Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station 富士山五合目

Mt. Fuji attracts hikers and climbers from the world over, and most of them start their ascents at the 5th station, halfway up the mountain. If climbing Mt. Fuji to its summit doesn't fit into your travel schedule but you want to experience the atmosphere of this symbol of Japan, you can climb or drive to Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station for spectacular views.

Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station is in southeastern Yamanashi Prefecture near the border with Shizuoka Prefecture and can be accessed by bus, car or taxi.

Take an express train from Shinjuku Station to Otsuki Station on the JR Chuo Line (about an hour), then change to the Fuji Kyuko Line for Fujisan Station or Kawaguchiko Station.

The express train, Fujisan Tokkyu, takes 45 minutes and the regular train takes about an hour to reach Kawaguchiko Station.

You can take a bus to Kawaguchiko Station from Shin-Fuji Station (2 hours 15 minutes) or Mishima Station (90 minutes), which are both on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line.

Once you arrive at either Fujisan Station or Kawaguchiko Station, you can take a bus to Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station.

You can get to Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station via bus from Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal in just under two and a half hours.

You can reach the fifth station by car on the Subaru Line, a scenic toll road that climbs Mt. Fuji's lower northern slopes. The road is accessible most of the year but is closed to private vehicles during the busy climbing season (July 1 to September 10).

The Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station has parking, coin lockers, and restaurants. You can buy climbing supplies for your Mt. Fuji hike such as hiking sticks, snacks, bottled water and oxygen here; these are also sold further up the mountain trail, but the price increases the higher you go.

Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station is a popular sightseeing spot also for those not climbing the mountain. The observation area here has views of Fujiyoshida and Lake Yamanaka at Komitake Shrine, behind the shopping area.

In addition to the trail to the summit, there is the Ochudo Trail, which circles the middle of Mt. Fuji at a near-constant elevation, making it a much easier undertaking than climbing to the peak. Follow the trail to Satomidaira for sweeping views of Lake Kawaguchi, Lake Yamanaka, and the Japan Alps.

If you prefer to take it easy, you can hire a pony to carry you to some of the best sightseeing spots around the 5th station.