Photo: Subramaniam K V · CC BY 3.0Fuji, Hakone & the Izu Peninsula
Link Kawaguchiko, Lake Motosu, Hakone, Shuzenji and the Izu coast on a five-day loop from Hachioji.
- Allow
- 5 days
- Route
- 463 km
- Drive time
- 7 hr 49 min
- Stops
- 8
This is the defining roadbook because Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park is discontinuous: a car connects the quiet western lakes, Shiraito Falls, Hakone’s caldera rim and Izu’s coastal headlands without pretending Mount Fuji is guaranteed to appear.
The road uses the scenic ridge only when the toll road, weather and daylight all agree. Fuji Subaru Line is not part of the route; during the 2026 private-car restriction, fifth-station visitors must transfer to official transport. In winter, snow tyres or chains and day-of-road checks are essential.
The road, in one glance
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Drawing the route…
The route earns
its distance
Each pin is selected as a place to do something—not merely proof that you passed through.
- 01Hachioji Gateway
- 02Lake Kawaguchi
- 03Lake Motosu
- 04Shiraito Falls
- 05Lake Ashi & Hakone Ridge
- 06Shuzenji Onsen
- 07Jōgasaki Coast
- 08Shimoda
Photo: mti · CC BY 3.0Hachioji Gateway
A western Tokyo handoff avoids beginning the holiday in the capital’s inner expressway maze.
Hachiōji (八王子市, Hachiōji-shi) is a city located in the western portion of the Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. As of 31 March 2021, the city has an estimated population of 561,344, and a population density of 3,000 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 186.38 km2 (71.96 sq mi).
Photo: Subramaniam K V · CC BY 3.0Lake Kawaguchi
The most developed Fuji lake makes a practical two-night base with changing mountain views.
Lake Kawaguchi (河口湖, Kawaguchi-ko) is located in the town of Fujikawaguchiko in southern Yamanashi Prefecture near Mount Fuji, Japan. It is the second largest of the Fuji Five Lakes in terms of surface area, and is located at the lowest elevation. It is situated at an altitude of approximately 800 metres (2,625 ft), which accounts for its relatively cool summers and frequently icy winters.
Photo: Captain76 :Nikon D90+TAMRON SP10-24mm · CC BY-SA 3.0Lake Motosu
Deep blue water and a quieter western shore open one of the classic Fuji perspectives.
Lake Motosu (本栖湖, Motosu-ko) is the westernmost of the Fuji Five Lakes and located on the border of the towns of Fujikawaguchiko and Minobu in southern Yamanashi Prefecture near Mount Fuji, Japan. Lake Motosu is the third-largest of the Fuji Five Lakes in terms of surface area, and is the deepest, with a maximum water depth of 121.6 metres (399 feet), making it the ninth-deepest lake in Japan.
Photo: Big Ben in Japan · CC BY-SA 2.0Shiraito Falls
Hundreds of spring-fed threads descend from a lava edge southwest of Fuji.
Shiraito Falls is a broad spring-fed waterfall near Mount Fuji in Shizuoka Prefecture. Hundreds of thin streams spill from a curved lava cliff, creating the white-thread appearance behind its name and linking the site geologically to Fuji's underground water.
Photo: 663highland · CC BY-SA 4.0Lake Ashi & Hakone Ridge
A caldera lake, old Tokaido landscape and toll-road viewpoints form the route’s volcanic hinge.
Lake Ashi (芦ノ湖, Ashi-no-ko), also known as Hakone Lake or Ashinoko Lake, is a scenic lake in the Hakone area of Kanagawa Prefecture on Honshū, Japan. It is a crater lake situated along the southwestern wall of the caldera of Mount Hakone, a complex volcano that last erupted in 1170 CE at Ōwakudani. The lake is known for its views of Mount Fuji, its numerous hot springs, historic sites, and traditional ryokan.
Photo: 663highland · CC BY-SA 4.0Shuzenji Onsen
A compact hot-spring town creates a restorative inland base before the Izu coast.
Shuzenji is a compact hot-spring town in the wooded center of the Izu Peninsula, named for the riverside temple traditionally linked to Kūkai. Ryokan, the Katsura River and a short bamboo path create a walkable overnight stop rather than a drive-through spa district.
Photo: Zairon · CC BY-SA 4.0Jōgasaki Coast
Dark lava cliffs and a Pacific walking path show Izu’s younger volcanic edge.
The Jōgasaki Coast is a rugged stretch of eastern Izu formed by lava from eruptions of nearby Mount Ōmuro. Clifftop paths, black volcanic rock and the Kadowaki suspension bridge reveal how abruptly the peninsula meets the Pacific.
Photo: 663highland · CC BY 2.5Shimoda
A port town and beach-lined southern coast give the peninsula a proper final night.
Shimoda (下田市, Shimoda-shi) is a city and port located in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 February 2024, the city had an estimated population of 19,670 in 10,436 households, and a population density of 188 persons per square kilometre (490 persons/mi2). The total area of the city is 104.71 square kilometres (40.43 sq mi).
Drive the conditions,
not the itinerary.
Collect outside central Tokyo, rent an ETC card and check mountain roads every morning. Never enter a closed toll road or assume Fuji Subaru Line accepts private cars during the seasonal restriction.
Checked against
the people who run it
Distances and driving times are planning estimates. Conditions, closures, ferries, permits and park rules can change, so check the linked official guidance before setting out.