There is perhaps no more iconic photo from Japan than a passing shinkansen express train with Mount Fuji in the background.

And this particular photo was one of the destinations of my trip to Japan in 2025.

Where exactly did I take the photos? How to get there, and what other tips would I recommend for photographing shinkansen with Mount Fuji? Read here.

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Head to Fuji

The most iconic spot to get the best photos of high-speed trains with Mount Fuji is on the eastern edge of Fuji Town.

Fuji Town itself is a pretty ugly place full of industrial sites, and frankly, taking photos of shinkansen is realistically the only activity to do here.

Photo spot at Yoshiwara Station

The best place to take photos is from the side of the road, or rather the rice fields along the road.

The nearest railway station is called Yoshiwara and is about 3 km away.

The exact location from where I photographed the trains with the mountain and how I walked to/from Yoshiwara station is shown on the map.com.

I also created my own map at Google.com/maps.

When is the best time to visit?

Definitely head here in the winter, when it's almost certain that there will be snow at the top of Mount Fuji, which adds to the intensity of the photos.

Plus, during the winter, there's the best chance of clear weather and clear air.

As for the time of day, during winter the sun is well south, so good conditions prevail throughout the day. The light is slightly better in the morning and mid-morning, but I took all my photos in the late afternoon and I'm happy with them as well.

• December, January, February - the best months for photography
• Morning, mid-morning - best light (but good all day during winter)

How to get there by train

Only local conventional trains stop at the nearest station Yoshiwara, running on the Atami - Mishima - Numazu - Fuji - Shizuoka - Hammatsu route.

At Mishima (from Tokyo direction) or Shizuoka (from Nagoya, Osaka direction) stations, direct transfer to shinkansen is possible.

Timetables can be viewed on the jreast.co.jp website, but a search via google.com/maps also works reliably.

• From Tokyo
  • Shinaknsen + Tokaido Line local train with change at Mishima Station - approx. 5 200 jpy and journey time 80 minutes
  • local Tokaido Line trains with a change at Atami station - approx. 2 200 jpy and a journey time of 2.5 hours
• from Nagoya
  • Shinaknsen + Tokaido Line local train with a change at Shizuoka station - approx. 7 350 jpy and a journey time of 2 hours
• 🚅 Practical information and our experience with transport in Japan
• ✈️ How to get to Shizuoka FSZ Airport
• ✈️ How to get to Tokyo-Haneda HND Airport
• ✈️ How to get to Nagoya-Centrair Airport NGO

Hotels in the area

Most tourists on a photo tour travel within a day - from Tokyo or Nagoya in the morning and back in the evening, or onwards to other destinations in Japan. In fact, this is probably the most sensible option as there is nothing to do in Fuji itself.

• Our tips for hotels in Tokyo
• Top 10 best hotels in Nagoya (booking.com)

If you decide to stay overnight in Fuji City, there is no accommodation near the photo spot.

Therefore, I would recommend a hotel near the "Fuji" conventional train station, where you can get to Yoshiwara station 2-4 times per hour in 5 minutes.

I stayed at the Super Hotel JR Fujiekimae Kinenkan ***.

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