Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway

The queue was exceptionally long at evening, I could observe it until the main road, but I was the fortunate ones to enter it at afternoon before the queue was lengthy. I wholeheartedly agreed that visitors should secure a ticket in advance. One car can accommodate up to 20 paxs. There are numerous locations for photo opportunities with the backdrop of Mount Fuji. One hour is sufficient to spend here, however, if you are keen on hiking to the summit, you may wish to extend your stay here.

This cable car is the reason to visit here. I believe that you can hike up and down the mountain, which would also be a great experience, but with a pregnant wife, that's not an option at the moment. We were there on a Friday at 2 pm and had to wait about an hour. While you are on the lineup, buy your ticket at the booth for 100 Yen per person. The cable cars have windows all around, but the best view is the window facing the lake. When you get to the top, the view is spectacular. We were very fortunate to be blessed with partial clear skies, and we were able to get some decent pictures of the naked (no snow) Mt Fuji. The swing is well worth the 500yen per person, so please give that a try and let your inner child out of a few moments. I highly recommend this place.

The view was great, and the ride up was safe and secure. However I found the venue itself to be very unclean and grotty. Gardens were unkempt and the main building was so so dirty. Even the pathway. See pics. The place was so popular with the entry line running so far into the street. Over an hour to wait. I found it disrespectful to the visitors that the place was not clean and rubbish collected. They would be making a lot of money from the tourists.

Yes, there’s a queue—how long depends on the season, but we waited about 30 minutes. And yes, the gondola ride is crowded, so not everyone will get the perfect shot of the ascent or descent. But honestly, the experience is worth it. The views are absolutely stunning, offering a sweeping panorama that makes the whole journey feel magical. Once you’re at the top, there’s plenty to explore: a charming café serving roasted tea and rice flour sweets, a souvenir shop, several viewing platforms, and even a small shrine dedicated to rabbits (adorable, right?). You’ll also find swings, lantern-lit photo spots, and a general buzz of lively energy that adds to the charm. For the ambitious, there’s a six-hour hike you can continue from here, but we decided to skip that adventure. If you’re traveling with luggage, there’s storage available, and yes, pets are welcome—though you’ll need to pay a bit extra and use a special crate for the ride. All in all, it’s a vibrant experience that’s as much about the journey as the destination.

Visited on Sunday sometime on February. Super clear skies - hence absolutely breathtaking view of the Mt. Fuji. I went up during the sunset hour with the last gondola going back down was at around 5.20pm and the queue was super long! I had to wait around 30 mins until I finally got into the gondola. Also be mindful when visiting during sunset hours since the timing with your bus to Tokyo can be pretty tight. My bus was at 6.15pm so I was running all the way to the bus station that took me nearly 10-15 mins. Taxi was also pretty scarce in the area, especially in the evening, as most taxis were already reserved for people going back to their hotels, etc.

Our tour group of Japan took us to the Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway, which is a gondola that takes you 400 meters up to an observation level on Mt. Tenjo, which stands directly across from Mt Fuji. There you have a wonderful view of Fuji san and lake Kawaguchi. It’s a spectacular ride up and down and there are cute tanuki statues on top of the gondola. It is a crowded ride, just to warn you. Our group was there early and there wasn’t much of a wait, but you must climb a few flights of stairs to get to the gondola platform. It costs about 10,000 yen and you can also walk up the mountain if you have the time. At the top, if you are lucky (we were very lucky!), you can have great pictures of Mt Fuji if it is not cloudy. Our morning was clear, but clouds rolled in after we left. On top of the viewing area are cute rabbit statues, a shrine, Tori gates and a bell. A spectacular way to see Fuji san and pay your respects and snap a few great photos.

Try getting early. This place opens at 8:30 a.m. Queueing begins before that. It’s a 3 min ride up. Magnificent views of Mt. Fuji but because it gets crowded, you may need to hurry to get your snap with Mt. Fuji in the background. For those with good zoom lenses, you can really observe the ridges of the Mt Fuji and witness the smooth sheen of the snowcap ( if there is a snow cover). To come back down, you could either take the same ride down the cable car or hike down ( which I am told takes nearly 40 mins). If you have a cable car ticket, then the boat ride below offers a discount.

Must visit during any trip to Kawaguchiko. This place allows you to take spectacular sunrise or sunset together with Mount Fuji. Quite a queue, I guess best time is the early morning where the early birds catch the worms.

Hours 9:00am to 5:10pm (March through November) 9:30am to 4:40pm (December through February) Departures every five to ten minutes Admission: 800 yen (roundtrip), 450 yen (one way) We laughed when they offered us a one way ticket. But come to find out there are hiking trails you can take down the mountain to get back into town. The Kachi Kachi Ropeway is a tram that ascends Mount Tenjo where a short 10min ride drops you off on an observation area 1000 meters above sea level that provides panoramic views of Lake Kawaguchiko and Mt. Fuji. Great photo ops with the mountain and cute heart shaped statue for lovers. You feel really close to the volcano here. Here's the story behind the name from Japan guide: Mount Tenjo is the setting of Dazai Osamu's folk story "Kachi Kachi Yama", for which the ropeway is named, in which a rabbit gets revenge on a thieving tanuki (Japanese raccoon) by setting him on fire and drowning him in a river. Cute cartoon characters of the animals decorate the ropeway cars and observation point and are surprisingly kid friendly considering their gruesome background. There are souvenir shops, sweets, ice cream and vending machines at the top. Bring your camera and money. The tram gets a bit crowded with a steep incline so that's a warning for claustrophobics and acrophobics.

If you want a good view of Mt. Fuji without the hassel of driving and climbing it, visit Panoramic Ropeway. Family and I took a bus to get there around the lake, we then took a ski lift up to the top. We went on a really nice day. The skies were clear and there many beautiful photo opportunities. The idea of this place is based on a fictional story. There is food here which is nice cause we were able to have a few snacks while enjoying the view.

We were unlucky, because the day we went there was zero visibility of Fuji-san. Still, one must recognise the amazing location and possibilities, and feel a debt towards those who built this cable car for later generations to benefit. So, no ungrateful whining about the staff packing the cars full; have some sweet Japanese strawberries and take in the peace.

Nice small (really small) ropeway at the "base of Mt. Fuji". You can perfectly combine a Ropeway ticket with the EXcursion boat and get one ride of the Ropeway for free. Ropeway cars are looking nice and well maintained. STaff is friendly. The car does need approx 5 minutes to go to the top of the small montain-/hill. I recommend to go down through the nice trail downhill by feet.

Gorgeous, unobstructed views of Mt Fuji. The ropeway begins at the edge of Lake Kawaguchiko. Be aware that the ticket line and the line for the ropeway are separate. Have someone wait in line for the ropeway, and the other can run up to the ticket machines (or ticket booth if you have a group larger than 10 or 20 I believe). The machines offer Japanese, Chinese, and English menus. Climb some more stairs and get crammed (seriously) into a small ropeway car for a scenic ride up the side of the mountain for a quick 10-minute ride. Enjoy the views of Lake Kawaguchiko, and then at the top, you can enjoy Mt Fuji. There is a shop offering both souvenirs and some snacks like dango and matcha soft serve. There is also a second-floor observation deck on top of the store that many people don't seem to be aware of, so try to make your way up and you can easily get a photo with Mt Fuji without your fellow tourists wandering around and getting in your shot! There is also a small shrine dedicated to the legend of the raccoon and rabbit, which I don't remember the details of, but neat to check out. Walk past the store, and there is a trail leading to the top of the mountain (not Mt Fuji, the mountain where the viewing station is located) which takes about 6 hours to trek through if you plan it out well. Also important. Clean, modern toilets and no squat toilets!

Objective: Located on the eastern side of the main road that encircles Kawaguchiko Lake, this ropeway ascends up Mount Tenjo to an observation deck that provides amazing views of Mount Fuji. The ride is less than 5 min (one-way); cost was about 720 yen for a round-trip. A small gift and snack stand is located at the observation deck. There are several available hiking trails from the observation desk to various points along Mount Tenjo (did not do them) Subjective: Would recommend going as close to opening time as possible. We went around 9:30 am and the wait was less than 10 min. The rush hour seems to start around 10-11 am with a wait at that time probably close to 45 min. For the relatively cheap price, this is a no-brainer if you have time in the area as the views of Mount Fuji are gorgeous. I would note that they seem to making renovations to the ticket office/waiting area. It is fairly cramped in the actual ticket office itself (see the photos from another reviewer). The staff did seem to be making a very concerted effort to help any elderly or people with disabilities be comfortable. Although the mascots are depicted as two cute, furry animals, the backstory (depicted in Japanese on the walls of the waiting area) is a little weird (no spoilers here). For the relatively cheap price, this is a no-brainer if you have time in the area as the views of Mount Fuji are gorgeous (see photo), but go early to avoid waiting.