Tokai

On December 23, 2025, our group of about 20 people traveled by minibus. Our guide, Carp Feng, managed the itinerary well; the driver, Mr. Nakamura, drove very steadily. After three days of rain, it was the only sunny day, and our group successfully reached the 5th Station. Mount Fuji was incredibly large and close by, and the red torii gate of Komitake Shrine under the blue sky was serene and beautiful. The winding road was filled with beautiful seas of clouds. We arrived at Oshino Hakkai around 3:30 PM. The village looked idyllic in the twilight, but it was packed with tourists and vendors. In the morning, both Tenjō-zan Park and Oishi Park had backlighting when viewing Mount Fuji. The queue for the cable car at Tenjō-zan Park averaged 10-20 minutes one way. A swing ride of 2-3 minutes costs ¥500 per person (self-service ticket machine). There are selfie stands available, but staff did not assist with taking photos. Shops at the 5th Station, Oshino Hakkai, and the Nature Museum offer tax-free shopping for purchases over ¥5500. The checkout queues are listed above, from shortest to longest. The ice cream line at the Kawaguchiko Nature Living Museum stretched outside the store. Local agricultural products such as strawberries, grapes, oranges, and dried persimmons are sold at stalls outside Oshino Hakkai and the Nature Living Museum. At the 5th station, there's a honeydew melon-flavored bread shaped like Mount Fuji for ¥400; personally, I found the outer frosting too sweet. I recommend choosing seats on the left side for better photos of the scenery along the way.

We enjoyed the trip very much. We enjoyed ski, but wish we could stay there one night. The Guide is very kind and can speak both English and Chinese.

good car good price good driver