Fuji Shibazakura and Gotemba during GW

Hi,

I�fm planning to go to Fuji Shibazukura during the golden week. I have already booked a hotel and will stay there the night before with intent to hop on the first Fuji Shibazakura Liner shuttle bus to avoid the crowd. However, looking through the online reservation page, it seems that overseas credit card will not be acceptable for online reservation. Could anyone kindly share the experience of getting in the shuttle bus without advance booking, esp during golden week? I could buy the admission ticket through Klook but they don�ft have the shuttle bus ticket.

I�fm also planning to go to Gotemba outlet after visiting the festival. Would advance booking be recommended as well? If yes, any recommendation on how long it would take to see the festival?

Thanks in advance for any kind advice on the above. Any suggestion will be greatly appreciated too.

I did it last year, with no bus reservation or advance ticket. The bus was full but I was able to get a seat without any kind of long wait. The train going there was something though. The JR one was fine, but the Fujikyu train was a ltd express and standing room only for an hour. They were trying to get some people to move to a local train that still had seats, but I knew it would take a lot longer so chose the ltd express train.
The traffic on the road to and from the shibazakura park was pretty full but not intolerable. I would have liked to see one more place while in the area, but the weather was clear and perfect - the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, which in spring and summer is not that common, so I still went back to Tokyo with a smile on my face.

Thanks Ken for your help!

I intend to book the bus from Gotemba to Shinjuku. So, I think the going back should be fine. Was more concerned about the shuttle to the festival. May I check if you have issues for the going back from the festival to kawaguchiko station?

Regards
Shuling

Fuji -> Hitome Senbon Zakura -> Kitakami Tenshochi Park

Hi,

I read that there might be bad traffic jam from Gotemba outlet back to Shinjuku during GW. Would it be better to take train instead? I note that there is a shuttle bus from the outlet to Gotemba station. Otherwise, would the traffic be better if I�fm to leave Gotemba in the evening at about 7pm if I�fm to take the bus?

Thanks for any recommendation in advance.