How To Go To Kawaguchiko from Tokyo – The Ultimate Guide For Beginners

December 13th, 2019 by Evan | Tagged in: Japan, Kawaguchiko, Mount Fuji, Tokyo

This article will show you exactly how to go to Kawaguchiko from Tokyo by train, bus, or car. I took the bus because it is the cheapest and most effective way. Taking the train is a good option too but it is very expensive. If you prefer convenience you can check out this fuss-free Kawaguchiko shuttle bus package. If you are travelling in a large group, you might want to consider hiring a private car charter.

Method 1. Highway Bus

Taking the Highway Bus is a very popular way to go to Kawaguchiko because it is the cheapest and most efficient method. Below is how I did it:

Step 1: Buy The Bus Tickets Online
First, I went to the Keio bus website. Because I was staying in Shinjuku, I bought the “Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko Station” ticket.

The bus runs at frequent intervals throughout the entire day. I chose the earliest timing of 6.05am. Adult tickets cost JPY2,000, while child tickets cost JPY1,000.

For the destination, it is possible to choose between three stations: Fuji Q Highland, Fujisan Station (Mt Fuji Station), and Kawaguchiko Station. I chose Fujisan Station because it was nearer to our first stop of the day: the Chureito Pagoda in Arakurayama Sengen Park.

After paying for the tickets with my credit card, I received an email confirmation and a PDF ticket with a QR code. I saved the ticket in my phone.

I chose to buy the tickets online in advance because I was worried that they would be sold out. It is also possible to buy online on the day itself, or physically over the counter at the bus station.

Note that you can also get to Kawaguchiko from various other locations in Tokyo such as Shibuya and Tokyo Station. Below is a table of the respective departure points, bus operators, and journey times for your easy reference. Click on the bus operators to see the bus schedules and buy your tickets.

Departure	Bus Operator	Bus Fare	Journey Time
Shinjuku	Fujikyu, Keio	JPY2,000 (Adult) JPY1,000 (Child)	105 minutes
Tokyo Station	Fujikyu, JR Kanto		145 minutes
Shibuya	Fujikyu, Keio		150 minutes

Step 2: Take the Bus From Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal
On the day of our trip, I went to Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal to board the bus. It was slightly challenging to locate the bus departure point because the station is very big, but I followed the signs and managed to find it.

After the bus conductor scanned the QR Code on my ticket, I boarded the bus and reached Fujisan Station after a 105 minutes ride. The bus was very clean and the seats were comfy.

When I left Kawaguchiko for Tokyo at 6.30pm, the ride back to Shinjuku took about 120 minutes due to peak hour traffic in Tokyo.

Method 2. Express Train

From 16 March 2019, JR East and Fujikyu Railway started operating a express train service between Shinjuku Station and Kawaguchiko Station. This service is called the Fuji Kaiyu Limited Express (also known as Fuji Excursion Limited Express).

Previously, it was quite a hassle to take the train to Kawaguchiko because passengers had to change train at Otsuki station. However, with the introduction of Fuji Kaiyu, passengers can now enjoy a comfy direct train service.

The train will run from Shinjuku to Otsuki (operated by JR East), and directly continue on from Otsuki to Kawaguchiko (operated by Fujikyu Railway). The total journey time is around two hours. There are eight stops along the route:

1. Shinjuku
2. Tachikawa
3. Hachioji
4. Otsuki
5. Tsuru-bunkadaigaku-mae
6. Fujisan
7. Fuji Q Highland
8. Kawaguchiko

Train Fare
Fuji Kaiyu is a “Limited Express” train, therefore you will need to pay a “Base Train Fare” AND the “Express Fare”.

For the trip from Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko, the Base Train Fare is JPY2,460 and Express Fare is JPY1,600 (JPY900 for children age 6 to 11). Therefore, the total adult one-way fare is JPY4,060.

Children under 6 can share a seat with an adult. However, if the child is occupying a seat, a child-fare ticket (age 6 to 11) is required.

Train Schedule
The train usually runs twice daily, but there is an additional train during holidays and peak seasons. Below is the current train schedule as of 13 December 2019:

West Bound	Shinjuku	Fujisan	Kawaguchi	Duration
Fuji Kaiyu 1	8.30am	10.14am	10.22am	112 minutes
Fuji Kaiyu 3	9.30am	11.14am	11.22am	112 minutes
*Fuji Kaiyu 93	11.32am	1.27pm	1.35pm	123 minutes

*additional train service

East Bound	Kawaguchi	Fujisan	Shinjuku	Duration
Fuji Kaiyu 16	3.05pm	3.13pm	4.58pm	113 minutes
Fuji Kaiyu 20	5.38pm	5.46pm	7.27pm	109 minutes
*Fuji Kaiyu 90	2.03pm	2.11pm	4.03pm	120 minutes

*additional train service

How To Buy Fuji Kaiyu Tickets

– If You Have No Pass –

For passengers without any rail pass, visit the Japan Rail website, click on “Travelers without a rail pass”, and select your route. See screenshot above for details to input. As mentioned earlier, a one-way adult fare is JPY4,060.

– If You Have JR Pass –

For JR Pass holders, you can only reserve a seat from Shinjuku to Otsuki for free. To continue from Otsuki to Shinjuku, stay in your seat and a train conductor will collect the additional fare from you.

The additional fare consists of the Base Train Fare (JPY1,140) and Express Fare (JPY600 for adults, JPY400 for children age 6 to 11). Therefore, the total adult fare is JPY1,740.

Visit the Japan Rail website, click on “Travelers with a Japan Rail Pass”, and select your route. See screenshot above for details to input.

– If You Have JR Tokyo Wide Pass –

For JR Tokyo Wide Pass holders, you can reserve a seat from Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko for free.

Visit the Japan Rail website, click on “Travelers with a JR Tokyo Wide Pass”, and select your route. See screenshot above for details to input.

Reserved Seating System
You must book the Fuji Kaiyu tickets in advance because the train has a reserved seating system. However, you can still board the train if there are empty seats, and the train conductor will collect the fare from you. This will be slightly more expensive than buying online.

Method 3. Shuttle Bus Package

If you do not have time to plan your Kawaguchiko trip, you can check out this fuss-free shuttle bus package that will bring you to the most famous attractions such as Oishi Park and Arakurayama Sengen Park, where you can check out the charming five-storey Chureito Pagoda.

Method 4. Private Car Charter

If you are travelling in a large group with elderly and young children, you might want to consider booking a 10 hour private car charter. In this way, you can just relax and not have to worry about logistics at all.

The driver will pick you up from your hotel and bring you to popular attractions in Kawaguchiko such as Arakurayama Sengen Park and Gotemba Premium Outlets.

Conclusion

I hope you have a clearer idea of how to go to Kawaguchiko from Tokyo now! Personally, I feel that the best method is to take the Highway Bus. As mentioned earlier, I took the bus and did not experience any problems at all.

The Fuji Kaiyu Limited Express is definitely more convenient than the old train service, and should offer beautiful views along the way. However, it is twice as expensive as taking the highway bus, and has a slightly longer journey time.

Therefore, I suggest taking the Highway Bus to Kawaguchiko from Tokyo, and taking the Fuji Kaiyu back to Shinjuku. In this way, you can avoid the peak hour road traffic on the way back.

If you prefer convenience or do not have time to plan, you can consider booking the shuttle bus package (method 3) or private car charter (method 4), though these two methods are rather expensive.

Lastly, try to go as early as possible to avoid the crowds and enjoy more time at Kawaguchiko. The total round trip journey time is around 4 hours so you should not be leaving Tokyo too late.

This article is part of our super awesome Ultimate Tokyo Travel Guide For First Timers. Everything you need to know about Tokyo is just a click away!

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