Certified Tourist Information Centers (TICs) in Japan

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• A good place to start

  There are many locations from which you can admire Mt. Fuji but it can be complex for first-time visitors to navigate through all the information and find the right route. If you are traveling by Shinkansen, one option is to get off at Shin-Fuji Station on the Tokaido Shinkansen Line. As soon as you exit the Shin-Fuji Station building, on a clear day you can see the majestic Mt. Fuji, and there is also a bus service from this station to the fifth station on Mt. Fuji, so it’s the perfect place to start your journey. There you will also find Shin-Fuji Station Tourist Information Center, which was completely renovated in 2018 and welcomes you in a warm and modern space. Most of the inquiries from visitors are related to Mt. Fuji. This information center provides the latest and widest range of information about Mt. Fuji.

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• Highest repeat visitors rate

  The Shin-Fuji Station Tourist Information Center has a high rate of repeat visitors. This is probably because the information center not only offers wonderful experiences of Mt. Fuji that make visitors want to come back and see or climb it again and again, but also travel suggestions for other destinations. Mt. Fuji shows various faces depending on the seasons and the places where you look at it from. Looking at it from a distance is also different from climbing it. This information center provides accurate information on a wide range of topics, from Mt. Fuji-related attractions to mountain safety. For example, every year the information center has a visitor. His name is Yukio from San Francisco, California. His father was Japanese, and they used to visit their hometown of Hiroshima together every year. On the way from the airport to Hiroshima, one of his favorite things to do was to look out the windows of the Shinkansen train and admire Mt. Fuji. One day, Yukio decided he wanted to see Mt. Fuji more closely and got off the Shinkansen at Shin-Fuji Station. Unsure of how to get to Mt. Fuji, he asked for help at the Shin-Fuji Station Tourist Information Center. Thanks to the staff, he was finally able to see the mountain, which holds special meaning for him, up close. To this day, Yukio still comes to the Tourist Information Center every year to ask questions and bring chocolates to the staff!

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• This time, we also asked Yukio himself, who lives in the U.S., about his memories of that time and the appeal of the Shin-Fuji Station Tourist Information Center.

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• My father and I often talked about how we hoped to someday travel and visit that awe-inspiring Mt. Fuji. However, in the years following my father’s death in 2007, without a tourist guide, I could only go as far as Gotemba, which starts one of the trailheads for Mt. Fuji. Then one day I got off at Shin-Fuji Station and learned about this information center, and I started visiting here in 2013. The staff at this information center was very kind and fluent in English, so I was finally able to accomplish my late father’s wish to climb Mt. Fuji. Since then, I have visited this information center every year. Suzuki-san, a staff member at the information center, gives me recommendations for the best viewing spots at the right time of the year and provides me with updated information about the local situation, such as bus service status, so that I can enjoy Mt. Fuji. I also enjoy talking with Suzuki-san and the staff because they treat me warmly like a friend.

• We also spoke with Suzuki-san, who has worked here for more than 10 years and in whom Yukio has complete confidence.

  Q：How do you always greet your visitors to this information center?

  A：Each visitor has different expectations of Mt. Fuji. I have lived abroad myself, so I get concerned about visitors from other countries... I try to treat them politely, even though I think it might be a little meddlesome. Sometimes I receive a pin badge or mascot of their country as a thank-you, and sometimes repeat visitors give me souvenirs, which makes me very happy.

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• Q：Are there any services unique to this information center?

  A：Since the area around the station is not convenient for transportation, we decided to recycle unneeded bicycles and offer a rental service. You can rent a bicycle for 100 yen per day. We also provide a map of the best spots to view Mt. Fuji. This service is very popular among visitors!

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• Q：You get a lot of inquiries about Mt. Fuji. Isn’t it difficult to always provide new information and satisfy travelers?

  A：No, we always find new ways. For example, after hearing that Thai visitors particularly enjoyed seasonal flowers, we launched a new project to make the “Hana Doko map (flower locator map)” available in multiple languages with the cooperation of all concerned. This map provides visitors with information about which places have colorful flowers, the time of the season they bloom, the types of flowers there, as well as best photo spots. Hana Doko map is available at the information center, online, and even on Google Maps!

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• Q：Personally, how do you feel about Mt. Fuji?

  A：I often say “Minna no Fujisan desu,” which means “Mt. Fuji belongs to everyone!” I feel it is my duty to help everyone enjoy this World Heritage site.

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• Q：What would be your message to visitors from overseas?

  A：We will do our best to help you discover the many faces of Mt. Fuji. If you are planning to visit Mt Fuji, please feel free to contact the Shin-Fuji Station Tourist Information Center!

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*The information herein is as of January 2023.