The Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station sits at 2,305 m on Mt Fuji's north side, at the end of a toll road from Fujikawaguchiko. Drive up for ¥2,800 return, cash only, except during the summer car ban, or take the Fujikyu bus from Kawaguchiko Station in about 55 minutes. Climbers on the Yoshida Trail pay ¥4,000.
The Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station is as high as you can drive on the north side of Mt Fuji: 2,305 m, at the end of a toll road that climbs from Fujikawaguchiko. You can drive up for ¥2,800 return in a car, cash only, for most of the year. In midsummer private cars are banned and everyone rides a bus. It is also where the Yoshida Trail to the summit starts, and in 2026 climbers paid ¥4,000 each to go past the gate.
Outside the climbing season it is a sightseeing stop: a rest house, a viewing plaza and the mountain right above you. From Lake Yamanaka it is about 38 km, roughly 47 minutes by car.
The road is run by the Yamanashi Road Public Corporation’s Fuji toll road office. Checked October 2026.
| Vehicle | Return, whole road | Return, part of the road |
|---|---|---|
| Car (ordinary) | ¥2,800 | ¥1,200 |
| Kei car, motorbike over 125 cc | ¥2,300 | ¥1,000 |
| Minibus | ¥4,600 | ¥1,900 |
| Bicycle, moped up to 125 cc | ¥280 | ¥120 |
A one-way trip is half the return. Pay in cash: the toll gate does not take cards, ETC or tour company vouchers. The “part” fare applies when the road is only open to the 1st Station or Jukaidai car parks. If the weather closes the road while you are on it, the toll is not refunded.
The road has opening hours, and nobody may stay on it outside them except during the climbing season.
| Month | Open (last time to drive down in brackets) |
|---|---|
| January, February | 9:00 to 16:00 (17:00) |
| 1 to 15 March | 9:00 to 16:00 (17:00) |
| 16 March to 19 April | 9:00 to 17:00 (18:00) |
| 20 to 30 April | 6:00 to 18:00 (19:00) |
| May | 3:00 to 18:00 (19:00) |
| June | 3:00 to 20:00 (21:00) |
| July to September | 24 hours |
| October | 3:00 to 18:00 (19:00) |
| 1 to 15 November | 4:30 to 17:00 (18:00) |
| 16 to 30 November | 9:00 to 17:00 (18:00) |
| December | 9:00 to 16:00 (17:00) |
Walking up the toll road is not allowed: there are no pavements and plenty of coaches. The operator also warns that the toilets at the top can have long queues.
The hours above are the most the road opens. Snow and ice cut it short in winter. In the 2025-26 season the last day to the 5th Station was 18 January; after that the road ran only to the 1st Station lower car park or the 4th Station Osawa car park. Yamanashi prefecture reopened the full road at 9:00 on 18 April 2026. Expect a similar pattern this winter, and check the road status on the day.
Every summer the prefecture closes the Subaru Line to private cars for the climbing season. In 2026 the ban ran from 3 July 18:00 to 10 September 18:00. During the ban you park at Fuji-san Parking (the prefecture’s Fuji Hokuroku car park), which costs ¥1,000 a car, and take the paid shuttle bus or a taxi up. Electric and fuel-cell cars are exempt, but must be checked at Fuji-san Parking first. Fuji-san Parking itself closes from 1 December to 31 March.
Fujikyu runs buses from Fujisan Station and Kawaguchiko Station to the 5th Station. Fares from 1 July 2026, checked October 2026:
| Ticket | Adult | Child |
|---|---|---|
| One way (valid on the day) | ¥2,000 | ¥1,000 |
| Return (valid 2 days) | ¥3,400 | ¥1,700 |
The ride up from Kawaguchiko Station takes about 55 minutes and the ride down about 45. In October 2026 the last bus down left the 5th Station at 15:50. Buy online or at the station windows; the window at the 5th Station takes cash only. If the road is open only to the 4th Station, buses turn round there; if it is closed lower down, they do not run.
From Tokyo, two highway buses a day run direct from Busta Shinjuku to the 5th Station, taking about 2 hours 35 minutes. Most visitors go to Kawaguchiko first and change. See Tokyo to Mt Fuji for the buses and trains.
| How | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Car | About 47 min, 38 km | From Asahigaoka; outside the summer ban; toll ¥2,800 return |
| Bus | Allow about 2 hours | Fujikko-go to Fujisan Station (43 min from Asahigaoka), then the 5th Station bus |
Drive times are free-flow estimates; add time for the toll gate. By public transport, connect at Fujisan Station rather than going all the way to Kawaguchiko: the 5th Station bus starts there ten minutes earlier.
The Yamanashi tourism site describes a log-built rest house at the end of the road with coin lockers, coin showers, souvenirs and a small post office, open 8:30 to 17:30 outside the climbing season. In summer it is the base for climbers.
The prefecture lists the 5th Station viewing plaza among its Fuji viewpoints. The weather up here can be very different from the lakes, so check the visibility guide before committing to the drive and the toll.
The Yoshida Trail starts here. It is the main route on the Yamanashi side, and since 2024 the prefecture has controlled it with a gate, a fee and a daily cap. For the 2026 season the rules were:
| Rule | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Season | 1 July to 10 September |
| Fee | ¥4,000 per person per climb |
| Gate closed | 14:00 to 03:00 |
| Daily cap | 4,000 climbers |
| Booking | Advance booking recommended; same day possible if space |
| Gear check | Warm clothing, two-piece rainwear and climbing footwear |
| Exemptions | Mountain hut guests are exempt from the gate hours and the cap |
Staff at the 5th Station check every climber’s gear and turn away anyone missing one of the three items. The prefecture’s standard times are about 6 hours up, 4 hours down and an hour of rest, roughly 11 hours in all, and it warns against overnight “bullet” climbs without sleep: summit temperatures can fall below freezing even in summer.
The 2026 season is over; check the official Mt Fuji climbing site for the 2027 rules before you plan a climb. The Shizuoka-side trails have their own booking system and the same ¥4,000 fee.
Tour 1215541 on our list goes up to the 5th Station from late April to November, then to Oshino Hakkai, then to either the Gotemba outlets or an onsen. It does not stop at Lake Yamanaka. Most other Fuji coach days skip the 5th Station and spend the time at the lakes; compare them on the tours page and in the day trip guide.
For the views of Fuji from below, which many people prefer to the view from on it, see the best views of Mt Fuji.
10 hours
Goes up to the 5th Station from late April to November (Arakurayama in winter), then Oshino Hakkai, then a choice of Gotemba outlets or a soak at the Konohana no Yu hot spring (entry extra).
from$57
Check availabilityPrices and ratings were taken from GetYourGuide and can change. Booking through these links supports this site at no extra cost to you.
Yes, on the Fuji Subaru Line toll road, except during the summer private-car ban, which in 2026 ran from 3 July 18:00 to 10 September 18:00. The return toll for an ordinary car is ¥2,800, cash only, with no cards or ETC. The road has set opening hours each month and can close or stop short of the 5th Station in winter or bad weather.
For an ordinary car the return toll is ¥2,800 for the whole road, or ¥1,200 if the road is only open to the lower car parks (checked October 2026). Kei cars and motorbikes over 125 cc pay ¥2,300, and bicycles ¥280. A one-way trip costs half. The toll office takes cash only and does not refund the toll if the weather closes the road.
Fujikyu buses run from Fujisan Station and Kawaguchiko Station; the ride up from Kawaguchiko takes about 55 minutes. Since 1 July 2026 an adult one-way ticket costs ¥2,000 and a return ¥3,400, valid two days. The window at the 5th Station takes cash only. Two highway buses a day also run direct from Busta Shinjuku, taking about 2 hours 35 minutes.
Sometimes. The Subaru Line keeps short winter hours, 9:00 to 16:00 from December to February, and snow can stop it lower down. In 2025-26 the road ran only to the 1st Station or 4th Station car parks after 18 January, and the full road to the 5th Station reopened on 18 April 2026. Buses turn back at the 4th Station or stop running when the road is cut.
On the Yoshida Trail from the Subaru Line 5th Station, the 2026 season ran from 1 July to 10 September. Each climber paid ¥4,000, the gate closed from 14:00 to 03:00, and no more than 4,000 people a day could start. Staff checked for warm clothing, two-piece rainwear and proper boots. Advance booking was recommended. Mountain hut guests were exempt from the gate hours and the cap.
The best place to see Mt Fuji is the north shore of Lake Yamanaka, where the mountain rises straight across the water, with Panorama-dai above it a close second.
Lake Kawaguchiko is the Fuji Five Lake with the train station, the most hotels and the best-known Fuji photo spots.
The best things to do near Mt Fuji are around the Fuji Five Lakes: watch Fuji from Lake Yamanaka's north shore, ride the KABA amphibious bus, walk Oshino Hakkai's spring ponds, climb to the Chureito Pagoda, visit Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine and Nenba's thatched village, and drive to the 5th Station.
Mt Fuji shows in full on about 138 mornings a year in Fuji City's 35-year count: around 20 days in December, but only 3 to 5 in June, July and August.