Chureito Pagoda (Arakurayama Sengen Park)
A free hillside park and shrine in Fujiyoshida with a five-story war memorial pagoda.
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Chureito Pagoda (Arakurayama Sengen Park)
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A free hillside park and shrine in Fujiyoshida with a five-story war memorial pagoda.
Its observation deck, up 398 steps, shows the pagoda and Mount Fuji in a single view.
MoreWhat kind of place
The pagoda is a memorial to the war dead of Fujiyoshida, with 1,055 spirit tablets inside, built between the late 1950s and 1962 (city pages differ on the year) within the grounds of Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine. Its view became known worldwide after the pagoda appeared on the cover of the Michelin Guide Japon, and in August 2026 the city put up a new sign asking visitors to think of the tragedy of war and the value of peace.
With kidsThe part that matters
That view of the pagoda and Mt. Fuji is earned on the Sakuya-hime Stairs, 398 stone steps that take about 15 minutes at a slow pace.
One toddler family called it a bit of a workout, especially in a baby carrier, but worth the view. Small legs tire sooner: one boy who ran up the first stretch asked to be carried before halfway.
A gentler sloped path runs beside the steps, and soft-serve stalls sit near the entrance. So plan it around your child's energy.
By age0-1 / 2-3 / 4-6
- Ages 0-1A family made this a 5-month-old's first hike, with the baby in a carrier, in May when the cherry blossoms were mostly over, and photographed azaleas in full bloom with Mt. Fuji.
- Ages 2-3A family with a toddler left early, yet the toddler was still a bit cranky; they judged the climb worth it for a cooperative child, or when the adults can split up and each take a shorter climb.
- Ages 4-6Not checked yet
By weatherRain, heat, cold
- Rainy dayOn a rainy March morning in 2023, the 6 a.m. crowd was only about ten people, but one family that climbed found Mt. Fuji hidden by rain at the top.
- Hot dayNot checked yet
- Cold dayAfter snow, the steps call for non-slip shoes you are used to walking in. In February one family's son wanted to touch the snow in the parking lot and soaked his sleeves at the shrine's hand-washing basin.
How was it with your kids?
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Family checks✓ easy for your family
- ElevatorElevator：not checked
- Stroller OKStroller friendly：not checked
- RentalStroller rental：not checked
- NursingNursing space：not checked
- ChangingDiaper changing table：not checked
- Family WCFamily restroom：with conditionsconditions
- Own foodOutside food allowed：not checked
- EnglishEnglish support：with conditionsconditions
Tap a mark for details.
Not yet checked: 7
Lost-child support, Diaper disposal bin, Kids' toilet seat & step stool, Official family-friendly certification, High chair, Kids' menu, Best-fit ages (guide)
Green = we confirmed it. Gray = not checked yet. Gray with a line through = the place does not have it.
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Where to go next
With a baby (0–1)
- Fuji-Q HighlandAmusement parkStroller friendlyNursing spaceDiaper changing table2.7 kmAn amusement park at the foot of Mount Fuji, with big coasters and Thomas Land.
- Fuji Yusui no Sato AquariumNursing spaceDiaper changing tableElevator5.4 kmAn aquarium devoted to freshwater fish near Lake Yamanaka, run on spring water from Mount Fuji.
- Oshino HakkaiStroller friendlyDiaper changing tableFamily restroom5.3 kmOshino Hakkai is a set of eight ponds fed by Mount Fuji's underground springs.
- Koshu Hoto Kosaku KawaguchikoHoto noodle restaurantDiaper changing tableFamily restroom4.0 kmA restaurant for hoto wheat noodles, with 250 seats around sunken hearths and kotatsu tables.
For sights
- Fuji Yusui no Sato AquariumNursing spaceDiaper changing tableElevator5.4 kmAn aquarium devoted to freshwater fish near Lake Yamanaka, run on spring water from Mount Fuji.
- Oshino HakkaiStroller friendlyDiaper changing tableFamily restroom5.3 kmOshino Hakkai is a set of eight ponds fed by Mount Fuji's underground springs.
Where it is
The address is 2-4-1 Asama, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi 403-0031 (the shrine's listing).source
Before you go
- Reaching the view means climbing 398 stone steps from the shrine grounds, about 15 minutes at a slow pace; a sloped path also leads up (the Yamanashi tourism site gives 15 to 20 minutes up the slope to the deck), but the city's route guide mentions a last set of steps just before the deck, so the two sources differ and you should not count on it being step-free; the Yamanashi tourism Q&A says comfortable walking shoes are a must.
- In cherry blossom season the deck runs on timed entry and the city expects waits of 1 to 3 hours; the busiest hours are roughly 10:00 to 16:00, so go early (a visitor on a weekday in April 2026 got in after 5 minutes at about 8:30, though a guard told her the same hour the day before had a 3-hour wait, and a photography guide suggests arriving by 9:00; one blogger writes that Mt. Fuji is less often clouded over between 8 and 9 a.m.).
- The city warns that bears have been sighted near the park and may appear inside it, especially early in the morning and after the evening, when few people are around, so weigh an early start against that.
- The toilet in front of the shrine has been closed since a June 26, 2026 earthquake tilted it, and the city's page carries a toilet map; sources disagree on whether there is a public toilet beside the pagoda, so use one at the parking area before you climb (one visitor coming by train suggests going at Otsuki Station when you change trains).
- Parking is paid at 1,000 to 1,500 yen per the city (some listing sites still say free), roadside parking around the park is banned, and the city recommends lots 2 to 4, a 5 to 10 minute walk from the park entrance.
- Lot 1 beside the park cannot be used during the spring traffic control in cherry season (April 1 to 19 in 2026, and closed for the festival period in 2025 as well), and the city asks cars not to drive up to the plaza in front of the pagoda.
- By train, Shimoyoshida Station on the Fujikyu line is the nearest, 105 minutes from Shinjuku by limited express (4 a day); the walk is 10 minutes to the shrine approach by one source and 25 minutes to the deck by another.
Sources and evidence (39)
- A wheelchair-accessible restroom is listed by the Yamanashi tourism site (condition: it does not say whether it is below or above the stairs).source
- The park is outdoors and is also used as a hiking course.source
- English signage is listed by the Yamanashi tourism site (condition: it does not say where on site).source
- Entry is free; it is about a 10-minute walk from Shimoyoshida Station, then 398 steps up.source
- The park can be walked at any hour of the day.source
- Allow about 15 minutes for the stairs alone if you climb slowly.source
- Booking applies only to formal shrine prayer (condition: nothing says a reservation is needed to walk the park or visit the shrine).source
- The city asks cars not to drive up to the plaza in front of the pagoda.source
- The city opened four paid municipal lots from April 1, 2025, at 1,000 to 1,500 yen.source
- The city recommends lots 2 to 4, a 5 to 10 minute walk to the park entrance.source
- To reach the deck you climb the 398-step Sakuya-hime Stairs from the shrine grounds; a sloped path also exists.source
- Shimoyoshida Station to the shrine approach is about a 10-minute walk, and about 20 minutes more from the shrine grounds to the pagoda.source
- From Shinjuku, the limited express Fuji Kaiyu takes about 105 minutes to Shimoyoshida Station, 4 trains a day.source
- The walk from Shimoyoshida Station to the deck, up the 398 steps, is given as 25 minutes.source
- The address is 2-4-1 Asama, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi 403-0031 (the shrine's listing).source
- The city says bears have been sighted around the park and may appear inside it.source
- The city asks for extra care about bears early in the morning and after the evening, when few people are inside.source
- The Sakuya-hime Stairs have 398 steps up to the pagoda.source
- Parking on the roads around the park is banned.source
- Lot 1 cannot be used during the spring traffic control period.source
- The toilet in front of the shrine has been closed since the June 26, 2026 earthquake tilted it.source
- The shrine-front toilet is out of use for safety; the city's page has a toilet map in PDF.source
- Lot 1 could not be used from April 1 to 19, 2026, during spring traffic control.source
- Lot 1 was completely closed for the 2025 cherry festival (April 1 to 18).source
- The municipal parking lot is paid, open 24 hours and has toilets.source
- The Yamanashi tourism site gives a gentle sloped path of about 15 to 20 minutes up to the observation deck by the pagoda (it conflicts with #139).source
- A sloped path exists for those who prefer not to or cannot climb the steps.source
- The city's route guide says there is a final set of steps between the pagoda and the observation deck (it conflicts with #134).source
- An official guide says a public toilet lies to the right on the way from the pagoda to the deck.source
- The Yamanashi tourism Q&A says comfortable walking shoes are a must.source
- The Yamanashi tourism Q&A says free parking, which conflicts with the city's paid lots.source
- In cherry season the deck runs on timed entry, with waits of 1 to 3 hours expected (the city's 2026 notice).source
- A guide recommends arriving by 9:00 for clear photographs of Mt. Fuji.source
- The Jalan listing says 96 free spaces, which conflicts with the city's paid lots.source
- One blogger writes that Mt. Fuji is less often clouded over between 8 and 9 a.m.source
- One visitor wrote that there are no toilets, shops or vending machines at the pagoda and upper viewpoint.source
- The busiest period is roughly 10:00 to 16:00.source
- One visitor coming by train (two adults, March 2023) noted there is no alternative toilet near Shimoyoshida Station and suggests going at Otsuki Station when you change trains.source
- On a weekday in April 2026, one visitor entered the deck after 5 minutes at about 8:30, though a guard told her the same hour the day before had a 3-hour wait.source
Basics
- Fee: Entry is free; it is about a 10-minute walk from Shimoyoshida Station, then 398 steps up.source
- Hours: The park can be walked at any hour of the day.source
- Booking: Booking applies only to formal shrine prayer (condition: nothing says a reservation is needed to walk the park or visit the shrine).source
Once you've decided
evidence & sources (3)
| Nursing space | Not checked yet | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diaper changing table | Not checked yet | ||||
| Family restroom | Yes | A wheelchair-accessible restroom is listed by the Yamanashi tourism site (condition: it does not say whether it is below or above the stairs). | Web-checked | checked Oct ’26 | yamanashi-kankou.jp |
| Stroller friendly | Not checked yet | ||||
| Lost-child supportExtra info — guide only | Not checked yet | ||||
| Indoor / outdoor | Outdoor | Web-checked | checked Feb ’26 | city.fujiyoshida.yamanashi.jp | |
| Diaper disposal bin | Not checked yet | ||||
| Kids' toilet seat & step stool | Not checked yet | ||||
| Elevator | Not checked yet | ||||
| English support | English menu & signs | English signage is listed by the Yamanashi tourism site (condition: it does not say where on site). | Web-checked | checked Oct ’26 | yamanashi-kankou.jp |
| Outside food allowed | Not checked yet | ||||
| Official family-friendly certificationExtra info — guide only | Not checked yet | ||||
| High chair | Not checked yet | ||||
| Kids' menu | Not checked yet | ||||
| Best-fit ages (guide)Extra info — guide only | Not checked yet |
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