On a map of Tokyo’s rail network, Shinjuku Station looks like a knot of colored lines, and somewhere in it sits the platform for the train that heads to the foot of Mount Fuji. Many travelers reach this question while planning a day away from the city, wondering how to get to the lakes. The answer is a limited express called the Fuji Excursion, which links Shinjuku with Kawaguchiko by way of the Chuo Line and the Fujikyuko Line.
How do you get from Tokyo to Kawaguchiko?
You go by train from Shinjuku Station, and the Fuji Excursion is the service that runs the whole way to Kawaguchiko Station in Yamanashi Prefecture. It rides the Chuo Line out of Tokyo, then continues onto the Fujikyuko Line, a private railway, for the last stretch up to the lakes. Fuji Excursion services began on 16 March 2019, so it is a relatively recent addition to a line that has carried travelers toward Fuji for a long time.
The train uses E353 series electric trains of three cars, a short formation that gives the ride a compact, almost private feel compared with the long commuter trains you have just left behind. Four round trips run per day, which means the timetable shapes your plan more than it does on a frequent city line.
The Fuji Excursion step by step
The train calls at Shinjuku, Tachikawa, Hachioji, Otsuki, Tsurubunkadaigakumae, Shimoyoshida, Mt. Fuji, Fujikyu-Highland and Kawaguchiko. The names tell a story of their own: the first three are Tokyo-area stations, Otsuki is where the journey changes character, and the last four belong to the Fuji side of the trip. Two of those stops, Mt. Fuji and Fujikyu-Highland, are useful to know if your plans lie near the amusement park or the mountain’s own station.
Between Otsuki and Shinjuku, Fuji Excursion trains are coupled with Azusa or Kaiji limited express services. In practice the cars travel together on the Chuo Line and then separate at Otsuki, so the train in front of you at Shinjuku may be part of a longer set. Check the car and train information at the platform so you board the section that goes to Kawaguchiko.
The Fujikyuko Line from Otsuki
Past Otsuki the railway belongs to Fuji Kyuko, a separate operator from JR. The line runs between Otsuki Station in Otsuki and Kawaguchiko Station in Fujikawaguchiko, and it climbs steadily as it goes. It is also the only railway service that reaches the northern Yamanashi side of Mount Fuji and the Fuji Five Lakes, part of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.
In many places along the line, Mount Fuji can be seen from the train, so it is worth keeping an eye on the windows once you are past Otsuki. The line traces its roots to the Tsuru Horse-drawn Tramway, which began operation in 1900, a reminder that people have been making this climb toward the mountain for well over a century.
| Fujikyuko Line | Value |
|---|---|
| Endpoints | Otsuki to Kawaguchiko |
| Length (km) | 26.6 |
| Elevation at Otsuki (m) | 358 |
| Elevation at Kawaguchiko (m) | 857 |
Which options are there?
There are three kinds of train to think about: the Fuji Excursion limited express, the Fujisan Tokkyu limited express services on the Fujikyuko Line, and local trains that stop at every station. Which one suits you depends mostly on how the timetable fits your day and what you hold in your wallet or on your IC card.
The Fuji Excursion limited express
This is the through service from Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko, and the one that spares you a change of train at Otsuki. It needs a limited express ticket on top of the basic fare ticket. With four round trips per day, you plan around its departures rather than simply turning up at the station.
It suits travelers who like the idea of one seat from the capital to the lakes, with the city falling away and the mountain landscape gradually taking over the windows. You may also see a Mount Fuji view from the train along the Fujikyuko section.
Fujisan Tokkyu and local trains on the Fujikyuko Line
Several Fujisan Tokkyu (Mount Fuji express) limited express services operate on the Fujikyuko Line in addition to local trains. The local trains stop at all stations and run about every 30 minutes, which gives you a steady rhythm of departures on the Fuji side of the trip.
Local trains stop at every station by nature. Japanese local service in general is a train that stops at every station, which makes it a fit for short distances. Rapid trains skip smaller stations and do not require a supplement. These are the habits of Japanese rail in general, and they help you read a timetable board at a big station such as Shinjuku.
The Chuo Line side of the trip
The Chuo Main Line is the backbone behind the Fuji Excursion. Its eastern portion is operated by JR East, and limited express services on it include Azusa, Super Azusa, Kaiji, Hamakaiji, Narita Express and Shinano. Kaiji terminates at Kofu, the capital of Yamanashi Prefecture, while Azusa continues beyond Shiojiri to Matsumoto via the Shinonoi Line.
None of these is the train for Kawaguchiko by itself, but Azusa and Kaiji matter because the Fuji Excursion couples with one or the other between Otsuki and Shinjuku. Along the Chuo East Line, peaks of the Akaishi and Kiso as well as Mount Yatsugatake can be seen from trains, a bonus for travelers who like a mountain view while in transit.
Buses and driving
Fuji Kyuko runs bus lines as well as its railway, and they accept Pasmo, Suica and other IC farecards, so a card you already carry in Tokyo can cover local trips around the lakes. Beyond that, the choices for reaching Kawaguchiko from Tokyo come down to the train services described here.
If you think about driving, remember that traffic in Japan moves on the left side of the road, and that if you do not know Japanese you will have trouble understanding road signs. Those two points alone shape how comfortable a drive will feel.
What should you know before you travel from Tokyo to Kawaguchiko?
Know your ticket first: to board the Fuji Excursion you must purchase a limited express ticket in addition to the basic fare ticket. After that, the questions are which seat type you want, whether a pass covers part of the ride, and how the Fujikyuko section is paid for.
Seats and the colored lamps
A Reserved Seat Ticket lets you reserve a specific seat, and a green overhead lamp marks it. An Unreserved Seat Ticket allows you to sit in any unreserved seat, which carries a red overhead lamp. A yellow lamp means the seat is reserved for a later part of the journey.
The lamps are a simple visual system, so with an unreserved ticket you can read the car at a glance as you walk down the aisle. Red means you may sit, yellow means someone will board later, and green belongs to a person with a reservation.
Passes and the Fujikyuko supplement
Japan Rail Pass and JR East Pass holders can ride the Fuji Excursion free of charge only between Shinjuku and Otsuki stations. Beyond Otsuki on the Fujikyuko Line, a supplementary ticket is required for the Fuji Excursion, and it can be purchased in advance at Fuji Kyuko stations or on the train.
The JR East Tokyo Wide Pass is different, because it includes travel on the Fuji Excursion’s Fujikyuko section between Otsuki and Kawaguchiko. The split shows why the private railway matters: the JR part and the Fuji Kyuko part follow different rules.
| Pass | Fuji Excursion stretch covered |
|---|---|
| Japan Rail Pass | Shinjuku to Otsuki |
| JR East Pass | Shinjuku to Otsuki |
| JR East Tokyo Wide Pass | Otsuki to Kawaguchiko (Fujikyuko section) |
Paying and planning around Fuji
Fuji Kyuko railway and bus lines accept Pasmo, Suica and other IC farecards, with railway capability provided since 14 March 2015. A card is therefore usable on the private railway as well as on city transit, for example on the local trains that stop at every station.
Japanese trains have a reputation for being always on time, which allows travelers to plan their trips to the minute. In Tokyo you will find Japan Railways trains, Tokyo Metro lines and Toei Subway lines, among others, so reaching Shinjuku from your hotel may involve one of several operators.
Mount Fuji is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the highest mountain in Japan. Visitors planning to climb it are strongly advised to check the latest information on the Official Website for Mt. Fuji Climbing.
Good to know before you go
Carry an IC card such as Suica or Pasmo, since the Fuji Kyuko trains and buses take them, and keep your limited express ticket within reach for the conductor. On the road, remember that traffic keeps to the left. Nothing else on this trip adds a separate visitor fee or tax to plan for.
Sources
- Wikipedia, Chūō Main Line (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C5%AB%C5%8D_Main_Line), checked October 11, 2026
- Wikipedia, Fuji Excursion (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuji_Excursion), checked October 11, 2026
- Wikipedia, Fujikyuko Line (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fujikyuko_Line), checked October 11, 2026
- Japan National Tourism Organization, Tokyo (https://www.japan.travel/en/destinations/kanto/tokyo/), checked October 11, 2026
- Japan National Tourism Organization, Mount Fuji guide (https://www.japan.travel/en/fuji-guide/), checked October 11, 2026
- Official website for Mt. Fuji climbing, about the climb (https://www.fujisan-climb.jp/en/about/), checked October 11, 2026
- U.S. Department of State, Japan travel information, travel and transportation (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Japan.html), checked October 11, 2026
- Japan National Tourism Organization, trains and buses (https://www.japan.travel/en/guide/how-to-travel-by-train-and-bus-in-japan/), checked October 11, 2026
- Japan National Tourism Organization, traveling by rail (https://www.japan.travel/en/guide/traveling-by-rail/), checked October 11, 2026