Fugaku Wind Cave Guide: Admission, What to Wear, and How Long It Takes

Fugaku Wind Cave, in the Aokigahara Forest, is a horizontal lava cave about 201 meters long. Where neighboring Narusawa Ice Cave is a vertical cave full of stairs, this one is almost level and easy to walk. Families with small children and anyone unsure of their footing can visit.

The cave averages 3°C even in midsummer. Ice pillars that survive the summer, ropy lava patterned like coiled rope, and the remains of a natural refrigerator used into the early Showa era all fit into a 15 minute walk.

This guide covers admission, hours, clothing, how long to allow, and how to plan a visit that includes Narusawa Ice Cave.

What Fugaku Wind Cave Is: A Horizontal Lava Cave You Can Loop Through on Foot

Fugaku Wind Cave is a lava cave in the Aokigahara Forest, in Fujikawaguchiko, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi Prefecture. It was designated a National Natural Monument in 1929, along with Narusawa Ice Cave.

The cave runs about 201 meters and stands 8.7 meters high. There is little change in elevation, and the gentle horizontal passage loops back around.

It was formed by the eruption of Mt. Fuji in 864. Lava hotter than 1,000°C poured out and only its surface cooled and hardened. The hot lava inside kept flowing, and when it finally drained away it left a large hollow. The passage you walk through is the channel that lava carved more than 1,100 years ago.

The name fuketsu, or wind cave, comes from this horizontal shape. Wind moves through the passage, which is how it got the name.

What to See: A Natural Refrigerator, Walls That Absorb Sound, and Ice Pillars

Fugaku Wind Cave Served as a Refrigerator into the Early Showa Era

The cave holds an average of 3°C year round. That barely changes even at the height of summer outside.

That cold was once put to work as equipment. Before refrigeration existed, silkworm eggs and tree seeds were stored at the deepest point of the cave.

The storage racks are still there at the back of the cave and can be seen today. Holding 3°C all year on cave air alone, with no electricity, made this a valuable facility at the time.

Clap Your Hands and Nothing Echoes

Clap inside Fugaku Wind Cave and there is almost no echo. The basalt walls are full of fine bubbles, which gives them sound-absorbing properties. Try it inside and the difference from outside is obvious.

Ice Pillars and Ropy Lava: The Flow Marks Are Still There

A wall still shaped by the lava that flowed past it

The first thing you see after the entrance stairs is the ice pillars. The natural ice forms in winter and lasts into early fall. In winter it grows larger still, lit up for visitors.

Farther in comes the ropy lava, a rope-like pattern formed as flowing lava folded over itself. Together with the lava shelves along the walls, it makes the old flow easy to picture.

Siliceous Sinter, Known Locally as Glowing Moss

The rock face at the dead end in back is covered in siliceous sinter, which looks silver under the lights. Locally it is called glowing moss, and it reflects an emerald color when light hits it. Few places show it across such a wide surface, and it is one of the more striking spots in the cave.

In Winter the Cave Can Be Warmer Than Outside

Fugaku Wind Cave is known as a summer escape from the heat, but winter is worth a visit too. The ice pillars grow largest in the cold months, and lit ice on that scale looks nothing like it does in summer.

The cave also stays near 3°C all year. Winters around the Fuji Five Lakes drop below freezing, so on some days the cave feels warmer than the air outside. That reversal between summer and winter is part of what makes the place interesting.

Visiting Both Caves: Wind Cave First, Ice Cave Second

You can also walk between the two caves on the Aokigahara forest trail

Narusawa Ice Cave is about 2 minutes away by car. Both caves came from the same eruption in 864, but they are very different to walk through.

Fugaku Wind Cave is a level horizontal passage. Narusawa Ice Cave descends by stairs, with sections where the ceiling drops to 91 centimeters and you have to crouch. Choose Fugaku Wind Cave for easy walking and Narusawa Ice Cave for the feeling of caving.

If you are unsure about the walking, seeing the level Fugaku Wind Cave first and Narusawa Ice Cave after makes the pair manageable.

Practical Details and Restrictions

How Long It Takes: About 15 Minutes, or 90 Minutes for Both Caves

The route through Fugaku Wind Cave takes about 15 minutes. Walking slowly and stopping for photos does not add much.

Seeing Narusawa Ice Cave as well takes about 90 minutes including travel between them. The two caves are only about 1.6 kilometers apart, roughly 2 minutes by car.

Admission and Hours: 350 Yen for Adults, 600 Yen for the Combination Ticket

Admission is 350 yen for adults and 200 yen for elementary school students and younger. Group rates apply to parties of 15 or more, at 250 yen for adults and 100 yen for children.

If you are visiting both, the combination ticket for Fugaku Wind Cave and Narusawa Ice Cave costs less. Separately the two come to 700 yen; the combination ticket is 600 yen for adults and 300 yen for elementary school students. Most visitors see both, so asking for the combination ticket at the window is the usual choice.

Prices can change. Check current rates at the ticket window or on the official site.

Hours shift several times through the year.

The cave is open year round, but hours can change and it may close temporarily depending on weather and conditions inside.

What to Wear, Children, and Pets

The cave averages about 3°C year round. The gap from outside is wide, so bring a hoodie or a light jacket even in midsummer. The visit runs about 15 minutes, so a heavy winter coat is unnecessary.

The footing is easier than at Narusawa Ice Cave, but the cave is dark and some sections have stairs or wet ground. Wear sneakers with grip. Sandals, heels, and skirts are not suitable.

A hat is also worth bringing. The ceiling is low near the entrance and in a few other spots, and taller visitors hit their heads easily.

At the ice pool in the deepest section, stepping off the boarded walkway puts you on ice, where falls happen. Stay on the walkway.

Fugaku Wind Cave has no height restriction and no age restriction. Baby carriers are allowed.

Narusawa Ice Cave is narrower and has hazardous sections, so children under 100 cm cannot enter, and carrying them in your arms or on your back is not permitted. Check whether your child can enter the ice cave before buying a combination ticket.

With small children or older travelers, Fugaku Wind Cave is the safer choice.

Pets cannot enter either cave. Both are National Natural Monuments, and carriers are not permitted either. Groups traveling with a pet take turns going inside.

Getting There and Parking: Mori-no-Eki Fuketsu Is the Base

The nearest station is Kawaguchiko Station on the Fujikyuko Line. It is too far to walk, so take a local bus or a taxi from in front of the station.

By car it is about 20 minutes from the Kawaguchiko interchange on the Chuo Expressway, via Route 139. Parking is free, with room for about 100 cars.

Mori-no-Eki Fuketsu sits next to the parking lot. Along with the ticket window there is a shop and a food area to visit before or after the cave. It carries Yamanashi souvenirs plus regional dishes such as Yoshida udon and Fujinomiya yakisoba, and local items like corn soft serve.

After the Caves, Stay Near the Forest: Glamping Village Fuji Kawaguchiko

Fugaku Wind Cave lies in the Aokigahara Forest between Lake Kawaguchi and Lake Sai. A day trip works, but staying nearby lets you enter first thing in the morning, when it is least crowded.

Glamping Village Fuji Kawaguchiko is close by. The name says Fuji Kawaguchiko, but the property is in neighboring Narusawa Village, a short drive from both caves.

Every unit has its own hot spring bath, with room types ranging from suite villas facing Mt. Fuji to garden domes in the forest. After a 3°C cave, you can warm up in the bath in your own room.

Summary

The strongest reason to choose Fugaku Wind Cave is how easy it is to walk. The 201 meter horizontal passage loops in 15 minutes, and there is no height restriction, so families with small children and older travelers can visit.

The highlights are ice pillars that last through summer, ropy lava and lava shelves, the natural refrigerator where silkworm eggs were stored, and basalt walls that swallow sound. Fifteen minutes covers both the eruption of Mt. Fuji and how people once used what it left behind.

A combination ticket covers Narusawa Ice Cave as well, and both together take about 90 minutes. Seeing two caves of such different character back to back makes each one clearer.

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