Day Trip: Mount Fuji

On a clear day, its snowcapped peak, as iconically Japanese as a sumo wrestler or a kimono-wearing woman, can be glimpsed from the top floors of the major hotels. The highest peak in Japan, at 12,288 feet, Mount Fuji is doable in a day from Tokyo, either by car, bus, or, more interestingly, by train. Frequent (and punctual) express service connects with a suburban train that plods toward Mount Fuji’s slopes. If time permits, stay overnight so you can potter around the picturesque lakes surrounding the mountain. Fuji can also be climbed, but that involves planning and serious amounts of stamina. The official climbing season is July through August.