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Part of my Fuji series: Fuji Five Lakes: The Complete Guide · Explore all Japan guides
During my first 3-week trip to Japan, seeing Mount Fuji was at the top of my list! Most people go to Kawaguchiko and see one lake, which is perfect for a day trip. But, given it’s called “Fuji Five Lakes”, I was determined to see all five lakes.
If you’re the kind of traveler who suspects the good stuff is always one turn past where the tour buses stop – this post is for you.
I rented a car in Kawaguchiko and drove the full Fuji Five Lakes road trip loop over three days. By the time we hit the fifth and final lake, I was standing at a nearly empty overlook while a Japanese woman I’d just met pressed a 1,000-yen note into my hand as a keepsake. She wanted me to see that the view we were standing in front of was the same one printed on the back of the yen note. That is not a moment you get on a day trip. That is a moment you get with wheels and a little patience.
If you want to road trip through Fuji Five Lakes, then this is for you!
Table of Contents
Why the Road Trip Is Worth It
The five lakes stretch about 20 kilometers east to west, roughly following the northern base of Mount Fuji. The public transport between them is limited – you can take the Fuji Sightseeing bus around Lake Kawaguchi and three of the other lakes, but stringing all of them together on transit means a lot of waiting.
A rental car changes the whole shape of the trip. First, on many days and seasons, Fuji is most visible in the early morning. Having your own rental car allows you to make your own schedule, start early, and shift things around as needed.
There are some trade-offs, though – first, you’ll drive on the left side of the road. If you’re not used to this, trust me – it can take some getting used to!
Driving in Japan
Assuming you’re American (or if you come from a country that drives on the right side of the road), hear me out:
Because you SIT on the left side and DRIVE on the left side, taking a left turn feels like a right turn and taking a right turn feels like a left turn. Sit with that for a moment.
Did I turn down the wrong side of the road a few times? Just about – but I quickly fixed it.
One of the things I found fairly interesting is that there were no middle turn lanes! Honestly, this was probably what tripped me up the most about driving here.
Second, you’ll need an International Driving Permit, and parking at popular spots could fill up. We didn’t have a huge problem with this, but in Kawaguchi I could see this being an issue.
I didn’t have problems with directions using Google Maps, and I didn’t find the road signs too hard to understand.
Rental Car Logistics in Kawaguchiko
We picked our car up right at Kawaguchiko Station.
I booked our rental through Klook – you can reserve a Fuji-area rental here and lock in the price before you land. Reserving online in peak season is basically required. They DO sell out!
Prices for a compact car for three days run in the ballpark of ¥8,000-¥15,000 per day depending on season and rental company.
Make sure you have:
- Your passport
- An International Driving Permit (IDP) from your home country, issued before you arrive in Japan (Japan does not honor a regular U.S., UK, or EU license alone)
- A credit card
Gas up before returning. Most rentals ask you to return the car full, and there’s a small station within a few minutes of the rental cluster.
Bring a phone mount and download offline Google Maps for the whole Fuji-Goko region. Signal is fine along the main roads but occasionally patchy near some of the lakes.
Day 1: Arrive + Lake Yamanaka + Onsen
Late Morning: Arrive Kawaguchiko, Pick Up the Car
Train in from Tokyo, walk to the rental counter, load bags into the trunk, and go. We didn’t check into our Airbnb yet – we’d booked it for evening arrival and knew we could store bags in the car until then.
Early Afternoon: Oshino hakkai
Before you head over to your first lake, stop by Oshino Hakkai. It’s a world heritage site consisting of eight springs fed by Mount Fuji. Don’t miss the iconic reflection shots here! There is an area where you can see traditional Japanese thatched-roof farmhouses at Hannoki Bayashi Shiryokan (within Oshino Hakkai).
Like most places in the area, it closes early (5 pm).
Late Afternoon: Lake Yamanaka
Lake Yamanaka (Yamanakako) is the largest of the five, the closest to Tokyo, and the hardest to reach by public transportation. It’s growing in popularity, as people want to see the swans on the water. I personally didn’t see other Western tourists, but there were plenty of people close to sunset. It’s about 30 minutes east of Kawaguchiko.
Head to the northern shore or up to the Panorama-dai viewpoint above the lake for a wide-open view of Fuji sitting over the water. This is a broader view than Kawaguchi’s – because the lake itself is bigger, the mountain has more room to breathe.
A note on the swans: certain stretches of the Fuji Five Lakes shoreline are known for swan populations, and I loved seeing them out on the water. What I didn’t love was watching tourist after tourist wade in with bread, phones held out, trying to get close enough to touch. The swans were snapping at them. Nobody got hurt while I was watching, but it was minutes away from going wrong every time.
Feeding wild birds bread is genuinely harmful to them, and swans are wild animals that do not want to be pet. Enjoy the swan, but keep your distance.
Evening: Check In + Private Onsen
Drive back to your accommodation on the northern shore of Kawaguchi. If you’re not staying somewhere with an onsen – you’re doing it wrong.
We stayed at an Airbnb near Oishi Park with a private onsen we could reserve for the evening. Post-drive, post-cold-swan-lake, hot water in a private room is the correct move.
There are plenty of northern-shore hotels and ryokans have onsen access and Fuji-view rooms (more on that later).
Day 2: Chureito at Sunrise + Kawaguchi Slow Day
Sunrise: Chureito Pagoda
Set an alarm for this one! Drive the 25 minutes northeast from Kawaguchi to Chureito Pagoda – the five-story pagoda at Arakura Sengen Shrine, and the site of the most iconic Fuji photographs you’ll ever see (pagoda + cherry blossoms + Mount Fuji, all in one frame if you’re here in early to mid-April).
I was unfortunately a few days early for the cherry blossoms at Mount Fuji, but it was still beautiful.
There really isn’t a “quiet” time here. Don’t expect to get the pagoda all to yourself! However, if you choose to take public transportation, the bus does NOT run early enough for you to catch the sunrise.
Bring a warm layer. Chureito’s observation deck is exposed, and it’s cold at dawn even in summer.
Fujiyoshida Honcho Street
Walk over to Honcho Street. You can put Hikawa Clock Shop in your GPS to get to the area where the “famous” shot is. This is the shot where Fuji sits between the storefronts, streetlights framing the mountain – you’ve seen it. Take the photo, keep the vibe respectful (this is a real working street, not a set), and move on.
*** And please don’t stand in the middle of the street when the walk light is not on ***
I would encourage you to walk around and explore this area a little. Fuji peaks out over many of the streets here, and you might be able to find a more unique view!
Breakfast
Around the corner you’ll find Hoshizora Kitchen. We stumbled upon this spot while looking for something to eat. It had only opened a month prior, and we were the only customers at the time. Crucially, they open at 7:30 AM – which is a treat in Japan (most places don’t open until around 10).
We found out that the owner spent many years in Boise, Idaho, before moving back to Japan and opening the shop. You can tell from the second you’re inside: an REI sticker on the door, near-perfect English, sugar with the tea (a very un-Japanese detail).
They had HUGE pork cutlet sandwiches. It was refreshing, filling, and honestly one of the best things I ate in Fuji Five Lakes. You can also get the famous Japanese fruit and cream sando here. Plus, they offered complimentary coffee and tea.
Afternoon: Bikes Around Lake Kawaguchi
Drive back to your Airbnb, drop the car, and rent bikes for the afternoon and bike are Kawaguchiko. Your hotel may have bikes to rent, but there are some places within the city you can rent as well. It’s a great way to get some exercise and see different views of Mount Fuji around the lake. It’s also super helpful to see the northern shore if you’re not staying close by. You can stop wherever the light is good, cover more ground than walking, and skip the parking-lot game at Oishi Park.
Late Afternoon: Kawaguchi
After biking around, take some time to explore the town. Many things will start to close after the day trippers go home – so plan early for dinner if you’re not eating at your ryokan/hotel. This would be a great time to stop by the insta-famous Lawson store if you’re interested in taking that photo.
Sunset: Oishi Park
Ride or walk to Oishi Park on the northeast corner of Lake Kawaguchi for sunset. Lavender in July, kochia turning red in fall, Fuji as backdrop year-round. From an Airbnb on the northern shore, this is a very manageable walk.
Evening: Back to the Onsen
Back to the onsen! The most perfect way to end any day. If you’re NOT staying somewhere with an onsen – consider changing hotels!
Day 3: The Western Lakes + The Yen-Note Finale
Make sure you’re checking the forecast the night before – you want clear morning weather for this run. You can also switch days if necessary for best Fuji views.
Early Morning: Lake Sai
Drive west out of Kawaguchiko. First stop is Lake Sai (Saiko) – about 20 minutes out. Sits in a caldera surrounded by dense forest, quieter and more inward than Kawaguchi. We stopped briefly for a couple of pull-outs and photos. Aokigahara – the “sea of trees” forest – is right next door if you want to add a hike, but we didn’t stop long here.
Mid-Morning: Lake Shoji
Fifteen more minutes west and you’re at Lake Shoji (Shojiko) – the smallest of the five and the one shaped like a horseshoe. It felt different from the other lakes for that reason: closer, more intimate, more contained. I was excited about Shoji for exactly that reason.
There’s a hike I wanted to do around this area, but the clouds were rolling in, and the lookout spot on the trail map was unclear, so I opted to get the shot from the shore instead and move on.
Midday: Lake Motosu (the yen-note finale)
Twenty more minutes west and you’re at Lake Motosu (Motosuko) – the last of the five, the deepest, the clearest, and the one on the back of the ¥1,000 note. The classic viewpoint is on the northwestern shore, above the water, at a spot called Nakanokura Pass. Hold up a 1,000-yen note. It’s the same view.
Except – Fuji clouded over a few minutes before we arrived! We waited about an hour and had a few small openings where you could make out the mountain. Would I do it again? Immediately.
While we were waiting, a full tour bus of Japanese travelers pulled in. They were fascinated that I was taking photos, and one woman was so delighted that she pulled a 1,000-yen note from her wallet and tried to express that this exact view was on the yen note. Then she pressed the note into my hand as a keepsake. It was very touching!
Early Afternoon: Saiko Iyashi-no-Sato Nemba
Don’t miss out on the reconstructed Japanese village! It’s near Saiko, so it’ll be right on your way back. It’s open daily from 9 am to 5 pm.
Afternoon: Back to Kawaguchiko
If you are only staying two nights, then head back to Tokyo this afternoon.
If you didn’t get to fully explore the town yesterday, you can do so this afternoon. There are plenty of souvenir shops, small cafes, and even a Don Quijote. We visited the Apple Pie Café, which was a nice little treat after our morning drive.
Evening: Dinner and Onsen
Grab dinner – I recommend trying hoto, Yamanashi’s regional noodle – thick hand-cut wheat noodles simmered with kabocha squash and vegetables in a miso broth.
Honestly, it wasn’t my favorite. The broth had a distinct fish-paste undertone that I didn’t love, though I liked it better once I added some sweet chili spice they set on the table. The noodles and toppings were great, and the whole thing is deeply comforting on a cold night.
Then, grab one last soak in the onsen!
Take the train back to Tokyo the next morning.
Where to Stay for a Three-Day Road Trip
Northern shore of Lake Kawaguchi, will tend to get you views of Mount Fuji.
There are two hotels I’d love to stay at – but then tend to book up quickly:
- The splurge Fuji-view ryokan: Kozantei Ubuya on the northern shore. Every room faces Fuji across the water; every room has a private open-air onsen. Bucket-list tier. Book far ahead.
- Mid-range with the panoramic onsen: Fuji Kawaguchiko Onsen Hotel Konansou. Rooftop Fuji-view onsen, ryokan-style rooms available, right on the sightseeing bus loop. Great compromise between the ryokan experience and hotel comforts.
Or, try a Mount Fuji glamping night – if you’re doing three days, one glamping night around Lake Sai or Shoji is a completely different vibe than a hotel and worth considering for the second night if the weather forecast cooperates. I would loveee to do this!
👉 Book Your Stay at Mount Fuji
Book at least a month ahead for weekends, three months ahead for any flower season.
Know Before You Go
Reserve the rental online before you leave home. Walk-up rentals in peak season either don’t exist or cost double.
Book a reserved seat on the train from Tokyo. Standing for the whole ride is a rough way to start.
Fuel up when you can. Gas stations exist along the route but aren’t dense – top up in Kawaguchiko or Fujikawaguchiko.
Bring cash for smaller vendors. Kawaguchiko takes cards mostly, but like many places in Japan, roadside stops and smaller cafés are more reliably cash.
Layer up. Even summer mornings are cold at these elevations, and the lakeside wind adds a real chill!
Solo travelers are welcome. Rentals are used to foreign travelers doing the loop, the roads are calm, and the whole area is safe. The only real caution is fatigue – driving on the left in a country you don’t live in is more tiring than you expect, so keep your first-day distances short.
Be respectful at the photo spots. If you’re setting up for a shot, wait your turn and be respectful.
FAQ: Fuji Five Lakes Road Trip
Can you drive around the Fuji Five Lakes in one day?
Physically, yes. The whole loop is about 40 km. But rushing all five lakes in a day defeats the point. Plus, Mount Fuji isn’t always visible – so while you can visit the lakes any time, you should aim to visit in the early mornings or when visibility is forecasted to be good. Three days is what I’d recommend for the proper version; two is the minimum if you’re pressed.
Do you need an International Driving Permit to rent a car in Kawaguchiko?
Yes. Japan requires an International Driving Permit obtained in your home country before you arrive, in addition to your regular license.
Is renting a car at Kawaguchiko Station easy?
Yes. I highly recommend booking in ADVANCE, they will sell out. I booked through Klook: Rent a car in Kawaguchiko.
Which is the most beautiful of the Fuji Five Lakes?
They are all so different but my personal favorite was Lake Yamanaka.
How long does it take to drive from Kawaguchi to Motosuko?
About 60-90 minutes each way depending on traffic and the route you pick. Longer if you stop at Saiko and Shojiko along the way, which you should.
Is Aokigahara safe to walk through?
You may not see many people depending on the trail and time of year, but there are defined trails you can take in the forest.
When is the best time to do the Fuji Five Lakes road trip?
October through April for the clearest Fuji views. Cherry blossom (early April) and fall foliage (late October to early November) are the two most beautiful windows. Avoid mid-summer if seeing the mountain matters.
Keep reading: Fuji Five Lakes: The Complete Guide · Explore all Japan guides
Hi, I’m Amber —
A Michigan native now living in Washington with a deep love for travel and the outdoors. What started with church mission trips and years of traveling across the U.S. as a nurse has grown into a passion for exploring destinations across Asia and America through hiking, scenic landscapes, local food, wildlife encounters, and underwater adventures. Sometimes I’m joined by my goldendoodle, Millie, but I’m always traveling with my camera. My goal is to help you feel inspired and confident that travel is possible — no matter where you’re starting from.
