My Mount Fuji + Hakone Experience
Hey guys!
Did you think I was done talking about Japan with my Tokyo article?
Well… think again!
This will be a short (let’s face it, short-for-Stephanie) post recapping what I did and saw in Hakone, and my reaction to seeing Mount Fuji.
Before going to the visitor’s center, we actually went on a ferry…
On a ferry to the cable car’s departure.
… and then up a cable car in Hakone for some pretty sweet views.
Gorgeous views while traveling up the cable car in Hakone, Japan; January 2020
I must admit, I don’t I have ever been in a cable car so big that went up so high… not even in Queenstown.
Going up a cable car (the biggest one I think I’ve ever been on!) in Hakone, Japan; January 2020
Going up a cable car in Hakone, Japan!
Do I Need Warm Clothes for the Hakone Ropeway?
Beware – if you go in January like I did, be sure to come prepared with gloves and proper winter gear. There’s bound to be snow. I brought nothing but a black jacket and some hiking shoes with traction. I lived, but I sure was cold.
Can You See Mount Fuji From The Hakone Ropeway?
Yes, at the top of the Hakone Ropeway you can see Mount Fuji, Lake Ashi, and sweeping scenery of Owakudani Valley. The view from here of Mount Fuji was alright, but not the best view as it it was pretty cloudy – but it was still pretty cool to see it so massive.
View of Mount Fuji on a cloudy day from Hakone, Japan; January 2020
What I really liked was the gorgeous landscape of Owakudani Valleybeside it.
View from Hakone at the top after the cable car ride; January 2020.
It, without a doubt, reminded me of Queenstown in New Zealand.
A closer shot of the view at the top of Hakone.
Going down might’ve been even prettier…
An artsy shot going down.
After that, we went to a visitor’s center to learn more about Mount Fuji. It’s the same height as Mount Cook in New Zealand. Pretty cool to say that I’ve been in the presence of both!
Because of the time of year that I went to Japan, and the inevitable snow, we weren’t able to go to the highest base/viewing point. The first base was pretty disappointing, but I still got a somewhat-artsy-shot of the winter sun beginning to make its descent out of it.
View of Mount Fuji from the first base on a cloudy day
The best part of my Mount Fuji experience was the view from our hotel’s rooftop!
Mount Fuji & I from the rooftop of our hotel.
My friends and I had (several) photoshoots up here.
Early the next morning was even better, given that the clouds had cleared and paved an even more beautiful picture for us to take (and of course, visually soak in with our own eyes and not just our phones).
The view of Mount Fuji from our hotel’s rooftop.
Is It Worth Seeing Mount Fuji?
All in all, because of the mind-blowing things I’ve seen in New Zealand, Ireland, and Switzerland, Mount Fuji wasn’t the most incredible natural landmark that I’ve seen.
However, I do believe that a trip to Japan is incomplete without seeing Mount Fuji, and I really recommend that you look into taking the cable car in Hakone like I did.
That’s all I have to share with you guys about my Mount Fuji and Hakone experience!
Want to see all the things I said in action? Watch my Mount Fuji and Hakone vlog below!
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Last updated: June 22, 2025