How to book FUJI EXCURSION (Fuji Kaiyu) *Big Update on Oct 2025!

FUJI EXCURSION is direct train to Mt.Fuji

 

FUJI EXCURSION (or Fuji Kaiyu 富士回遊）is Limited Express train to Mt.Fuji area.  This is only direct train to Mt.Fuji at the present (Nov 2025). It takes 1H52min from Shinjuku to Kawaguchi-ko Lake, 4130JPY one way. 

It's operated by the cooperation of two railways companies, JR (Japan Railways) and Fujikyu Railways, a local railway company. 

As being operated jointly by 2 different companies, plus due to complicated express seat ticket system by JR Chuo Line, there seems to be confusion to secure seats for FUJI EXCURSION, especially with JR-pass users. As a private tour guide, I often see travelers with JR-pass standing on the car deck or on the aisle. I really feel sorry about this. To avoid this tough situation, I'd like to explain details of train and how to deal with seat ticket for this train for you. 

Contents follow as below. 

1. How to get on FUJI EXCURSION (Fuji Kaiyu) train
2. How to book FUJI EXCURSION ( Without JR-pass ) → Now, recommended to refer to (5) Use Express Train e-ticket System! 
3. How to book FUJI EXCURSION ( With JR-pass )
4. NEW!!  JR TOKYO Wide Pass allows to purchase a whole route
5. Big UPDATE!!  Express Train e-ticket - You can book a whole route without Wide pass now!
6. Since Otc 1st, 2025 NEWEST!!  Welcome Suica Mobile conneceted with Express Train Reservation
   
   

(1) How to get on FUJI EXCURSION (Fuji Kaiyu) train

From Shinjuku station - JR Chuo Express platform 

 

You can take FUJI EXCURSION at platform of JR Chuo Express at Shinjuku station. (NOT Chuo Line (local) nor (rapid).  3 times round trip on weekdays, 4 times on weekends and holidays, as of Nov 2025.

 

Only 3 cars go to Mt.Fuji

 

It's 12 car train at  Shinjuku Station. However, only 3 cars (Car No.1 to Car No.3) go to Kawaguchi-ko station. Others will be disconnected at Otsuki station for different direction.  

ATTENTION!  Confusing tickets system. Two types ticket
- seat-reserved tickets (指定席特急券) / seat-unreserved tickets (座席未指定券)

Seat avaialbity is shown on lamp overhead.

 

• Red = The seat is vacant (*This means the seat is availalbe to sit now to next station. But you don't know if it is taken future section to give up.)
• Yellow = Tje seat will soon become a reserved seat 
• Green = The seat is currently reserved 

 

If you have unreserved tickets, you can sit on seats with Red lamp (vacant for while) or Yellow (to give it up before arriving at next station). However, in reality, most of seate are alerary taken by someone on most of ride betweem Shinjjuku and Kawaguchi-ko. 

 

 

This system is causing caotic situation on this train everyday. I want you to avoid this chaotic experinece especially when you are with kids or your precious people traveling with. Prepare good enough for Fuji Excursion!

 

Tickets are available from 10:00 a.m. one month prior to the date of travel.

 

(2) How to book FUJI EXCURSION ( Without JR-pass )
*Now, recommend to refer to (5) Express Train e-ticket System! 

 

Reserved seat ticket for FUJI EXURSION goes on sale from one month prior to the ride day.  Seats are quite limited, and will be fully taken once sales opens. All booked out by the time of departure in most cases.  If you're late, you'll find no more availability, or even if some left, just separated seats you get for your group.

Tickets can be purchased at any JR-east  ticket office (Midori-no-madoguchi, Green ticket office of JR) after one month prior to the ride. In this case, you can purchase ticket for a whole route (between Shinjuku and Kawaguchi-ko) with seat reservation. So, you don't need to worry about the seats to the end. 

 

I uaually use online reservation system by JR-EAST called えきねっと. Unfortunately only in Japanese as limited to Japan residents. I need to consider at least 3 weeks in advance to get seats. 
Oveaseas residents may be able to book seats via online ticket system by JR-EAST. JR-EAST train Reservation

However, what you can book is only seats for JR route (between Shinjuku and Otsuki), just half of this whole trip. This is the same condition with JR-pass holders which I'm gointg to explain. (Updated on Oct 2025, refer to (5) E-ticket booking system. )Also note that above website only covers JR-EAST areas, not whole Japan. So, if you have JR-pass, it would be simpler to use official JR-Pass reservataion sytem as follows. 

（3）How to book FUJI EXCURSION ( With JR-pass )

With use of JR-pass, system becomes more complicated, because it's not only JR operation.

As system, you can get on FUJI EXCURSION with JR-pass without any booking and sit on vacant seat shown with red lump. However, in reality, seats are fully booked on the most routes. You might find vacant seats on 9 cars of Kaiji or Azusa beween Shinjuku and Otsuki, but hard to find the rest of trip between Otsuki and Kawaguchi-ko  (50min), as it has only 3 cars in this section. 

 

Getting FUJI EXCURSION reserved seat ticket with JR-pass is kind of tricky. Please understand the following system well, otherwise you'll end up to stand on the aisle or deck.

(1) Where and how to get seat ticket with JR-pass 

You can try getting seat ticket at the same place above, any JR ticket office. Problem is, it's often too late when JR-pass holders ask for seat ticket after they arrive in Japan and activate it in Japan. 

To solve this issue, I suggest to use online reservation system in English for abroad travelers.

Official JAPAN RAIL PASS website by JAPAN RAILWAYS GROUP

JAPAN RAIL PASS Reservation by JAPAN RAILWAYS GROUP

*Reserved seats can be booked in advance only when Japan Rail Pass was purchased on the official website.

 

You can reserve FUJI EXCURSION seat ticket online from one month prior to the train departure. Then, you can issue paper tickets at desiginated locations or Reserved Seat Ticket Vending Machine at stations after you arrive in Japan. Or you can use your transportaion IC card (SUICA) if you have one. 
If you don't have IC card, please make sure collect your seat ticket before 9pm of the day before departure after you arrive in Japan and activate JR-pass. Without collecting the seat ticket at proper ticket office or machine, your seat reservation will be cancelled autmatically. 

(2) Cannot be full route booked!! Only for JR-section with JR-pass.

One more problem is that you can get seat ticket only for JR-section (only between Shinjuku and Otsuki) , NOT for Fujikyu Railway section with JR-pass. Sounds complicated, doesn't it? Sorry...

 

 

(3) How to do with Fujikyu section with JR-pass?

So, what can you do with Fujikyu section's seat (between Otsuki and Kawaguchi-ko) with JR-pass?

To go, no issue!
You can just keep sitting on the same seat. After passing Otsuki station, train conductor will come and ask for the Fujikyu ticket. Then you can just pay Fujikyu fare (1770JPY) . No worries for other passenger coming with your seat reservation, because purchasing reserved seat ticket for only Fujikyu section is not possible as system. 

To back,  take the seat before someone else takes!
Note that you have reserved seat ticket only from Otsuki to Shinjuku with JR-pass . Your seat from Kawaguchi-ko to Otsuki is NOT secured. It's considered as vacant seat on Fujikyu Railway secion  (Red lump on = Anybody can take seat.) To get seat on the same seat which you reserve from Otsuki at Kawaguchi-ko station, you need to take seat before someone else takes.  Better to line up in the first position, and go directly to your numbered seat to get it. 

 

（4）NEW!!  JR TOKYO Wide Pass solves booking issue!
Whole route (Shinjuku - Kawaguchiko) is bookable in advance.

 

The only way to book Fuji Kaiyu seats for a whole route for non-Japan residents, the answer is "JR TOKYO Wide Pass". This is different from regular JR-pass. JR TOKYO Wide Pass covers Fujikyu Railway Lines which operates Fuji Kaiyu together with JR EAST area. So, you can book whole route if you purchase JR TOKYO Wide Pass online. You can book seats on JR-EAST train Reservation. 

 

When you use JR-EAST train Reservation, you need to be careful of the location you can pick-up ticket, because JR is divided into local branches. This one is JR-EAST (Tokyo/Tohoku area). You cannot issue this ticket in Kyoto (JR-WEST or JR-Central (Tokai) nor Kawaguchi-ko station (Fujikyu Railway's station). You might see warnings when you purcahse this route. Please pay attension to this warning. 

Tips from me to take a full advantag of JR TOKYO WIDE PASS, I recomend 1 day for Mt.Fuji (Kawaguchiko), 1 day for Nikko, 1 day for Karuizawa!! 

 

（5）NEWEST!!  Express Train e-ticket allows whole route booking! (Starting August 28, 2025)

Whole route (Shinjuku - Kawaguchiko) has become bookable without JR TOKYO Wide pass!

Finally, JR East has laundhed new system to help foreign travelers allowing to purchase a whole route online without using JR TOKYO Wide pass. 

 

Shinkansen e-ticket / Express Train e-ticket (basic fare required) 
https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/ticket/eticket.html
It has become much simpler now!

・Register for JR-EAST Train Reservation (Membership for JR-EAST Train Reservation is required to use Express Train e-ticket)

・Purchase E-ticket (seat ticket) for Fuji-Kaiyu train whole route in advance (Sales starts one month prior to ride)

・Just get on Fuji-Kaiyu train with your IC card (such as Suika, Pasumo, Welcome Suica, Welcome Suica Mobiile) for basic train basic fare. You don't need to have paper ticket for Fuji-Kaiyu seat if you purchased it online.

*This is the same system named as Shinkansen e-ticket, but avaiallbe bullet train is only for JR-EAST line, not avaiallbe for west direction (Kyoto, Osaka). 

https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/ticket/eticket.html

（6）NEWEST!!  Welcome Suica Mobile has been connected to JR-EAST train Reservation website! (Since Oct 1st, 2025)

 

Now, Welcome Suica Mobile has access to JR-EAST Train Reservation system for Reservation for Express trains from top screent. You can purchase Fuji Kaiyu seat via Welcome Suica Mobile, but this access allows only 1 ticket per Mobile Suica as of Nov 10, 2025.

Refer to Welcome Suica Mobile  by JR EAST Railway Company

 

 

 

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I hope this article helps you understand FUJI EXCURSION better and avoid trouble caused from puzzling complexity. 

 

Refer to my other blogs.
How to get to Mt.Fuji?
How to move between Mt.Fuji and Hakone (inlcudes bullet train info for Mt.Fuji)
My Mt.Fuji private tour from Tokyo has diffetent transportation options.
My Nikko private tour is recommended to take for JR-TOKYO WIDE PASS users!

Also, I have varieties of private tours in Tokyo from basic highlights to off-the-beaten tracks. You might be able to get around by yourselves. But why not take a relaxing walk with local eyes & love even just for a day in Tokyo? I always love to share my seasonal favorites with people from all around the world!
Tokyo off-the-beaten selection in one day

Thank you for taking the time to read this article!