Matsumoto to Kawaguchiko in the morning

Hi there! Been planning a trip to Japan in October and I'm stuck at this: Is there a way to get to Kawaguchiko by 9 am from Matsumoto?

I only have 1 day to visit Lake Saiko + Chureito Pagoda so I want to do the lake in the morning and perhaps to catch the sunset at the pagoda. I saw that the first trip on the Green Line is at 9:10 am so I want to arrive early so I can get tickets, etc.

I used Hyperdia and all suggestions point to leaving at 9 or 10 pm the previous day and arriving Kawaguchiko on time, but there's a long wait in Kofu.

Any suggestion/s? Thank you!

You could drive-it would take a couple of hours-but the drop off costs for the car would be fearsome. Probably cheaper to go on the last train the night before and stay at a hotel.

Maybe a bus?

On a more practical note, if you search Hyperdia with a super early start (like 4.30am) on the day you want to travel, it will give you the earliest option.

My search indicated leaving Matsumoto on the 6.25 train and arriving at Kawaguchiko at 9.40, which is not bad going. I wonder though if that train might be full of commuters-so potentially a bit crowded?

Enjoy your trip to Japan!

The idea of driving has crossed my mind, but I'm afraid I might not be able to follow the signs if they're mostly in kana.

I saw that option as well, but I'm really pushing for the first trip out from Kawaguchi on the Green Line. Might have to re-route to Tokyo and sleep there instead of Matsumoto.

Thanks for the suggestion!

Hi!

While I've not driven in the Chubu area, I rented a car and drove around some of Tohoku this Summer and every single sign I saw had everything written out in either Romanji or English, so as long as you know place names in Romanji you are fine.

However, drop off fees are not something to ignore. They'll frequently run you 10,000 yen plus. The fastest routes also often have tolls and of course gas can add up as well. (with my limited Japanese skills I found refilling the car a bit challenging, but people tended to be very nice.)

Good luck!

Google maps says you can get there by 9AM if you leave Matsumoto Station at 6:25 AM:

https://goo.gl/maps/J7r6gxVVkCWXKEvXA

Last leg from Kofu by bus.

Klaren:
I used Hyperdia and all suggestions point to leaving at 9 or 10 pm the previous day and arriving Kawaguchiko on time

Currently HyperDia does not know any bus route in Japan....

TW:
Last leg from Kofu by bus.

No;
you had better plan to take the bus
not from Kofu but from Isawa Onsen,
which is what both Google Maps and NAVITIME suggest you.
(You add "?hl=en" to the above Google Maps URL
then get the information in English.)

It sounds very hard to catch this bus at Kofu Station,
because you have only a few minutes,
with your JR train arriving at 7:37
and with your Fujikyu bus departing at 7:40.

The timetables may be revised by the day of your trip.

Matsumoto Station {Track 2}
(06:25)
| JR: Limited Express Azusa 2
| (bound for Tokyo)
(07:37)
Kōfu Station
(07:46 / 07:48)
| JR Chūō Line: Local train for Takao
(07:52 / 07:55)
Isawa-Onsen Station;
Isawa-Onsen Station bus stop
(08:03)
| Fujikyu Yamanashi Bus Kōfu Line
(08:58)
Kawaguchiko Station bus stop.

Good luck!