The Best Time to See Mt. Fuji

October 6, 2008 by Jeff · 1 Comment

Today we were lucky enough to see Mt. Fuji. Sure it wasn't as clear as we would have liked, but it was still surreal to see Fujisan, as the Japanese call the revered mountain.

Based on our limited knowledge we've determined that the morning is the best time to see Mt. Fuji. We were able to get up to the Owakudani viewing area around 10:30 am and were able to have a clear view of Mt. Fuji. When we were leaving at around 11 the haze and cloud were starting to block the view of the mountain.

If you're looking to get an early start the earliest the Ropeway opens (which we call a cable car) is at 8:45am. However, you'll probably need to take the cable car up the mountain from Gora to Sounzan first. The first cable car is also at 8:45 am. If you're looking to be on the Ropeway at 8:45 then ask information which bus to take up to Sounzan.

As a side note from our experience... the mountain is VERY symmetrical which makes picture taking terrific. We took over 100 photos of the beautiful mountain and took some not centered in the middle. Although, these were neat shots the natural symmetry of Mt. Fuji makes taking a centered picture very simple and easy.

All in all seeing Mt. Fuji is one of the highlights of our trip to Japan. If you have a chance to visit Hakone it's worth venturing out just for a chance to see the wonderful mountain. The view that you have at the Owakudani Viewing Area is so close and clear that you'll truly be amazed!