Mt. Fuji
Jan 28th, 2007, 05:18 PM
#1
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Mt. Fuji
I will be traveling to Japan in April and want to know if I should pay $450 (3 people) for an organized tour from Tokyo to see Mt. Fuji. Is this a good value or should I attempt to visit the area on my own for the day via JR Rail Pass with my 13 year old son and husband? Any suggestions.
Jan 28th, 2007, 05:22 PM
#2
That's a lot but can't tell if it is a good value without knowing what you would get for the $450. You can certainly do the trip for less.
Will you have a JR Pass? What is your itinerary that you need the pass for?
Will you have a JR Pass? What is your itinerary that you need the pass for?
Jan 28th, 2007, 05:47 PM
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I will have a JR Rail pass for Tokyo, Kyoto, Miyajima/Hiroshima back to Tokyo. The bus tour says Mt. Fuji/Hakone and is a full day venture.
I'm just wondering once you get to Mt. Fuji, what do you do for several hours of the trip?
I'm just wondering once you get to Mt. Fuji, what do you do for several hours of the trip?
Jan 28th, 2007, 05:53 PM
#4
I suggest that you find that out from the tour operator before you plunk down the $450.
You could spend some time at www.jnto.go.jp and at www.japan-guide.com
Take a look at this: http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/rtg/pdf/pg-307.pdf
Search the web for Hakone Free Pass and read about it. You don't have to take JR, the Odakyu train would be a good option.
You could spend some time at www.jnto.go.jp and at www.japan-guide.com
Take a look at this: http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/rtg/pdf/pg-307.pdf
Search the web for Hakone Free Pass and read about it. You don't have to take JR, the Odakyu train would be a good option.
Jan 29th, 2007, 12:52 AM
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some1nos,
Although I'm glad I'm able to now say that I've been to Mt. Fuji, I have to admit that our full-day Sunrise tour to Mt. Fuji/Hakone is probably the one thing we felt was not worth the time or money on our trip.
We were picked up from our hotel at 8:10a. We stopped at another hotel to make another pick-up before arriving at a bus terminal where we checked in and got a boarding pass for another bus. We left the terminal at 9:15a and arrived at the Mt. Fuji Visitor's Center at 10:40a. Barely had time to visit the restroom and take a quick look through the gift shop before we were on our way again at 11:05a. Needless to say, there was no time to look around the Visitor's Center although my BF said that there were various displays (advantage of guys being able to visit the restroom quicker).
We arrived at the 5th station at 11:40a and were to return to the bus at 12:20p. There were a few gift stores there, basically all selling the same merchandise. Forty minutes was almost too long to look through all the shops, but not long enough to look through them and do anything else.
We then went to lunch at the Highland Hotel. Lunch was okay, but nothing to write home about. After eating, there really wasn't anything around the hotel to explore and again, too much time for just lunch. We left at 2:10p.
We then headed to Lake Ashi. I don't know if we were behind schedule, but we seemed to have been rushed through the rest of the tour. We boarded the boat and went to Hakone. Now, I have to admit that part our feeling that the trip wasn't worth it was that from this point on, we started getting fogged in. The boat ride was misty, but the Mt Komagatake Aerial cableway was completely fogged in. We would have been better off skipping the cablecar ride since once we got to the top, we had to get back in line to come back down and there was absolutely nothing to do at the top. By the time we got back down, we had about 30 mins to shop at the gift shops and then had to leave to catch our train back to Tokyo.
I will admit that I picked up some of my favorite souveniers at Hakone (magic boxes) and our tour guide was fairly interesting. But, overall, I'd say that it wasn't worth the time or money. In hindsight, we would have rather have spent the time and money exploring more of Tokyo or adding on an extra day in Osaka later in our itinerary.
Although I'm glad I'm able to now say that I've been to Mt. Fuji, I have to admit that our full-day Sunrise tour to Mt. Fuji/Hakone is probably the one thing we felt was not worth the time or money on our trip.
We were picked up from our hotel at 8:10a. We stopped at another hotel to make another pick-up before arriving at a bus terminal where we checked in and got a boarding pass for another bus. We left the terminal at 9:15a and arrived at the Mt. Fuji Visitor's Center at 10:40a. Barely had time to visit the restroom and take a quick look through the gift shop before we were on our way again at 11:05a. Needless to say, there was no time to look around the Visitor's Center although my BF said that there were various displays (advantage of guys being able to visit the restroom quicker).
We arrived at the 5th station at 11:40a and were to return to the bus at 12:20p. There were a few gift stores there, basically all selling the same merchandise. Forty minutes was almost too long to look through all the shops, but not long enough to look through them and do anything else.
We then went to lunch at the Highland Hotel. Lunch was okay, but nothing to write home about. After eating, there really wasn't anything around the hotel to explore and again, too much time for just lunch. We left at 2:10p.
We then headed to Lake Ashi. I don't know if we were behind schedule, but we seemed to have been rushed through the rest of the tour. We boarded the boat and went to Hakone. Now, I have to admit that part our feeling that the trip wasn't worth it was that from this point on, we started getting fogged in. The boat ride was misty, but the Mt Komagatake Aerial cableway was completely fogged in. We would have been better off skipping the cablecar ride since once we got to the top, we had to get back in line to come back down and there was absolutely nothing to do at the top. By the time we got back down, we had about 30 mins to shop at the gift shops and then had to leave to catch our train back to Tokyo.
I will admit that I picked up some of my favorite souveniers at Hakone (magic boxes) and our tour guide was fairly interesting. But, overall, I'd say that it wasn't worth the time or money. In hindsight, we would have rather have spent the time and money exploring more of Tokyo or adding on an extra day in Osaka later in our itinerary.
Jan 29th, 2007, 05:21 AM
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Thanks jlaughs for your experience. I just don't have a good feeling about the time/money being well spent. Would you say you could take a train and do this trip on your own or do you need a tour guide? Would the train be a problem from Tokyo getting you to Mt. Fuji?
Jan 29th, 2007, 05:50 AM
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Regarding going to Mt. Fuji on your own, I looked into that (although I did not save the research as I decided to go to Hakone on my own instead- going to Gotemba/Fuji and going to Hakone are different itineraries). I was able to get very detailed and good info from the forum at www.japan-guide.com If you go there and type FUJI into the search box, you will see your questions asked and answered. If not, there is a moderator of that forum named Uji who gives very good advice, and it seems that many more people on that forum go to Fujisan on their own.
There is not much to "do" at Fuji (unless you are climbing it in July or August) other than be in the presence of the mountain (assuning it is clear and you can see it), soak up the insredible scenery around the Fuji Five Lakes, and there is an amusement park/hotel complex called Fuji Highlands a few miles from the base.
In the end, I have been able to see Fuji from the window of the shinkansen twice on the way to Kyoto from Tokyo and that was enough for me; I was lucky the days were clear both times. I went to Hakone for an overnight btwn Tokyo and Kyoto and really enjoyed it. There is a lot more to do there than the "tourist circuit" (meaning the switchback electric train, cable car, etc.). We loved the place and we never went that close to Lake Ashi. We went to Yunessun and to the Open Air Museum, and stayed overnight in a ryokan (not an expensive one) with a private onsen outside our door, over the rushing river below us. There is an extensive collection of museums in Hakone- unusual types of museums, and the secnery is beautiful and relaxed.
There is not much to "do" at Fuji (unless you are climbing it in July or August) other than be in the presence of the mountain (assuning it is clear and you can see it), soak up the insredible scenery around the Fuji Five Lakes, and there is an amusement park/hotel complex called Fuji Highlands a few miles from the base.
In the end, I have been able to see Fuji from the window of the shinkansen twice on the way to Kyoto from Tokyo and that was enough for me; I was lucky the days were clear both times. I went to Hakone for an overnight btwn Tokyo and Kyoto and really enjoyed it. There is a lot more to do there than the "tourist circuit" (meaning the switchback electric train, cable car, etc.). We loved the place and we never went that close to Lake Ashi. We went to Yunessun and to the Open Air Museum, and stayed overnight in a ryokan (not an expensive one) with a private onsen outside our door, over the rushing river below us. There is an extensive collection of museums in Hakone- unusual types of museums, and the secnery is beautiful and relaxed.
Jan 29th, 2007, 10:57 PM
#9
There is really no way to advise you whether or not the tour you are looking at is worth the time/money without knowing what the itinerary is like. And it would be good to know why you are considering that one, what part of the tour description interests you. There are several tours that you can take to "see Mt Fuji".
Getting to Mt Fuji by train is impossible, as you might learn from some basic research on the place. The train can get you relatively close, though.
Getting to Mt Fuji by train is impossible, as you might learn from some basic research on the place. The train can get you relatively close, though.
Jan 30th, 2007, 12:28 PM
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some1nos,
Okay, at the risk of being ridiculed or thought silly, I will tell you that the only reason I felt there was any value FOR ME in taking the Mt. Fuji/Hakone tour is that I'm Japanese-American. In a weird way, it was kind of a symbolic pilgrimage of going "home" (even though I'm definitely and absolutely American and the US *is* my home). Being ON Mt. Fuji was more something I appreciated internally rather than something enjoyed outwardly. Aside from my own personal reasons, I definitely didn't feel that the Mt. Fuji/Hakone tour experience was worth the time or money.
BUT, (and I apologize for muddling the issue in advance) one of my cousins visited Japan the year before I went and really enjoyed and recommended the same Mt. Fuji/Hakone tour. In addition, my BF had the Lake Ashi cruise on his "Best" list from our trip. Go figure.
Okay, at the risk of being ridiculed or thought silly, I will tell you that the only reason I felt there was any value FOR ME in taking the Mt. Fuji/Hakone tour is that I'm Japanese-American. In a weird way, it was kind of a symbolic pilgrimage of going "home" (even though I'm definitely and absolutely American and the US *is* my home). Being ON Mt. Fuji was more something I appreciated internally rather than something enjoyed outwardly. Aside from my own personal reasons, I definitely didn't feel that the Mt. Fuji/Hakone tour experience was worth the time or money.
BUT, (and I apologize for muddling the issue in advance) one of my cousins visited Japan the year before I went and really enjoyed and recommended the same Mt. Fuji/Hakone tour. In addition, my BF had the Lake Ashi cruise on his "Best" list from our trip. Go figure.
Jan 30th, 2007, 12:56 PM
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I just remembered that I meant to make one more comment.
Whether by tour or on your own, unless you're planning to climb Mt. Fuji in July or August, I don't think it's worth the trip. Seeing it from a distance is definitely much more impressive than being ON it.
Whether by tour or on your own, unless you're planning to climb Mt. Fuji in July or August, I don't think it's worth the trip. Seeing it from a distance is definitely much more impressive than being ON it.
Jan 30th, 2007, 10:23 PM
#12
Fuji-san is an icon of Japan. I've seen photos of it all my life including hi-res satellite images overlaid onto a terrain model in 3D on a computer. I saw it from the train on my way to Kyoto and it was impressive, but that was not enough. I wanted to stand in the spots (approximately) where the postcard photos were shot. I wanted to see it up close, in person.
My JR Pass was still valid but I decided to take the Odakyu train. I was staying in Shinjuku and that train goes all the way to Hakone Yumoto.
Had a Hakone Free Pass and used it to take the bus from Hakone Yumoto to the Moto-Hakone Guest House which is up the hill from Hakonemachi. This is a budget place, just a futon on the floor in my room, shared toilet, shower on the first floor. After settling in I walked down to Lake Ashi to see what was going on. Not much!
In the morning, I went down to the lake and had breakfast. I spent some time just soaking up the great view of Fuji-san, the lake, and the mountains. There was a cloud at the peak of Fujisan but it was mostly visible. Beautiful day otherwise.
Took the pirate boat across the lake and checked out the place on the other side. Took the ropeway to the top for more great views of Fuji-san and to visit Owakudani. Then the incline train connecting to the rr train to Hakone Yumoto.
At Hakone Yumoto I was to get a free shuttle bus from the train station to an onsen at a ryokan complex (a couple of buildings). Couldn't find the bus stop and was told to go out onto a bridge to wait for it. Don't know why the bus stop was on the bridge, but it was only a couple of minutes to the onsen.
The place had a nice rotenburo with several bath pools at different temps. This was also the place where I first experienced the Japanese sauna. I don't know the name for it. Almost like a mud hut. Very hot, at least 160F.
After the onsen I took the bus back to the Hakonemachi. Had dinner and then hiked up the hill to the M-H Guest House.
In the morning I decided to take the tourist route back out of the park, so went across the lake, over the mountain, and down the valley, eventually catching a bus to JR Odawara station.
At Odawara I got excellent instructions for going to Kamakura. The train trip was very efficient. Visited the Daibutsu and then decided it was time to visit another onsen so I headed to Atami Onsen. It was night by the time I got the Kodama train back to Tokyo and crashed when I got to the Hilton in Shinjuku.
It was worth the trip to Hakone for me. It was a great break from the cities of Japan. The second night in Hakone was not necessary the way I did it: after the onsen visit in Hakone Yumoto I was at the end of the circuit and only a few minutes from Odawara station.
My JR Pass was still valid but I decided to take the Odakyu train. I was staying in Shinjuku and that train goes all the way to Hakone Yumoto.
Had a Hakone Free Pass and used it to take the bus from Hakone Yumoto to the Moto-Hakone Guest House which is up the hill from Hakonemachi. This is a budget place, just a futon on the floor in my room, shared toilet, shower on the first floor. After settling in I walked down to Lake Ashi to see what was going on. Not much!
In the morning, I went down to the lake and had breakfast. I spent some time just soaking up the great view of Fuji-san, the lake, and the mountains. There was a cloud at the peak of Fujisan but it was mostly visible. Beautiful day otherwise.
Took the pirate boat across the lake and checked out the place on the other side. Took the ropeway to the top for more great views of Fuji-san and to visit Owakudani. Then the incline train connecting to the rr train to Hakone Yumoto.
At Hakone Yumoto I was to get a free shuttle bus from the train station to an onsen at a ryokan complex (a couple of buildings). Couldn't find the bus stop and was told to go out onto a bridge to wait for it. Don't know why the bus stop was on the bridge, but it was only a couple of minutes to the onsen.
The place had a nice rotenburo with several bath pools at different temps. This was also the place where I first experienced the Japanese sauna. I don't know the name for it. Almost like a mud hut. Very hot, at least 160F.
After the onsen I took the bus back to the Hakonemachi. Had dinner and then hiked up the hill to the M-H Guest House.
In the morning I decided to take the tourist route back out of the park, so went across the lake, over the mountain, and down the valley, eventually catching a bus to JR Odawara station.
At Odawara I got excellent instructions for going to Kamakura. The train trip was very efficient. Visited the Daibutsu and then decided it was time to visit another onsen so I headed to Atami Onsen. It was night by the time I got the Kodama train back to Tokyo and crashed when I got to the Hilton in Shinjuku.
It was worth the trip to Hakone for me. It was a great break from the cities of Japan. The second night in Hakone was not necessary the way I did it: after the onsen visit in Hakone Yumoto I was at the end of the circuit and only a few minutes from Odawara station.
Jan 30th, 2007, 10:46 PM
#13
The place I referred to as Hakonemachi is actually the little town of Moto Hakone. It is where you can walk a short, cedar lined, stretch of the Tokaido road. Hakonemachi has a Tokaido road checkpoint which I didn't visit.
