Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest and most iconic peak, is best seen from the Fuji Five Lakes on its northern side, especially Lake Kawaguchi. Hotels, ryokan with hot-spring baths and guesthouses line the lakes and the town of Fujiyoshida, and Hakone to the south is a popular alternative with its own onsen resorts.
Finding cheap rooms in Mount Fuji is easier when you know where to look. We compare live hotel rates across the top booking sites and point you to the neighborhoods where hotels are cheap but the location is still great.
Buses from Tokyo’s Shinjuku and trains via Otsuki reach the Fuji Five Lakes, making the area an easy gateway from the capital.
The most popular lake, with classic Fuji views, ryokan and the widest choice of hotels.
A town at the foot of the mountain, near the Chureito Pagoda, with cheaper hotels and guesthouses.
The largest of the five lakes, quieter, with lakeside hotels and holiday lodges.
A hot-spring resort area south of Fuji, with ryokan, museums and views across Lake Ashi.
A town on the eastern side with outlet shopping and often good-value hotels.
One of Japan’s oldest Western-style hotels, opened in 1878 in Miyanoshita, Hakone.
Check rates at Fujiya HotelZoom and pan the map to compare hotel prices by neighborhood; rates come live from the booking sites.
Late autumn and winter often bring the clearest views of Fuji; spring cherry blossoms and autumn leaves are popular and busy. The official climbing season is roughly July to early September.
Fujiyoshida and the less-visited lakes usually have cheaper rooms than central Kawaguchiko; guesthouses and business hotels offer the best value.
Yes, in the summer climbing season. Fees, reservations and daily limits now apply on some trails, so check the official climbing information before you go.
Kawaguchiko is closer and has more direct views; Hakone is known for its hot springs and museums, with Fuji views on clear days.