Mt Fuji: Where to See It and How to Climb It

Mt Fuji (3,776 m) is Japan's highest and most iconic mountain. You can admire it from viewpoints around its base, from trains and even from Tokyo on clear days — or climb it in summer.

When can you see Mt Fuji?

Visibility is best on cold, dry days from late autumn to early spring, especially in the early morning. In summer, haze and clouds often hide it completely. Check live cameras and forecasts before a dedicated trip.

Best viewpoints

• Kawaguchiko: Chūreitō Pagoda, Ōishi Park, lake shores.
• Lake Yamanaka and Lake Motosu (the view on the ¥1,000 note's former design).
• Hakone: Lake Ashi and the ropeway on clear days.
• Shinkansen: right side (seat E) from Tokyo toward Kyoto — see our Shinkansen booking guide.
• Tokyo: observation decks such as Shibuya Sky, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building and Tokyo Skytree on clear winter days.
• Gotemba and Fuji City: the southern side.

Climbing Mt Fuji

• Season: officially early July to early-mid September; trails open and close on set dates. Outside the season, climbing is strongly discouraged and dangerous.
• Trails: Yoshida (most popular, from the Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station), Subashiri, Gotemba and Fujinomiya.
• Rules: Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures have introduced climbing fees, daily caps and gate-closing hours for those without mountain-hut reservations on some trails. Check current rules and register in advance on the official sites.
• Timing: most climbers ascend in the afternoon, sleep in a mountain hut, then summit for sunrise (goraikō).
• Gear: warm layers (it can be near freezing at the summit), rain gear, headlamp, sturdy shoes, cash for huts and toilets.
• Altitude sickness is common — go slowly and descend if symptoms worsen.