It is not possible to spot Mount Fuji from Atami's city centre since tall mountains wrap around it on the west and north sides. So I headed out of the city to try my luck.
From the big bus terminus next to Atami station, take the Izu Hakone Bus route AT bound for Hakone. Buses don't run that frequently with the last departures in the mid-afternoon so do plan to go early in the day. It takes about 40 minutes and you can pay by contactless credit card.
I decided to visit during the lunch hour to avoid the intense New Year crowds in the city, opting to return to Atami for a late lunch after everyone else has eaten.
Jukkoku means '10 countries', referring to the 10 ancient provinces that could be seen from the 771m-high summit. A cable car makes the short 316m-long ascent in 3 minutes to the panoramic terrace which opened in 2022. The fare is a steal at only 730 yen roundtrip.
Unfortunately, while it was sunny in the city, clouds rolled in and covered up Mount Fuji when I arrived. Mountain weather is indeed unpredictable. However, the side facing Yokohama was still clear.
Looking east :
Looking south and southwest towards Numazu and Shizuoka :
The terrace is quite large with decks of various heights to spread the crowds out.
No Fuji view today, but you are still surrounded by mountains.
Many towns along this stretch of coastline will have views of Mount Fuji, and I will have plenty more opportunities on this trip to see it from Numazu, Shizuoka, and beyond. Somewhat disappointed, I headed back downhill to browse around the gift shop and wait for my bus back to Atami.
