A Day Trip to Mt. Fuji

The Day 2 of our Japan adventure began bright and early in Tokyo. After a full first day exploring the city, we were ready for a completely different kind of experience: a trip to Mt. Fuji.

We woke up at 6 AM, still half-asleep but excited for the adventure ahead. Tokyo was quiet at this hour, but one thing is always open: 7-Eleven. We grabbed their fluffy pancakes, simple, warm, and honestly, the perfect quick breakfast, and headed straight to the bus station.

We planned to take a two-hour bus ride from Tokyo to Mt. Fuji. Everyone always says seeing the full mountain is hit or miss, so we kept our expectations low and just hoped for a bit of luck.

As the bus rolled out of the city, the view slowly changed from tall buildings to quiet towns, fields, and wide stretches of green. It felt like the deeper we went into the countryside, the calmer everything became.

And then, there she was. Mt. Fuji, clear and bright, standing tall with no clouds hiding her peak. I remember staring out the window thinking, Is this real? We really had the perfect weather.

We headed toward the famous viewpoint at Chureito Pagoda. The walk included a lot of stairs (my legs definitely felt it), but reaching the top was worth every step. The pagoda’s red structure framed the mountain so beautifully that all I could do was stand there quietly, taking it all in.

The air was crisp, the sun was warm, and for a moment, it felt like time slowed down just for us.

Our stop at Chureito Pagoda was one of the day’s highlights. After getting off the bus, we followed a quiet path through a small town until we reached the staircase leading up to the pagoda. It’s almost 400 steps, and yes, it feels long, but every pause gave us a wider view of the town below.

At the top, the pagoda appeared—a tall, bright red, five-tiered structure built as a memorial to peace. The air was cooler, the trees were just starting to turn for early fall, and everything felt calm and peaceful.

And then I turned toward the open sky and saw Mt. Fuji, clear, glowing under the sun. Not a single cloud. It was one of those moments where you stop talking without even realizing it. Everyone around us shared that same quiet awe.

Chureito Pagoda is famous for cherry blossoms in spring and fiery colors in autumn, but even on an ordinary day, the view feels magical. The pagoda, the valley, and Mt. Fuji all line up like a scene from a postcard. After all the climbing, seeing that view made every step worth it.

But Mt. Fuji is known to be shy. Slowly, clouds began gathering around the peak. A thin line first, then thicker and thicker. By noon, the mountain was fading. By 1 PM, she was completely gone behind a blanket of white.

We had hoped to see that classic postcard view at Lake Kawaguchiko, but the sky had different plans. The lake was peaceful, but Mt. Fuji was nowhere in sight.

Was it disappointing? A little. But I felt grateful that we saw it clearly even for part of the day—many people visit and never see the mountain at all.

Side Note: Buy the Fruit

One thing that surprised me was the number of fruit vendors in the area. Stands were filled with bright grapes, strawberries, apples, and persimmons. The colors alone made everything look like fall.

We grabbed a mix to snack on—grapes, strawberries, apples, and a persimmon (my first time trying one!). Everything tasted incredibly fresh. If you visit the area, buy the fruit. Truly worth it.

When it was time to head back, we boarded the bus expecting another two-hour ride to Tokyo, but traffic had other plans. The trip dragged on much longer, and by then, the jet lag hit me full force. Days of moving around—planes, trains, buses—finally caught up with me. My body felt stiff from sitting too long, my eyes were heavy, and all I could think about was laying down on a real bed.

So when we finally reached Tokyo and walked into our hotel room, the feeling was heavenly. I dropped onto the bed and felt like I could melt into it. But the moment I started to relax, my stomach reminded me that I hadn’t eaten a proper meal all day.

Tokyo is full of amazing food like ramen shops, yakitori stalls, donburi restaurants. But what I wanted wasn’t any of those. I was craving something simple: a sandwich. We ended up finding Kua Aina Sandwich Shop, a cozy Hawaiian-style place nearby. I ordered a turkey and avocado sandwich with french fries, and that first bite felt like a warm hug after a long day. Comfort food just hits different when you’re tired, and it was exactly what I needed.

Today may have been long, tiring, and full of unexpected twists, but it reminded me why I love traveling so much. Even when things don’t go perfectly—the clouds rolling in, the long bus ride, the heavy jet lag—there are still moments that make everything worth it. That clear morning view of Mt. Fuji, the quiet beauty at Chureito Pagoda, the sweet fruit from local vendors, and the simple comfort of a warm sandwich at night… all of it blended into a day I’ll remember for a long time.

Tokyo has been amazing, and tomorrow we head off to Kyoto. My excitement is honestly on another level. If you want to follow more of our Japan journey, especially how our adventure began, you can check out our Day 1 blog in Tokyo here.

 As always, my thoughts and opinions are my own.

Angie xoxo