Hi folks. As my november trip to Japan approaches (1st trip, going solo), I’m making some finishing touches in the itinerary, buying tickets and whatnot, and some questions arose about a day trip I’m planning to Mt Fuji / Chureito Pagoda.
This day trip will be with me staying in Tokyo, so leaving early and coming back late. My hotel is in Ginza.
I have a JR Pass exchange voucher that I should be exchanging on the airport on my arrival.
I know the JR Pass only covers up to Otsuki station, and the next line up to the Pagoda is bought separately. But I’m finding very conflicting information on the reservation of seats and saw cases where some people have to make the trip standing. And this is a 2+ hour long trip. Apparently I need the actual JR pass (not the exchange voucher) in order to make the seat reservation, and those are sold a month in advance.
My original plan included pretty much just the Chureito Pagoda area (Arakura Sengen Park). However, since the place is so far away and I shouldn’t be spending more than 2 hours at the park/pagoda, I started looking for other places nearby and stumbled upon several recommendations here on reddit that I liked. Mainly:
\-Shimoyoshida Honcho Street
\-Panoramic Ropeway
\-5th Station
\-Oishi Park
\-Gotemba Outlets
Google maps tells me some of those are really far apart, so I don’t really plan of doing all of them. But I figured I could add the first two to the list and not suffer much in regards to travel distance. The 1st one should be a 20min walk, but the second is some ways off. Should I do this by bus and paying the fare on the spot? Or is the train the better option? Is it doable to go to the Pagoda and Ropeway then back? Any other suggestions to visit in the surrounding area?
Thanks
1 comment
Shimoyoshida Honcho Street is in the vicinity of Shimoyoshida Station and Gekkoji Station, and the Mt Fuji Panoramic Ropeway is only about a 15 minute (1 km) walk from Kawaguchiko Station (on the same line) so both easily accessible from one another via train. Lake Kawaguchiko is almost worth checking out in its own right if you want more to see and do in the same area. Definitely step by the Herb Hall if you get a chance and try their purple lavender flavored ice-cream. Chureito Pagoda is also on the same line so easily doable (near Shimoyoshida Station). The furtherest off by far is the 5th station, where you would spend an hour each way just getting to/from there from the Mount Fuji Station or Kawaguchiko station by bus which is pretty much the only way as much of the road up those ways is private (although hiking season is over now so private cars are probably allowed) So you could go both that and the other stuff on the same day (or at least not easily/thoroughly). I have lived in Fujiyoshida for about a year and a half now, so if you have further questions feel free to ask.