3-Day Mount Fuji Campervan Road Trip: Haneda Airport to Lake Kawaguchi and Hakone

Three days are enough for this Mount Fuji campervan itinerary, a loop of about 300 km (186 mi); pick up at Haneda Airport (Tokyo). Each driving day stays at roughly two hours or a little more, which leaves time for the lakes, a historic shrine and the hot spring towns of Hakone. You spend one night near the Fuji Five Lakes and one night in the Hakone area, then return to the airport on day three.

• Route: Haneda Airport ➤ Lake Kawaguchi ➤ Hakone (Lake Ashinoko) ➤ Haneda Airport
• Distance: 300 km (186 mi) in total, approximate
• Duration: 3 days
• Best Time to Travel: Spring to autumn, for a lower chance of snow on the mountain passes. During exceptional snowfall, MLIT lists Route 138 near Lake Yamanaka as a chain regulation section (checked October 8, 2026).
• Tolls & Fees: Expressway tolls depend on the route and the vehicle class, so run your own search in the NEXCO toll and route search listed in Sources. Overnight fees are set by each campground or RV park.
• Best For: First-time campervan renters on a short visit, couples who want lake and mountain views, and families who prefer short daily drives

The distances and drive times above are approximate planning figures from OpenStreetMap routing, increased by 20% for a campervan, and they leave out stops.

Pick up: Haneda Airport (Tokyo)

Day one starts at Haneda, so keep your documents ready before you reach the rental counter. The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) car rental page sets out several conditions (checked October 8, 2026).

• International Driving Permit (IDP): The JNTO page states that the permit is issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention. Japan accepts the paper booklet type, while card and smartphone versions are not valid in Japan.
• IDP validity: It is valid for up to one year from issue, and also limited to one year from your arrival in Japan.
• Entry stamp: Your arrival date is confirmed by the passport stamp. JNTO advises renters to use a non-automated gate at the airport so that they receive one.
• Licences from six places: Visitors with a licence from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan carry the original licence and a Japanese translation instead.
• Insurance: Renters are required to buy insurance with a set level of cover, and conditions vary by rental company.
• ETC card: Ask the rental company for an ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) card if you plan to use expressways.
• Fuel: Rental charges do not include fuel, which JNTO lists at about 170 yen per litre as of 2022.

Before you drive off, walk around the vehicle with the staff and note any existing marks. Ask how the bed, water tank, power and any onboard toilet work, so the first evening runs smoothly.

Stop 1: Lake Kawaguchi

Recommended stay

1 night

Best for

• A first night close to the base of Mount Fuji after a moderate drive from the airport
• Travellers interested in the history of Fuji pilgrimage and shrine architecture
• Summer visitors who want to learn about the official climbing season before deciding on a climb

Things to do

The JNTO Mt. Fuji page describes Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen-jinja Shrine as the historic entrance to the mountain. The approach is lined with moss-covered stone lanterns and passes under a large gate called Fujisan Ootorii. Two cedar trees said to be about a thousand years old stand at the shrine, named Taro at the front and Jiro at the back.

The same page explains that in the Edo period (1603–1867), followers of the Fujiko faith walked from Edo, now Tokyo, to the summit. It also lists the official climbing season as July 1 to September 10. The national park page describes one-day climbs and overnight "bullet climbing" as extremely dangerous and advises booking a mountain lodge in advance.

If you visit in late summer, JNTO describes the Chinka Taisai fire festival on the night of August 26. Three-metre bonfires are lit along the road leading to the base of the mountain. JNTO also mentions a centre with exhibits on Fuji as a place of worship and artistic inspiration, with audio guides in five languages. Check the JNTO page or a local visitor centre for its location and opening details.

Where to park overnight

Around the Fuji Five Lakes, plan the night at an auto campground or an RV park, and book ahead where the site accepts reservations. For a campground, the check-in times, vehicle size limits and fees are listed on that site's own page. The Japan RV Association describes an RV park as an overnight-in-vehicle facility that meets the association's conditions (checked October 8, 2026). Those conditions include a 24-hour toilet, 100 V power, waste disposal and a bathing facility within about 15 minutes by car.

Stop 2: Hakone (Lake Ashinoko)

Recommended stay

1 night

Best for

• Hot spring bathing before the drive back to the airport
• Lake views of Mount Fuji and a boat trip on the water
• Families who want a museum or a short walk instead of another long drive

Things to do

JNTO describes Hakone as part of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park and known for its hot springs and views of Mount Fuji. Lake Ashinoko formed after the last eruption of Mt. Hakone about 3,000 years ago. JNTO names the view from the southeastern shore as arguably the most iconic in the area, and sightseeing boats run on the lake.

Owakudani is a volcanic valley with active hot springs, sulphur vents and rising steam. Black eggs, boiled and darkened by the hot spring water, are sold in the valley. The Hakone Open-Air Museum is a short walk from Chokoku-no-Mori Station and covers 70,000 square metres with over 100 sculptures.

Hakone is made up of seven hot spring resorts, according to JNTO. One of them, Miyanoshita, began operating in the Edo period. The national park page suggests stopping at a visitor centre first for maps, weather updates and safety advisories.

Where to park overnight

For this night, an RV park or an auto campground in the Hakone area keeps you close to the lake for an early start. The Japan RV Association page notes that some of its listed facilities are closed and asks visitors to phone ahead before arriving (checked October 8, 2026). It also states that its facilities are car parks for sleeping in the vehicle, so camping activities such as setting up tents are not allowed there. Roadside stations, called michi no eki in Japanese, are covered in an MLIT answer (checked October 8, 2026). It says a nap in your vehicle to recover from fatigue is fine, but MLIT asks people to avoid staying overnight as lodging in the car park. MLIT adds that some stations set aside separate spaces for overnight stays, which each station lists on its own website.

Travel Tips for Your Mount Fuji Road Trip

Before You Go

• Get your IDP in your home country before departure, since JNTO states it is obtained prior to travel.
• Book the overnight sites for both nights once your rental dates are fixed.
• Search expressway tolls for your vehicle class in the NEXCO toll and route search, and add them to your budget.
• For trips outside spring to autumn, read the MLIT chain regulation page. It states that chain regulations apply during exceptional snowfall on steep passes with a history of stranded vehicles.
• The same MLIT page states that vehicles with studless winter tyres, including four-wheel-drive vehicles, cannot pass a regulated section without chains fitted. Ask the rental company whether winter tyres and chains are included for your dates.

On the Road

• Cars drive on the left in Japan, so give yourself extra time on the first day out of Haneda.
• JNTO notes that most major destinations on main roads are signposted in English, while rural roads may have fewer English signs.
• At expressway toll gates, purple signs mark ETC lanes, and green signs mark lanes for cash or credit card payment.
• JNTO notes that penalties may apply when a car is left outside a designated parking space, so use marked bays at sights and shops.
• If you feel tired between stops, a roadside station is a rest facility open 24 hours, where MLIT states that a short nap in the vehicle is fine.

When You Arrive

Use this quick reference at each overnight stop to see where the rules are written.

• On arrival, read the site's posted rules on rubbish sorting, quiet hours and power use.
• Where a site has no waste disposal, keep rubbish in the van and dispose of it at a site that accepts it.
• On day three, check the fuel and return conditions in your rental agreement before you set off for Haneda.

Conditions change over time, so confirm the latest details with the facility, the road operator or the rental company before you travel.

More Inspiration

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• Overnight parking rules at roadside stations, FAQ
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