A Travel Price Comparison for Japan Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park vs. Yakushima for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park or Yakushima?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park or Yakushima? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park or Yakushima?

Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park

Spanning the Japanese prefectures of Yamanashi, Shizuoka, Kanagawa and Tokyo, Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park is a natural area with beautiful scenery as well as a number of popular tourist spots. Some of its highlights include Mount Fuji, Fuji Five Lakes, Hakone, the Izu Peninsula, and the Izu Islands, offering a geographic range of natural hot springs, coastlines, mountainous areas, lakes, and more than 1,000 volcanic islands.

Yakushima

Yakushima, Japan is a UNESCO World Heritage island located north of Okinawa and off the south east of of Kyushu. The island is well-known to Japanese tourists but not so much to international ones, making it a bit of a hidden gem to international tourists. This also means that English isn't spoken as much as in larger cities, so make sure to brush up on your Japanese and bring a dictionary.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Tokyo, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Japan, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Japan, and The Best Historical Tours in Japan.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park and Yakushima, we can see that Yakushima is more expensive. And not only is Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Yakushima would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Yakushima than you might in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park Expensive? and Is Yakushima Expensive?.

When is the best time to visit Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park or Yakushima?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park or Yakushima in the Summer?

Both Yakushima and Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park during the summer are popular places to visit. The summer months attract visitors to Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park because of the hiking and the family-friendly experiences.

In July, Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park is generally around the same temperature as Yakushima. Daily temperatures in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park average around 26°C (78°F), and Yakushima fluctuates around 27°C (81°F).

Yakushima gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Yakushima. Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park gets 202 mm (8 in) of rain, while Yakushima receives 189 mm (7.4 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park or Yakushima in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park and Yakushima. The hiking trails and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park this time of year.

Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park is cooler than Yakushima in the autumn. The daily temperature in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park averages around 18°C (64°F) in October, and Yakushima fluctuates around 22°C (71°F).

Yakushima receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park usually receives around the same amount of rain as Yakushima. Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park gets 154 mm (6.1 in) of rain, while Yakushima receives 161 mm (6.3 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park or Yakushima in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park as well as Yakushima. Many travelers come to Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park for the museums and the cuisine.

In the winter, Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park is much colder than Yakushima. Typically, the winter temperatures in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park in January average around 5°C (42°F), and Yakushima averages at about 11°C (52°F).

It's quite rainy in Yakushima. Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park usually gets less rain in January than Yakushima. Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park gets 73 mm (2.9 in) of rain, while Yakushima receives 106 mm (4.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park or Yakushima in the Spring?

Both Yakushima and Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park in the spring for the natural beauty.

In April, Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park is generally cooler than Yakushima. Daily temperatures in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park average around 14°C (57°F), and Yakushima fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).

It rains a lot this time of the year in Yakushima. It's quite rainy in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. In April, Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park usually receives less rain than Yakushima. Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park gets 163 mm (6.4 in) of rain, while Yakushima receives 207 mm (8.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Yakushima and Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park