Chureito Pagoda
ExploreJapanDaily Editorial Team · Last updated: October 9, 2026 · Facts verified: October 9, 2026
Chureito Pagoda (忠霊塔) is the five-story memorial pagoda in Arakurayama Sengen Park, on the hillside above Fujiyoshida, with Mount Fuji rising behind it from the viewing deck. Entry is free. From Shimoyoshida Station on the Fujikyuko Line it is a short walk to the park entrance and then 398 steps up. Go on a clear morning outside cherry blossom season if you want the view without a long queue.
- Area
- Fujiyoshida
- Best For
- Mount Fuji views, Photography, Cherry blossoms, Autumn colors
What the Chureito visit involves
The pagoda is a memorial, and Fujiyoshida City describes it as a symbol of the town. It stands partway up Mount Arakura inside Arakurayama Sengen Park, a city park with Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine (新倉富士浅間神社) at the foot of the hill. The famous photograph, with the red pagoda in front and Mount Fuji rising beyond the city, is taken from the viewing deck above the pagoda, not from the pagoda itself.
Popularity has outgrown the neighborhood. Fujiyoshida City did not hold the park's cherry blossom festival in 2026: at peak bloom more than 10,000 people a day had been arriving, with one- to three-hour queues for the viewing deck, traffic jams in narrow lanes and repeated trespass on private homes. The city still ran crowd and traffic controls through April, and it asks visitors to use public transport, stay out of residential areas and not photograph people or homes without permission.
The most rewarding visit is a clear morning outside the cherry blossom weeks, when the deck is calmer and Mount Fuji is more often free of cloud. The city reports bear sightings around the park and asks visitors to take particular care early in the morning and after dusk, when few people are about, so go with company and once it is light.
What to do at Chureito Pagoda
How to Get to Chureito Pagoda
Chureito Pagoda is in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi Prefecture, on the Fujikyuko Line between Otsuki and Kawaguchiko.
- •Shimoyoshida is two stops from Fujisan Station and four from Kawaguchiko on the Fujikyuko Line.
- •Drivers should use the paid city lots; roadside parking near the park is prohibited.
- •In early to mid-April, expect traffic restrictions around the park and use the train.
Map
Best Time to Visit Chureito Pagoda
Best time to visit Chureito Pagoda: Clear mornings from late autumn to early spring; cherry blossoms in early to mid-April bring the biggest crowds. Weekday mornings are generally quieter than weekends and public holidays.
- •For the view, pick a clear morning; Mount Fuji is more often hidden by cloud later in the day, especially in summer.
- •Cherry blossoms usually peak in early to mid-April, when the city has reported 1 to 3 hour queues for the viewing deck and runs traffic restrictions.
- •Late autumn and winter give the best odds of a clear mountain, with far smaller crowds than spring.
The busiest weeks. In 2026 the city ran crowd measures from 1 to 17 April and traffic restrictions until 19 April, and the nearest city lot (P1) was closed. The city announces each spring's arrangements around February.
The city expects the nearest lot to fill in foliage season too; the hillside colors under the pagoda.
Cold, dry air gives the best odds of a clear Mount Fuji. Steps can be icy early in the day.
Entry Fee & Hours
- •Entry to the park, Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine and the viewing deck is free.
- •The direct route up is the Sakuya-hime staircase of 398 steps. A road reaches the plaza in front of the pagoda, but the city asks visitors not to drive up to it because of crowding, and it has not published a step-free walking route. Visitors who cannot manage stairs should contact Fujiyoshida City before going.
- •Four city lots opened in phases from 1 April 2025 and charge 1,000 to 1,500 yen. P2 and P3 cost 1,000 yen and are about 5 to 10 minutes on foot from the park entrance; P4 is for motorcycles only. Parking on the roads around the park is prohibited.
- •Tour buses and microbuses cannot use the narrow roads to the park; groups get on and off at Shimoyoshida Station.
- •Bears have been sighted around the park. Take particular care early in the morning and after dark.
Nearby Attractions
Combine with Chureito Pagoda on the same day
Arakurayama Sengen Park
Lake Kawaguchiko
Oshino Hakkai
Oishi Park
Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine
Fuji-Q Highland
- •Arakurayama Sengen Park (The pagoda stands inside the park): The Fujiyoshida hillside park around Chureito Pagoda, with Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine, a Mount Fuji viewing deck, seasonal trees and paid city parking.
- •Lake Kawaguchiko (Four stops west on the Fujikyuko Line): The Fuji Five Lakes base most visitors use, with free shoreline views of Mount Fuji, a sightseeing cruise and easy train and bus links to Tokyo.
- •Oshino Hakkai (Two stops to Fujisan Station, then about 15 minutes by bus): Eight spring-fed ponds in Oshino village, fed by Mount Fuji's underground water, with thatched buildings and views of the mountain on clear days.
- •Oishi Park (Train to Kawaguchiko, then about 30 minutes by retro bus): A free flower walk on Lake Kawaguchiko's north shore, facing Mount Fuji across the water, best known for early-summer lavender and red autumn kochia.
- •Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Shrine (Two stops by train to Fujisan Station, then about 20 minutes on foot): The cedar-lined Fujiyoshida shrine where the Yoshida Trail up Mount Fuji begins, a World Heritage component with 11 Important Cultural Property buildings.
- •Fuji-Q Highland (Three stops by train to Fujikyu Highland Station): A free-entry roller coaster park at the foot of Mount Fuji, with record-setting coasters, Thomas Land for small children and a variable-price One-Day Pass.
Chureito in a Fuji Five Lakes day
Chureito is on the same railway as Lake Kawaguchiko and Fujisan Station, so it fits easily at the start of a day around the lakes.
Pagoda first, then the lake
Early morning
Train to Shimoyoshida and climb to the Chureito viewing deck while the mountain is most likely to be clear
Late morning
Fujikyuko Line four stops to Kawaguchiko Station
Afternoon
Lake Kawaguchiko and the flower walk at Oishi Park on the north shore
Fujiyoshida and the spring ponds
Morning
Chureito Pagoda and Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine
Midday
Train two stops to Fujisan Station, then the bus to Oshino Hakkai
Afternoon
Back to Fujisan Station for the train or a highway bus to Tokyo
Frequently Asked Questions
References
View references
Fujiyoshida City
Fuji Kyuko Railway
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