Updated 29 October 2026 · By Fuji Soul Tours, local guides based in Fujinomiya
The short answer
Take the Kodama Shinkansen from Tokyo or Shinagawa to Shin-Fuji Station (about an hour), join Fuji Soul Tours' private four-hour Mt. Fuji tour, and ride back to Tokyo the same afternoon. Your local bilingual guide meets you at the Shin-Fuji ticket gate with a private van and brings you back to the station. Private van for 1–5 guests: from USD 159 per person for 3–5 guests, USD 216 per person for two, or USD 432 for one guest. Peak-season prices are higher; the booking calendar shows the exact price for your date. Train tickets, food and entry fees are separate.
Bullet train or bus?
- Coach tours to Kawaguchiko take two to three hours each way from Tokyo, depending on traffic, and the northern lakes are the busiest side of the mountain.
- The Shinkansen to Shin-Fuji takes about an hour from Tokyo, on a fixed timetable, and puts you on the southern side — where Fuji worship began and where far fewer visitors go (why the south side is quieter).
- By car, Tokyo to the Fuji area is 2.5 hours or more. That is why we meet you at the station rather than in Tokyo.
The trains from Tokyo
- Only the Kodama (こだま) stops at Shin-Fuji — not the Nozomi or Hikari. From Tokyo Station it takes about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, depending on the train; Shinagawa is on the same line.
- The Kodama is covered by the JR Pass. Without a pass, a one-way ticket is roughly ¥5,200 for a non-reserved seat or ¥5,700 reserved — check the current fare when you book.
- Book a return: one train to Shin-Fuji and one back. Use SmartEX or a JR ticket office.
- Rail tickets are not included in the tour. After booking, send us your train times and we plan the four hours around them.
A sample day from Tokyo
This is a planning example, not a live timetable — check the trains for your date.
- Around 8:00 — Kodama from Tokyo Station.
- Around 9:10 — arrive at Shin-Fuji. Your guide is at the gate exit.
- 9:15 – 13:15 — the private tour: viewpoints, the mountain's head shrine, a local lunch, tea or sake.
- 13:45 or later — leave at least 30 minutes before your train; back in Tokyo by mid-afternoon.
Mornings tend to give clearer views of Mt. Fuji, because clouds build over the day — so an early train helps. Private tours can start any time between 7:00 and 15:00.
What you can see in four hours
Your guide shapes the route around your interests and the weather. Possibilities, not a promise that everything fits:
- Quiet viewpoints chosen the morning of your visit for the clearest angle on the mountain
- Fujisan Hongu Sengen Shrine — the head of some 1,300 Sengen shrines
- Shiraito Falls — free, and part of the Mt. Fuji UNESCO World Heritage site (Shiraito Falls & Fujinomiya)
- Fujinomiya yakisoba for lunch (¥900, the story), award-winning green tea, or a sake tasting (shrine, sake & tea)
Travelling on to Kyoto or Osaka?
Then you do not need a day trip at all: stop at Shin-Fuji on your way west, tour for four hours, and take a later train on. The stopover guide explains trains and luggage — the van can store most suitcases for groups of up to three guests.
A shared option
On selected days there is also a Weekday group tour — six hours, 10:00–16:00, USD 148 per person, meeting at Shin-Fuji Station by 09:45. It suits travellers who enjoy sharing the day with others; the private tour fits around your own trains.
FAQ
Can you do a Mt. Fuji day trip from Tokyo by bullet train?
Yes. The Kodama Shinkansen reaches Shin-Fuji Station on the southern side of Mt. Fuji in about an hour from Tokyo. Fuji Soul Tours meets you at the ticket gate for a private four-hour tour, and you can be back in Tokyo by mid-afternoon.
How long is the train from Tokyo to Shin-Fuji?
About 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes on the Kodama, the only Shinkansen service that stops at Shin-Fuji. It also stops at Shinagawa.
Is the bullet train better than a bus tour from Tokyo?
For a half-day, usually yes: the train takes about an hour on a fixed timetable, while coaches to Kawaguchiko take two to three hours each way depending on traffic. The bus tours go to the busier northern side; Shin-Fuji is on the quieter southern side.
Can you pick us up at our hotel in Tokyo?
No. Hotel pickup is only within the Fuji and Fujinomiya area. The bullet train from Tokyo takes about an hour, compared with 2.5 hours or more by car.
Does the JR Pass cover the train to Shin-Fuji?
Yes. The Kodama is covered by the JR Pass. Check the pass issuer for reservation rules.