Mt Fuji 5th Station (2026): How to Get There, Bus Passes and Winter Closures
The Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station, at 2,305 m on the Yamanashi side, is the one you can reach by local bus from Kawaguchiko, so you can stand on Mt Fuji without climbing. Outside the summer climbing season you can still visit: no reservation is needed to sightsee there.
The catch is the road. In winter 2025–26 it was open to the 5th Station only until 18 January, and fully again from 18 April 2026. Fujikyu local buses go up from Kawaguchiko Station (check the timetable for your date), and a direct bus runs from Shinjuku in summer. We read Fujikyu Bus and Yamanashi Prefecture's pages on 6–7 November 2026.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. The Fujikyu buses and passes are sold by Fujikyu itself, and we explain how.
Which 5th Station should I go to?
Mt Fuji has four 5th Stations, one per climbing trail. For a day trip from Tokyo, the Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station is the practical one: it has the buses, shops and Komitake Shrine.
How do I get to the 5th Station from Tokyo?
Via Kawaguchiko
Bus from Busta Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko Station (about 1 h 45 min), then the Fujikyu local bus up to the 5th Station. Look up the departures on Fujikyu's timetable and plan your day around them.
Direct from Shinjuku
Fujikyu's seasonal highway bus goes straight to the 5th Station, mainly in the summer climbing season. Check the operating dates on Fujikyu's page.
Day tour
Check whether the tour lists the 5th Station as a fixed stop or only "when the road is open", and what it does instead.
Affiliate linksIs the Free Pass Mt. Fuji 5th Station worth it?
Verdict: it only makes sense if you come by JR to Otsuki and ride the Fujikyu train on to Kawaguchiko, then the bus up. Whether it actually saves money depends on the Fujikyu train fare and the 5th Station bus fare: compare them on Fujikyu's site before you buy, and check how many days the pass is valid. If you come by highway bus to Kawaguchiko, you don't need the train part, so buy the 5th Station bus on its own.
There's also a Mount Fuji Climbing Free Pass (¥4,000, 3 days) for the climbing-season buses to the 5th Stations. It's aimed at climbers.
Can I visit the 5th Station in winter?
Only until the snow closes the road. Here's what happened in the last winter, from Yamanashi Prefecture's announcement:
- 18 Jan 2026Last day the Fuji Subaru Line ran to the 5th Station.
- Jan–AprOpen only to the car park below the 1st Station or the Osawa car park at the 4th Station, depending on snow.
- 18 Apr 2026Full road reopened from 9:00. Weather can still close it after that.
Shop and restaurant hours at the 5th Station change by season. Before you go, check Fujikyu's timetable for the Kawaguchiko bus on your date.
Can I drive up in summer?
No. From 3 July 18:00 to 10 September 18:00 in 2026, private cars were banned from the Fuji Subaru Line. Drivers park at Fuji-san Parking and take the shuttle bus: ¥3,400 return for adults (junior high school age and up), ¥1,700 for primary school children, valid for 2 days.
Sightseeing at the 5th Station needs no reservation. Walking up the Yoshida Trail past the 6th Station in season needs the ¥4,000 trail fee and booking. Climbing Mt Fuji: the rules →
What is there to do at the 5th Station?
- Komitake Shrine, founded in 937: goshuin stamps
- Views over the Fuji Five Lakes on a clear day
- Shops and restaurants (hours change by season)
- Bring a warm layer: at 2,305 m it's much colder than at the lakes
How long you stay depends on the bus times: check the return buses on Fujikyu's timetable before you go up.
What if…?
…the road is closed when I visit?
Spend the day around Lake Kawaguchi and Chureito Pagoda instead, and look at Fuji from below.
…Fuji is in cloud?
At 2,305 m you may be inside the cloud. Look at a live camera the morning of your trip before you take the bus up.
…I feel unwell at altitude?
If you get a headache or feel light-headed, rest, drink water, and take the next bus down if it doesn't pass.
What we checked
Fujikyu Bus (bus.fujikyu.co.jp): Shinjuku–5th Station seasonal bus ¥4,800 / ¥4,500 online, reservations from one month before; Free Pass Mt. Fuji 5th Station ¥4,900 / ¥2,450 online only; Climbing Free Pass ¥4,000.
Yamanashi Prefecture (pref.yamanashi.jp): open to the 5th Station until 18 Jan, full reopening 18 Apr 2026; summer car ban dates; Fuji-san Parking shuttle ¥3,400 return adult / ¥1,700 primary school, valid 2 days (car ban flyer).
Mt Fuji climbing official site (fujisan-climb.jp): 5th Station elevations.
Yamanashi tourism (yamanashi-kankou.jp): Komitake Shrine, founded in 937.
Making a full Fuji day of it
One way to plan the day: the 5th Station first, then the lakes and Chureito Pagoda in the afternoon. If that's too many buses, a tour does the loop.
Affiliate links