Chureito Pagoda

I went at 5:30am in the morning thinking the crowd wouldn't be so bad. There definitely was a crowd there to see the iconic view of the pagoda and Mt Fuji. But the crowd wasn't too intense. Majority like minded "travellers". Too early for the mainstream tourist and influencer wannabes. The next time I think I would go just before daybreak and watch the sun rise over the majestic mountain. If you're thinking about taking the stairs up, it is a bit of a hike up, so be prepared. Don't be ashamed to have a stop and drink some water. There's a toilet at the top as well. And if you want the trail continue into the mounting going to the other side toward Lake Kawaguchi.

We arrived at 715am on a cloudy October Tuesday morning. The pagoda is surrounded by beautiful forest, the observation deck serves to give you that magic photo with the pagoda and Mt Fuji behind it. We didn’t see the mountain today but it was still a beautiful sight. There is quite a walk to get to the pagoda up stairs or going around a winding path. There were signs warning you about bears (we didn’t see any) and there were hardly any people at this time of day. You can bring your dog for a nice walk too if you like. Parking is available, it seems you must pay for all or most of them but it’s worth it. It’s sad we didn’t get the ‘magic’ shot but it was a peaceful walk in a lovely area.

Chureito Pagoda: Great Effort, Small Reward ​The visit to the Chureito Pagoda is a classic example of excessive effort for an insufficient payoff—unless, of course, you luck out with the perfect day. ​The frustration begins immediately: an exorbitant parking fee of 1,000 JPY is demanded on almost every street corner, giving the feeling of being squeezed by tourists even before starting the climb. ​Next comes the exhausting ascent up hundreds of steps. This is a significant physical effort that certainly leaves visitors with high expectations for what awaits them at the top. ​But to great disappointment, the pagoda itself is not particularly impressive. It's nice, but it hardly justifies the arduous climb. ​In fact, the entire experience hinges on visibility: If you are lucky enough to have a clear, sunny day where Mount Fuji is revealed in all its glory and perfectly frames the red pagoda, then the picture is worth a million yen, and the effort is justified. However, if you arrive on a hazy, cloudy, or simply low-visibility day, the whole experience turns into a waste of precious time and energy. ​Bottom Line: It's only worth visiting if you are absolutely certain that the visibility to Mount Fuji's peak will be perfect.

On our trip to Japan, my wife really wanted to see Mount Fuji from this top rated location. Not many people know that there is a dedictaed website that shows visibility level of Mount Fuji and provides hourly updates. We took a bus from Tokyo (Shinjuku station) to Chuodo Shimo Yoshida station and walked to the pagoda to see this stunning view. The walk to the entrance of pagoda is about 20 minute and then up to the pagoda is another 15-20 minute hike but definitely worth it.

The place offers breathtaking views of Mt. Fuji. You can take the stairs or a short sloped hike to reach the top. Unfortunately, there were no line to take pictures on the Pagoda-Fuji view, and it was very difficult to get a good shot (without other people) due to the crowd.

What a special spot! We hiked all the way up to the totally overcrowded main pic spot and then somehow had it in us to keep climbing. So glad we did!! Just a little higher up and there were next to no people and much more space to enjoy the view. Awesome little food trucks and lots of restaurants to explore at the base. There is a great little booth selling pictures and little souvenirs. All cash! I can’t even imagine how beautiful this area is in peak cherry blossoms. We were on the early side of season and nothing was in bloom here yet. Most people seemed like they were there on a tour, they got lucky it was a clear and sunny day. Just the day before was snowing and completely cloudy. We came over for the day from Hakone by taxi which was on the expensive side but so so worth it. We wanted to have the flexibility to come on a clear day and it turned out to be the best move all trip!

Chureito Pagoda is one of the most memorable places we visited in Japan. The climb up the stairs can be a bit tiring, but the view at the top is absolutely worth it. Seeing Mount Fuji framed behind the pagoda feels almost unreal. It is a place full of beauty and peace, and definitely something to experience at least once in a lifetime.

Climbing to Chureito Pagoda is a memorable experience. The view from the top of Mount Fuji and the city below is worth all the steps. The scenery looks like it's from a postcard. To take good pictures and avoid crowds, it's better to come early. This is a great place for classic shots with Fuji that's worth visiting.

I was super excited when I found out that the tour I was taking was stopping by Chureito Pagoda, because I keep seeing it on my screen saver! Lol. Climbing up all those stairs was really a workout. Take your time and breath. My legs were burning by the time I got to the top. But it was definitely worth it! Well kinda.... By the time the tour got to the Chureito Pagoda, Mt Fuji was covered by the clouds. Boooo. But it was still nice to chill at the top. Pro tip - Download Lightroom. I was able to remove the people in my picture. :) There's bathrooms there, but bring some soap or hand sanitizer, cause there's none there. Didn't really check out the shops. Definitely a great experience and highly recommend to check it out if you're traveling to Japan.

Chureito Pagoda is located at the top of Arakurayama Sengen Park. If you're coming from Tokyo, it's about an 1.5 hour train ride from Shinjuku. This is a popular destination to get a photo with Mt. Fuji in the background so make sure to book your train tickets early. You can do it online or at the station. If you don't book tickets early, you may not have a reserved seat and might have to either stand the entire way or sit on the ground. From the train station, it's a quick walk over but be prepared to walk up some steep stairs. If you want to take the long way, there is a paved road that is easier for those who have trouble with stairs. It's a lot safer for those individuals. When you get to the top, you'll be surrounded by tons of other visitors trying to capture that perfect photo. You need to be patient as some tour groups there of a certain ethnicity are rather rude and ruin some of your photos or don't allow you space to take a better photo. The weather on the day before we went was raining so we were worried. Fortunately it was extremely clear the day we went without a cloud in the sky. The following day it was gloomy and drizzling so we got very lucky with the weather. We also left at the perfect time before the earthquake as we were on the train back into Tokyo. Talk about luck! One of the best photo spots to capture Mt Fuji in the background and we highly recommend this spot.

Despite the seemingly endless stairs, the reward awaiting at the top makes every step worthwhile. The panoramic view of Mt Fuji against the backdrop of the pagoda and vibrant autumn hues during sunset is a visual spectacle that etches itself into your memory. It's a moment of awe and tranquility that transcends the ordinary. If your time in Kawaguchiko is limited and you can only choose one itinerary, this has to be it. It's truly an unforgettable journey.

The view of Mt Fuji from the pagoda during the cherry blossom season is just absolutely spectacular and one of if not the nicest views I've seen over all my trips to Japan. I've come to this area on one other occasion in the past but did not make the trek up after seeing that the weather was quite cloudy. I definitely recommend checking the weather first before coming here as Mt Fuji may not even be viewable depending on the weather. However, if the weather is clear, the view of Mt Fuji is just perfect from this area. The trek up to the pagoda area is decent high up so wear comfortable shoes. There are multiple paths upwards that feature either a winding slope or stairs. I recommend coming here as early as possible as the crowds build up very quickly later into the morning. It can be quite tempting to stop and take photos while going up to the pagoda but I'd recommend saving that for during the way down. This is because the nice photo taking area by the pagoda will start forming a long line before long. There are multiple people working there to even just form and coordinate the line waiting to get into a small area that allows for picturesque photos. They let a number of people into the photo taking area at a time and do give quite some ample time for photos. I'd say it is definitely worth it and that pictures don't even do the view justice on a nice sunny day with cherry blossoms. It's simply iconic and the reason it is is quite clear once there.

If you're in need of a good leg pump or just looking for a great viewpoint of Mt Fuji, come to this Pagoda. The workout will kill you but the payout is awesome. You choose your own destiny. You can take the steep stairs that take you directly to the top. Or you can opt for the winding climb that tracks back and forth up the mountain. We come from California where the weather is always sunny and warm. So we our joints don't do well in the cold. We opted for the straight shot of stairs and our legs certainly felt the burn. After the strenuous climb, you'll find a fenced off red pagoda along with some public bathrooms and public drinking water faucet. There's some seating at the top where you can enjoy that beautiful sunset view. The closest train station is around 10 minute walk away. This place is a great spot for photographers and tourists alike since you can see the whole city of Kawaguchiko. Come for the views, experience the hike. Bring comfortable shoes & water!

Now I know why the postcards promote this place so hard! The view of mount Fuji together with the pagoda is breathtaking! I have seen many people get really excited coming here just to realize that the fog on that day totally blocks out Mount Fuji (nothing to see, wasted trip). Anyways, if you need to put in some workout, the hike to the pagoda would be a pretty good one. You would burn calories and get to witness the awesome view, good for the body and soul! I suggest that before coming here, check the weather in this area a week or two in advance on Google. This way, you won't go back empty handed, especially when you are coming from Tokyo and taking the public transport. The trip is not short at all. If you are coming to see the sakura as well, then also check the best time to see them online because the sakura season isn't uniform across Japan. Overall, if you enjoy nature and appreciate clean, fresh air, then I would recommend you coming here at least once!

Be prepared to walk up 500 treads of stairs up to the pagoda. There is a zig zag path though it's rather step for wheelchairs. The view up with the pagoda is magical. Suggest to go during Sakura season which is the signature view.

Bucket Shot. Leave early. Bring water and comfy walking shoes. Chureito Pagoda and the iconic Fujisani shot is something I've wanted to see for a long time now. Last week I made it happen. Set out around 6AM from Shinjuku, took the local train to the shrine's stop and walked about a mile from the train station to the base of the shrine. My mother being disabled was not able to make it up, so I left her with some extremely kind pop up cafe owners who let her sit down at the base of the shrine. I then proceeded up the 5000 steps to the top, genuinely nearly passing out due to exhaustion and the intense Japanese humidity several times. After about 40 minutes, I made it to the top and boy was it worth it. The Pagoda is nice, but the view is the real sell. A guy at the top said he'd come a year prior and was unable to see Fujisan as it was cloudy so apparently what started out as an extremely cloud day, turned into a beautiful bundle of luck. I really really emphasise getting there early like I did. There were only 4 other people there with me, but on the way down, there were dozens of people on there way up, around 9:15, and apparently it is normally crowded. They technically don't allow tripods, but I don't really see any way they'd stop you since there's no employees or guards. I never got an answer, so hopefully I can help someone else who's got the same question. For the shot, you'll want a relatively wide angle lens. I shoot canon, so brought the 16-35f4 and I used it on my m50.Show less

Wow! One of Japan's iconic photo ops. Mission completed yesterday. We arrived around 0900 on 20 May 2018 and mistakenly drove up to the mini parking area right at the pagoda. Kinda disappointed since I did want to walk up/down those 400 stairs... Oh well. Got there and the pagoda's 50 feet away. Walk up to the right to get to the viewing platform where everyone was waiting for the clouds to clear so Fuji-san would be visible. Voila, waited about 10 minutes and the clouds began dispersing. A great, great, great photo op when you're in the Fujiyoshida area and lucky for me only an hour drive along the expressway from where I live!

It's a must to see if you want to see both the 5 story Pagoda and Mount Fuji at the same time, just like in the postcards. However... Be ready to climb those 397 stairs one way. Worse case scenario, take a taxi shuttle nearby the restroom.