Camp Fuji — officially the Combined Arms Training Center (CATC) — is the Marine Corps' premier live-fire and cold-weather training range in mainland Japan. If your orders say Fuji, you're most likely rotating through for a training package, not PCSing in with family. Here's what's actually true about this one.
The Post
Camp Fuji sits near Gotemba, Shizuoka Prefecture, at the base of Mount Fuji, and functions as an element of Marine Corps Base Camp Butler under Marine Corps Bases Japan. Half of what was once "North Camp" transferred to the Marine Corps in 1953; the other half became the adjacent Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's Camp Takigahara — the two installations share a joint-use helicopter landing pad to this day.
This is not a place Marines PCS into with their families. Camp Fuji's job is to run live-fire and combined-arms ranges — small arms, crew-served weapons, artillery, and HIMARS — for units rotating in from across the Pacific, most heavily 3rd Marine Division elements based on Okinawa cycling through under the Unit Deployment Program. Fuji Viper, the annual combined-arms live-fire exercise, and Forest Light, a bilateral cold-weather exercise run jointly with the JGSDF, are the training events that define the calendar here — cold-weather, night, air-assault, and force-on-force training packages, not permanent-change-of-station family life.
If your orders say Camp Fuji, the honest first question is whether they're a UDP training rotation or a genuine PCS to a parent command elsewhere in Japan (Okinawa's Camp Butler complex, or MCAS Iwakuni on Honshu) with a training package to Fuji built in. That distinction changes almost everything about what you need to plan for — confirm it with your career planner before you assume either way.
Off the Range
Camp Fuji isn't a place families relocate to long-term — it's where Marines from across the Pacific rotate in to train. These are the two towns you'll actually see during that rotation, not neighborhoods to move into.
Your PCS Checklist
From your first orders to reporting in — sorted by where you actually are.
Report date, gaining command, dependent authorization, and any special instructions — mistakes here cascade into every later step.
Schedule your household-goods counseling session and pick a move type (full move, PPM/DITY, or partial DITY).
Book your packout date with your Personal Property Office as early as your report date allows.
Confirm every family member's DEERS record is current before you leave — it gates TRICARE, base access, and commissary privileges at the new station.
Pull your Certificate of Eligibility now so you know your buying power before you start touring homes.
TRICARE regions changed in 2024 — confirm your plan and provider network transfer automatically.
Many states now have expedited licensure compacts for military spouses — confirm before you arrive so there's no gap in income.
Can I Afford This?
Real basic pay, real housing allowance, real nearby home values — not a guess.
On the Map
The installation's actual location — pan, zoom, get directions.
Where People Live
Real, opt-in reports from people stationed here — never an exact address, just the general area.
Not enough reports yet to show a map for Camp Fuji.
Every ZIP area needs at least 2 reports before it appears here — that floor keeps any single answer from being identifiable. Be one of the first to help map this base below.
Do you live near Camp Fuji? Help us improve this.
Four quick questions, no login, completely anonymous. We only ever collect your general ZIP area — never your street address or name.
Local Favorites
Real spots around Gotemba, Japan -- a spring-fed village of eight ponds formed from Mount Fuji snowmelt, the outlet mall at the mountain's base, and the least-crowded of the four official Fuji summit trails, right out of Gotemba Station.
A large outlet shopping complex (about 290 stores) at the base of Mount Fuji, one of the largest outlet centers in Japan and the flagship of the Premium Outlets Japan brand.
A village of eight spring-fed ponds near Lake Yamanaka, formed from Mount Fuji snowmelt filtered through decades of lava rock, designated a Japanese Natural Monument and part of the Mount Fuji UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The largest of the Fuji Five Lakes and the closest to Gotemba, known for strong Mount Fuji views from its northern shore and lakeside boating, fishing, and windsurfing.
The Mount Fuji climbing route closest to Gotemba, starting from the Gotemba New 5th Station -- the least crowded of the four official summit trails, though with the largest elevation gain.
A Shinto shrine in Susono City, adjacent to Gotemba, confirmed standing by 1524 and marking the historic trailhead of the old Suyama ascending route that became today's Gotemba Trail, with a cedar-lined approach of 300-500-year-old trees.
A yakiniku restaurant about a minute's walk from Gotemba Station, serving Miyazaki beef alongside vegetables from contracted Mishima City farms, with private dining rooms, closed Wednesdays.
Jodi's List
Verified veteran-owned businesses near Camp Fuji, straight from the directory.
No verified veteran-owned listings near Camp Fuji yet.
The directory grows daily — browse all of Jodi's List at jodislist.com, or list a business you own.
On-Camp Resources
We haven't verified this installation's on-base facilities yet — rather than guess, we link you straight to the source. Check the official base site for MWR, lodging, and facility details.
We only publish numbers we've verified — none are on file for this installation yet. The base operator directory on the official site is the reliable source.
Live From the Installation
Pulled from Camp Fuji's official public channels — updated automatically.
No updates ingested for Camp Fuji yet.
This feed pulls straight from the installation's official public channels once its news feed is connected — check the base's official site in the meantime.
The Playbook
Camp Fuji orders are almost always a UDP training rotation, not a PCS. Check with your career planner whether your parent command — and any family housing decisions — sit at Okinawa or MCAS Iwakuni instead.
Fuji Viper and Forest Light both run cold-weather and night training. Gear up for field conditions — this is a training pack-out, not a household-goods PCS.
On-camp billeting, dining, and MCCS support the rotation while you're here. Family readiness and long-term services stay with your parent command back at Okinawa or Iwakuni.
If you've got a family duty station, housing allowance, and homebuying decisions to make, they're being made there — not at Fuji. Get a VA loan preapproval started now so it's ready when you are.
A VA loan can't buy property in Japan — but it can buy or refinance property back home, in all 50 states, from day one. Get preapproved before you report so it's ready whenever your parent command's PCS orders are.
Subject to credit approval and VA eligibility. VA loans finance eligible U.S. property only. The Veteran Alliance is a fintech company, not a bank; banking services provided through partner institutions.
Where are you at with housing near Camp Fuji?
Local Favorites
A large outlet shopping complex (about 290 stores) at the base of Mount Fuji, one of the largest outlet centers in Japan and the flagship of the Premium Outlets Japan brand.
A village of eight spring-fed ponds near Lake Yamanaka, formed from Mount Fuji snowmelt filtered through decades of lava rock, designated a Japanese Natural Monument and part of the Mount Fuji UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The largest of the Fuji Five Lakes and the closest to Gotemba, known for strong Mount Fuji views from its northern shore and lakeside boating, fishing, and windsurfing.
The Mount Fuji climbing route closest to Gotemba, starting from the Gotemba New 5th Station -- the least crowded of the four official summit trails, though with the largest elevation gain.
A Shinto shrine in Susono City, adjacent to Gotemba, confirmed standing by 1524 and marking the historic trailhead of the old Suyama ascending route that became today's Gotemba Trail, with a cedar-lined approach of 300-500-year-old trees.
A yakiniku restaurant about a minute's walk from Gotemba Station, serving Miyazaki beef alongside vegetables from contracted Mishima City farms, with private dining rooms, closed Wednesdays.
Make this site yours
One tap and we'll lead with what actually applies to your life. Change it anytime.
We use cookies to enhance your banking experience, secure your account, and analyze site traffic. By continuing to use our platform, you agree to our use of cookies. Review our Privacy Policy for more details.
