, 2026, and Togendai–Owakudani from January 12 to February 26, 2027. Freepass holders can ride the replacement buses, but Hakone Navi warns they will be very crowded.
• Travel light. If you're staying overnight in Hakone or at the lake, send your big suitcase ahead. See our luggage forwarding guide.
• Planning the rest of Tokyo? See our Tokyo sightseeing booking guide for which tickets sell out.