Tokyo to Mt Fuji by Car: Haneda to Fuji Five Lakes and Hakone

Routes and driving times from Haneda

Mt Fuji, the Fuji Five Lakes (Yamanashi) and Hakone (Kanagawa) are the classic first road trip from Tokyo. With a car from Haneda Airport you start right next to the expressway network, so you avoid driving through central Tokyo streets. The times below are approximate, for a normal day without heavy traffic. Weekends, holidays and the cherry blossom and autumn leaf seasons can add an hour or more.

Let your navigation choose the exact Shuto Expressway connection, because it changes with traffic. Most expressways in Japan charge tolls, and tolls are paid by the customer. Use the lane marked 一般 (General) to pay by cash or card, or ask us about ETC card availability before your trip. Go on cars come with unlimited mileage, so the distance of your trip does not change the price.

Smart interchanges (スマートIC), such as Fujiyoshida Nishikatsura Smart IC, are for ETC vehicles only. Without an ETC card, use a regular interchange such as Kawaguchiko IC.

Before you leave Haneda

• Pick-up from 09:00. Go on hands over the car at Haneda Terminal 3, P5 car park, 8th floor, about 5 minutes on foot from arrivals. The handover takes about 30 minutes, so you are usually on the road around 09:30. See our Terminal 3 pick-up guide.
• Return by 20:00. Pick-up and return both happen between 09:00 and 20:00 Japan time at the same place. Plan your day backwards from your return time, not forwards from Mt Fuji.
• Book at least 48 hours ahead. Your documents are checked online before you land. Check availability and book.
• Know the rules. Read our guide to Japan's road rules for visitors before your first expressway drive.

1-day plan: Haneda – Lake Kawaguchi – Haneda

A single day is enough for the Fuji Five Lakes if you keep to Lake Kawaguchi and Fujiyoshida. Hakone on the same day makes the drive too long for a 20:00 return.

2-day plan: Fuji Five Lakes and Hakone

With an overnight stay you can see both areas without rushing. JNTO suggests Lake Kawaguchi as an overnight base, and notes that views of Mt Fuji there are best in the morning.

Day 1 – Haneda to Lake Kawaguchi. Follow the 1-day plan until Arakurayama Sengen Park, then stay around Lake Kawaguchi. If you have time before sunset, drive to Lake Shoji, the smallest of the five lakes, which JNTO describes as having strong views of Mt Fuji from its northeastern bank.

Day 2 – Fuji Five Lakes to Hakone and back to Haneda.

The Hakone Tourist Association notes that traffic clogs Hakone on weekends and that the lake boats are a good way to bypass it. Park once near Lake Ashi and use the boat instead of driving between every sight.

Parking at popular spots

Parking on the street is prohibited almost everywhere in Japan, so use designated car parks. Parking fees are paid by the customer.

Fees and capacities change; check the official page on the day of your visit.

Best viewpoints for Mt Fuji on this route

• Oishi Park – Mt Fuji across Lake Kawaguchi from the north shore.
• Chureito Pagoda observation deck in Arakurayama Sengen Park – the five-storey pagoda in front of Mt Fuji, classic in cherry blossom season.
• Lake Shoji, northeastern bank – a quieter lake with strong views (JNTO).
• Oshino Hakkai – ponds and thatched-roof houses with Mt Fuji behind (JNTO).
• Lake Ashi – boats and ropeways at Togendai and Hakone-en give panoramic views of Mt Fuji (Hakone Tourist Association).
• Onshi-Hakone Park – a former imperial summer villa overlooking Lake Ashi.

Mt Fuji is often hidden by cloud, especially in the afternoon and in summer. If the summit is clear in the morning, go to the viewpoints first and do lunch later.

Seasonal notes

• Spring (late March–April): cherry blossoms at the Chureito Pagoda bring heavy crowds and temporary traffic and parking changes. Start early.
• Summer (June–August): more haze and cloud around Mt Fuji. JNTO notes hydrangeas along the Mt Fuji Panoramic Ropeway in June and July.
• Autumn (October–November): popular leaf season around the lakes; expect busier roads at weekends.
• Winter (December–March): the Fuji Five Lakes highland gets extremely cold in winter (Yamanashi Tourism Organization), and roads around the lakes and on the passes towards Hakone can have snow or ice. Snow driving needs winter tyres, and driving on snow without our consent is not allowed under our rental terms. Please ask us before booking a trip to snowy areas. Days are also short, so plan to be back on the expressway before dark.

Getting back to Haneda by 20:00

1. Leave the Fuji or Hakone area by about 16:00, earlier on weekends and holidays when traffic into Tokyo is heavier.
2. Refuel shortly before the airport with high-octane petrol (ハイオク) and keep the receipt. Our guide on refuelling a rental car in Japan explains self-service pumps. If the tank is not full, we charge the fuel used plus a ¥2,000 refuelling fee.
3. Drive to Terminal 3, P5 car park, 8th floor and photograph the car, the fuel gauge and the odometer.
4. Running late? Contact us. Late return costs ¥2,000 per hour, and extensions depend on availability.

Keep our emergency and driving guide on your phone during the trip. For a breakdown, JAF Road Service #8139 runs 24 hours with a free interpreter.