Mt. Fuji Circuit Itinerary
This itinerary for the Mt. Fuji Circuit tour is 'ground only' beginning in Tokyo and ending in Hakone. After receiving the booking form and deposit we will provide detailed instructions for getting to the meeting point in Tokyo. Arrangements can be made by Walk Japan for extra time in Japan before and after this tour. At the end of the tour, travellers are advised not to book themselves out on an early morning flight as it will take several hours to reach a major international airport from Hakone.
Day 1
Meet in our hotel at 2pm for an initial tour briefing. A short exploration of Tokyo will begin to introduce the importance of Mt. Fuji to the Japanese. Further briefing and orientation over dinner at a lively local restaurant.
Dinner provided.
Day 2
An early morning transfer by Shinkansen Bullet Train to the Mt. Fuji area and the beginning of our walk. We will now be walking for most of the next six days as we start our Mt. Fuji Circuit.
A succession of ever quieter country roads lead us past a woodland Shinto shrine to the trailhead of Mt Tenshigatake (1330m). The path to the top is initially gentle, but it is followed by a few steeper sections, and the final push to the top will leave most feeling relieved that the toughest climb of the entire tour is behind us. On a clear day, while enjoying a well-deserved picnic lunch, we will be rewarded with outstanding views of Mt. Fuji.
We have now joined the Tokai Nature Trail, the most extensive of Japan's long-distance paths, running from the outskirts of Osaka to Tokyo. After another hour spent traversing along a ridge to the top of Mt. Chojagatake (1336m) we start a leisurely descent to our lodgings for the evening in Lake Tanuki-ko(400m), another very popular spot from which to view Mt. Fuji. Lake Tanuki-ko is not one of the famous Five Lakes of Fuji; rather it is a man-made area of water originally created by draining the surrounding rice paddies. Here, "Tanuki" refers not to the jolly, well-endowed badger of Japanese folklore but instead, the literal draining of fields.
Total walking time 4.5 hours, Total height gain 700m, Total distance 10km.
Breakfast & dinner provided.
Day 3
After breakfast we begin today's walk with a stroll around Lake Tanuki-ko. We rejoin the Tokai Nature Trail trail at the far bank and continue our walk on a mixture of rural roads, forest tracks, countryside footpaths and mountan trails that will enable us to cover a good deal of ground today. It takes just over one hour and a half to reach the small village of Inogashira, a pleasant place with the twin attractions of a quiet temple and a pretty waterfall - Jinba no Taki.
Our route continues around the foothils of the mountains, with magnificent views across the plains to Mt. Fuji on our right. We walk through farmland and cedar plantation forest and crossdried-up river beds en route to our lunch spot.
After lunch we start our only real climb of the day - 25 minutes uphill, followed by a gentle and beautiful mountainside trail through mixed forest. We then catch a local bus for a short journey to Lake Motosu-ko and our lodgings.
Total walking time 6.5 hours. Total height gain 500m. Total distance 20km.
Breakfast & dinner provided.
Day 4
Leaving Lake Motosu-ko, we spend the morning walking along a woodland path and through the atmospheric Aokigahara forest.The trees here are precariously balanced on a rocky landscape of ancient lava flows. However, it is best not to stray too far from the trail, as Aokigahara's rugged terrain and dense forest has a reputation for confusing walkers.
Aokigahara contains a number of large caverns in which quantities of ice remain year round. We visit one of these and enjoy lunch nearby. Continuing over a short pass, we make a leisurely descent to our lodgings for the night on the shores of Lake Sai-ko. Our accommodation is a Japanese inn on the lake shore, with excellent views and superb local food.
Total walking time 5.5 hours. Total height gain 300m, Total distance 15km.
Breakfast & dinner provided.
Day 5
We depart our lodgings in Lake Sai-ko and return to the trail, which is a rising traverse providing views of lakes Sai-ko and Kawaguchi-ko on one side, and Mt. Fuji on the other. A series of excellent viewpoints leads us gently to the top of Mt. Ashiwada (1355m), along with Mt. Fuji, one of Japan's Hundred Famous Mountains, and our lunch spot.
A leisurely descent leads us to a picturesque Shinto shrine, before we continue on country and woodland roads to the outskirts of Lake Kawaguchi-ko. Here we spend some time at the Fuji Visitor Center, where informative audiovisual displays make an interesting end to our day before heading into the town of Kawaguchi-ko and our accommodation for the evening. After several days in the countryside, this lively lakeside town is an opportunity for us to eat in a restaurant and, for those in the mood, sample some nightlife.
Total walking time 5 hours. Total height gain 450m. Total distance 12km.
Breakfast & dinner provided.
Day 6
Leaving Lake Kawaguchi-ko, we journey via the pleasant village of Oshino to the start of today's walk, which takes us up onto a ridge overlooking Lake Yamanaka-ko. The trail follows the the hilltops along the north side of the lake, passing over several peaks, including Nagaike-yama (1178m) and Ishiwari-yama (1413m). We then descend past a mountain shrine to Hirano where we meet our onward transport and continue to the resort of Hakone. Arriving late afternoon, we settle into our lodgings with natural hot springs attached and relax before a celebratory evening meal reviewing the highlights of the tour.
Total Walking time 5 hrs. Total height gain 650m. Total distance 7km.
Breakfast & dinner provided.
Day 7
The tour finishes after breakfast, but your guide will be available until after lunch to advise regarding the best ways to enjoy Hakone. We also provide a complementary all-day pass to the idiosyncratic but easily followed local transport system of the area. For onward travel, Tokyo is easily reached from Hakone.
Breakfast provided.
This itinerary is subject to change.
Please see Tour Dates for scheduled tours and their availability. Contact Walk Japan for more information and to receive the booking form.