There are several day tours you can take from Tokyo, although I think it is debatable whether it is worth it when you have a limited time to explore the city. Mainly because we had the ability to book tours for free thanks to our daughter’s sweepstakes win, we decided to book a private full day tour to Mount Fuji with hopes of seeing the mountain and a bit more of the countryside.
The tour was booked for about $500pp, which is a lot and not something I would have paid for out of pocket, but our daughter said it was fine to use a chunk of her winnings on this tour. After breakfast at the Hyatt Centric, we hopped on the metro and met our guide outside Nakano station on the west side of Tokyo around 9am.
He had a compact car that fit the three of us comfortably. He told me he doesn’t own a car and just rents one for each tour based on the size of the group.
It took over two hours to get out of Tokyo and to our first stop at Lake Motosu, one of the five lakes that surround Mount Fuji. We first stopped for some views of the mountain as it was peaking out through the clouds and haze.
Then we drove a bit further around the lake and stopped at a famous viewpoint for some pictures with the mountain behind us.
Then we parked for a bit in a campground and our guide prepared a BBQ lunch for us with Mount Fuji visible in front of us.
After lunch, we had a quick bathroom stop. I found this sign in the bathroom funny because I’m basically a 12-year-old.
We continued on to Shiraito Falls, which were pretty impressive and a fairly easy walk from the parking lot.
We walked around to the nearby Otodomeno Falls as well.
From there, we made a quick stop at a farmers market and then grabbed some pictures in front of a Lawson store. This is not “the Lawson” that has been made famous in many tourist pictures but a different one nearby.
Then it was time to head back to Nakano Station, which again took over two hours. We bade our tour guide farewell and met a friend’s son who is living in Tokyo for dinner near Nakano Broadway.
Was it worth taking a day out of our precious Tokyo time to see Mount Fuji? I think my daughter and I would say yes, as thankfully the mountain was out and visible, which is no guarantee this time of year. My wife would probably say no, as she would have preferred more time at the many vintage stores in Tokyo.
Up Next: Tokyo Activities
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