Main rail gateway
Odawara, Mishima and Shin-Fuji are separate gateways for different Fuji-area itineraries.
Arriving and getting into the city
Mt. Fuji is a region, not a single Shinkansen station. Odawara is a gateway to Hakone; Mishima has onward transport towards the Fuji area; Shin-Fuji serves the southern side. Kawaguchiko is on a different rail and bus network, often approached from Shinjuku.
A practical first day
Choose between a Hakone sightseeing day and a Fuji Five Lakes day before buying the intercity ticket. For Hakone, check the local transport circuit and operating notices. For Kawaguchiko, match arrival time with the last onward connection rather than assuming a Shinkansen stops beside the lake.
Where to go next by train
Odawara connects with Tokyo, Kyoto and Shin-Osaka by selected Tokaido services. Nozomi does not stop there. Search the exact gateway you need; an attractive fare to a different side of the mountain can mean a long and costly onward transfer.
Local planning tip
Visibility depends on weather. Leave flexibility for outdoor viewpoints, and check seasonal access, mountain transport and return connections before travelling.
Tickets, bags and your departure day
Check your date, exact station, train and passenger numbers before paying. A reserved seat is assigned during ticketing; a window or adjacent-seat request is not a confirmed seat. Keep your issued boarding instructions offline, arrive around 30 minutes early at an unfamiliar station, and check the departure display before joining a platform queue. Luggage storage and local transfers may need separate arrangements.