Best time to see Mount Fuji (Fuji San)

I am planning on visiting the Five Lakes region (Kawaguchiko) of Mount Fuji, but I read that it is better to go during cooler seaons such as Fall and in the morning. Is it still possible to get clear pictures during July?

Is it still possible to get clear pictures during July?

Yes, on days with good weather, the mountain can usually be seen beautifully from Kawaguchiko, especially before 10am.

I like in Ishioka (Ibaraki-ken) and it takes about 1 hour with the Hitachi to Ueno, then from Tokyo to Kawaguchiko it takes about 2 and a half hours. I hope I can make it.

But, I think I might save the trip for the fall. I would still like to go to Asakusa, Kamakura, Odaiba, and the Izu Pennisula. I have seen all of the attractions on the Yamanote line and I have also been to Yokohama, Nikko, and Nagano. I did not have time in Nagano to see Matsumoto Castle (in Matsumoto) and would like to go again. I may also see Himeji Castle next spring or this fall.

The upside is the trip from Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko Station only costs 1700 yen. So maybe I can go more than once. Do you recommend any online webcams? Thanks Uji.

After 9-10am, the possibility of bad visibility increases considerably, even when the weather is fine. If you come from Ibaraki, it will be difficult to get there before 10am.

Here is a good live camera:
http://www.fujigoko.tv/live/camera.cgi?n=12&u=

So visiing during a cooler season would be better, right? I can leave Ishioka station at 6am. But when is the earliest bus ride from Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko?

The visibility tends to be better during the colder months, especially from December to February.

The first bus from Shinjuku departs at 7:10am.

I still might give it a try this month, I saw some good pictures from a webcam website that were taken this month so it gives me some promise. Thanks for your help, Uji.

Okay, I am thinking of visitng Mount Fuji tommorow (Sunday). I looked at Yahoo's page for weather in the area and it will be clear until 3p. The first train from Ishioka leaves at 5:06a and arrives in Ueno at 6:27a. Then a transfer from Ueno to Shinjuku takes 24 minutes. I would arrive in Shinjuku at 6:51a. Would that give me enough time to find Keio Bus Terminal and buy a ticket? 20 minutes?

It takes 5 minutes from the Shinjuku Station platform to the Keio Highway Bus terminal, if you know the way. But if you don't know the way, it can be risky.

Which exit do I take from Shinjuku? I know its on the west side of the station.

Either the West Exit, which is on floor B1 and you can walk underground all the way to the correct stairs which get you up just next to the bus terminal. The challenge is to find the right stairs. There are maps and arrows.

Or the South Exit, and then you have to walk on the streets to the bus terminal.

I recommend the approach via the West Exit.

How will the weather for the Fujigoko region be like on Sunday morning? It looks like its going to be cloudy, please respond soon, I have to go to bed so I can the 5a departure from Ishioka.

The weather forcast predicts relatively good weather for early morning (until around 9am), then increasing clouds until it is predicted to start raining in the later afternoon.

I woke up this morning and checked the weather again and saw that it was going to be cloudy for eastern Japan today. So I decided to cancel the trip and postpone it for another date. I would like to stay in a hotel near Kawaguchiko for a weekend, this would give me more than one chance to get good pictures. Today, would have been good pictures (http://www.fujigoko.tv/live/camera.cgi?n=12&u=), good pictures could have been taken since 5a this morning. But, it is still a little dark because of the clouds. Any advice about the hotels? Could I leave Friday evening?

You would have been able to see the mountain, but it's much nicer with a blue sky.

There are lots of hotels and ryokan in the Kawagchiko area, from low budget to high budget.

Low budget examples:
http://kshouse.jp/fuji-e/index.html
http://www.st-inn.com/english/

High budget example:
http://onsenji.com/en/

Please give some advises
From 文京区白山下.What the transport should i take (train or Bus).
From Kawaguchiko 5th Station how long i have to take going to Top of Fuji.
The popular way is to start climbing the mountain around 10pm. Is dangerous?
What should i prepare?
Best Regards

Tran Xuan THinh, here you go:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6901.html

Uji san..

where did u check the weather forecast for Mount Fuji area ?

If going in early Nov, better to make the trip early morning too ?


thanks!