Area Characteristics
Japan’s highest mountain at 3,776m straddles Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures. It shares approximately the same altitude as the world’s highest capital city of La Paz, Bolivia which is at 3,593m. Mt. Fuji also has the country’s largest mountainous area at 1,200km2 which is slightly larger than the world’s 180th-largest area possessed by Hong Kong（1,104km2）. No matter where you view this independent peak, its symmetrical ridgeline is beautiful which led to its registration as a World Heritage site in 2013.
Major Sites
The climbing season lasts from early July to mid-September. There are 4 climbing routes which range from a popular course to one that includes a stay at a mountain hut for 1 night and 2 days. Aside from the climb, there is also a visit to the crater around Mt. Fuji as you walk around the peak along with the highest point of Kengamine among other tourist spots. Furthermore, in the vicinity of the mountain, there is the Fuji Five Lakes area, Fuji Safari Park, Fuji Kyu Highland and the very popular Niikura Asama Shrine as an ideal photo spot.
Cuisine
In the midst of the comfort food boom, Shizuoka Prefecture has dishes such as Fujinomiya yakisoba, eel, and Mishima croquettes, while Yamanashi Prefecture has traditional cuisine, Yoshida udon, Oshino soba and smelt dishes among other culinary examples. There are also many local beers using the pure water from Mt. Fuji including Gotemba Highland Beer, Fujiyama Beer and Fujizakura Highland Beer.
Transportation
There are railway and bus routes from Tokyo Station. By train, you can take the JR Chuo Line Special Express and transfer at Otsuki Station heading for Kawaguchi-ko Station in about 3 hours. You can also reach Mt. Fuji by highway bus from Tokyo Station in about 3 hours with buses also going from Shinagawa, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Yokohama and other stations. The mountain bus from Kawaguchi-ko Station to the mountain is convenient. As for rental cars, there are car regulations during the high season, so caution is advised. For area sightseeing using Kawaguchi-ko Station as a base, there are several area buses, and there are rental cars plus tourist taxis with English-language service.
Accommodations
In terms of transportation and tourism, the Lake Kawaguchi area is convenient. Also, there are many hotels in Gotemba and around Lake Yamanaka and Lake Sai in the Fuji Five Lakes area. The types of accommodations range from resort hotels to onsen ryokan and pensions.