Mount Fuji Without a Tour 🇯🇵 | What Went Wrong? Hakone vs Kawaguchiko Explained🇯🇵🏘️🍱

📍 Mount Fuji Day Trip from Mishima | Lake Kawaguchi, Ropeway & Travel Tips 🇯🇵

Hi guys, welcome back to my YouTube channel Explore with Sanika ✨
In today’s vlog, I’m finally visiting Mount Fuji, one of the most iconic and beautiful attractions in Japan—and a place I’ve always dreamed of seeing!

Stays near Lake Kawaguchi and Hakone can be quite expensive, so instead we chose Mishima, a small yet beautiful town with stunning Mount Fuji backdrops. It’s a great budget-friendly alternative, and you can explore Mishima alongside your Fuji trip.

When we reached Mishima, we had half a day, so we explored the Hakone area. Unfortunately, we couldn’t spot Mount Fuji there due to the weather, but the journey itself was absolutely surreal—the scenic views were something else!

The next morning, we pre-booked our hotel’s free shuttle bus to the Mount Fuji / Lake Kawaguchi area (you need to book it one night in advance; the hotel staff guides you through it). Our reporting time was 10:00 AM.

Before heading out, we couriered our luggage to Tokyo so we could explore Mount Fuji hands-free. We had already sent extra bags from Kyoto to Tokyo earlier, which made traveling so much easier—highly recommended!

The shuttle dropped us at Fuji-Q Highland (the amusement park with roller coasters). Honestly, this was a small mistake because:
• You need passes like the Mt. Fuji–Hakone Area Tourist Pass / Fuji–Hakone Pass to explore smoothly
• The rides were not our priority (and a bit too adventurous 😅)

Since transport options are limited at higher points, I immediately booked our highway bus tickets to Tokyo from there. These buses get booked very fast, so I secured seats for 5:55 PM in advance. The journey takes around 2 hours and covers roughly 100 km.

After that, we waited for a local bus (12:45 PM) and finally reached Lake Kawaguchi—and honestly, I felt so relieved seeing more transport options and people around.

Due to long queues, we could only do two activities, so planning is extremely important here. Choose attractions based on your preference and time.

✔️ Mount Fuji Ropeway – absolutely stunning views
✔️ Boating at Lake Kawaguchi – peaceful and beautiful

Thankfully, it was a clear day, and I got to see Mount Fuji from three different places:
• Mishima
• Hakone
• Lake Kawaguchi

Personally, I feel Lake Kawaguchi is the best place to see Mount Fuji. If you’re confused between Hakone and Lake Kawaguchi, this is my honest recommendation.

💡 My Honest Suggestion:
If you’re visiting Japan, the best and easiest way to see Mount Fuji is to take a day trip from Tokyo. You can choose Lake Kawaguchiko or Hakone depending on whether you’re more of a lake person or a mountain person.
Our trip became quite adventurous and hectic, but in a way, it was also special because we got to explore Hakone, Mishima, and Lake Kawaguchi in one journey. However, if you want a smoother experience, I highly recommend booking a guided day tour, as it’s much better planned and you don’t have to worry about transport or logistics.

After exploring, we grabbed quick snacks from 7-Eleven, boarded our highway bus, reached Tokyo, enjoyed dinner at an Indian restaurant, checked into our hotel, collected our luggage, and wrapped up this beautiful day.

✨ Mount Fuji is an absolute must if you’re visiting Japan!

Thank you so much for watching 💕
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