What kind of luxury boutique onsen ryokan is Ubuya near Mt.Fuji?
In early March, when spring was just around the corner but still cold enough to snow, my grandmother, who is in a wheelchair, wanted to see Mt. Fuji, so we decided to stay here to celebrate her birthday as well. Ubuya’s concept is “an inn to celebrate life,” so many people stay here to celebrate birthdays, wedding anniversaries, retirement, and so on. This is exactly the kind of place you want to spend time with your loved ones when it matters most.
Also, this is universal design, and most of the grounds are accesible. The downside is that there is no wheelchair-accessible restroom, though.
When we pulled into the parking lot around 2:00 PM, two staff members greeted us. We had informed them that we had a grandmother in a wheelchair, so they must have been standing by. The staff here is cooperative and welcoming with warm hospitality, which makes us feel comfortable staying here.
We were fortunate to have clear skies that day, and the drive here was perfect, with a wonderful view of Mt. Fuji. There are many accommodations options along the road by Lake Kawaguchi. Among them, Ubuya is the best location, with Lake Kawaguchi in the foreground and an almost frontal view of Mt. Fuji.
Upon entering, we found ourselves in a luxurious sukiya-style building with a small, well-kept Japanese garden. At night, the garden was beautifully lit up. We waited for about 5 minutes on the sofa next to the reception desk, sipping grape juice. After checking in, we were immediately shown to a room with an open-air bath on the third floor.
Then when we entered the room, we were surprised to see the powerful Mt. Fuji. I was speechless at the sheer power and dynamism of Mt. Fuji. Last time we stayed in a room on the 5th floor, but this time we stayed in a room on the 3rd floor, so we had a different view of Mt. Fuji. Perhaps the view of Mt. Fuji differs from room to room on each floor.
There was a 10-mat Japanese-style room, a living room with a cozy sofa, a bed room with twin beds, a shower room, and an open-air bath on the balcony. There was a shower room, but no indoor bath. The restroom was located next to the room entrance. Even on a cold winter day, the room was warmed by the wooden floor heating system alone. The view of Mt. Fuji while soaking in the open-air bath was nothing short of magnificent. Unluckly, it is not hot spring, though.
We had some time before dinner, so we changed into yukatas and went to large communal hot spring baths. Mt. Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi spread out before our eyes from the communal hot spring baths, and we felt as if we were blending into the scenery. There were lukewarm hot spring baths, reclining hot spirng baths, and saunas, etc.
Then the shabu-shabu kaiseki course for dinne was excellent. Most of the ingredients were locally grown in Yamanashi Prefecture. The shabu-shabu cuisine here is top-notch. It’s well worth it. We were also happy to have a delicious Japanese breakfast with a view of Mt. Fuji. All meals were served in a private room.
After breakfast, we visited the library and lounge on the second floor. The lounge has a very cozy ambiance and offers complimentary coffee, tea, and orange juice. We spent some time here until we checked out, enjoying the view of Mt. Fuji, which was graceful in the morning sun through the large windows. In the lounge, I also saw a business man working with his computer open.
Ubuya offers a spectacular view of Mt. Fuji from anywhere on a clear day, such as a lounge, restaurant, large communal hot spring baths, and more. Mt. Fuji can also be seen from all 51 rooms. There are many ryokan and hotels in the Kawaguchiko area, but it is rare that all rooms have a view of Mt. Fuji.
The only drawback is that the wonderful open-air baths attached to the rooms are not hot springs. Also, the communal hot spring bath is a hot spring, but the quality of the water is not exceptional.
This time we stayed in a room with an open-air bath because we had a grandmother in a wheelchair, but rooms with open-air baths on balconies are very popular and hard to get. If the weather is fine, you can see Mt. Fuji from all rooms, so you may not have to go out of your way to get a room with an open-air bath.
Personally, I found it to be the best value for money among the ryokans and hotels in the Mt. Fuji area in terms of top-notch food, facilities, and service. Then again, this ryokan is more for families, groups, and couples. Especially on weekends. Solo travelers and romantic couples may want to stay on weekdays.
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Is the location easy to access?
You can take an express bus from Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal, JR Bus Tokyo Station Expressway Bus Terminal, or Shibuya Mark City, then get off at Kawaguchiko Station. It takes about 2 hours. *Tokyo Station is so huge that even as a Japanese I often get lost. Make sure you have plenty of time to get around.
Alternativily, from Haneda Airport, there is also a Keihin Kyuko Bus service to Kawaguchiko Station. The journey time is approximately 150 minutes. *As of July 2022, this route is out of service due to the cronavirus pandemic.
There is a way to get there by train, but since there are transfers, express buses are easier to travel by.
Then free shuttle service is availabel between Kawaguchiko Station to Ubuya between 15:00 and 18:00. You need to call them when you arrive at Kawaguchiko station, etc. They do not offer a pick-up service at a specific time. It takes less than 10min.
If you are at a tourist spot near Lake Kawaguchi, they can pick you up even if you are not at Kawaguchiko Station.
Where is the best accommodation for anniversaries near Mt.Fuji?
If you are looking for a good place for a special occasion near Mt.Fuji, the property is one of the best. The staff arranges flowers and cakes to celebrate an anniversary at additional charges if you request in advance.
How about toiletries & in-room amenities?
All of the amenities are taken care of including enough toiletries, samue outfits, welcome sweets, bottled water, and a green tea set, etc. There is no yukata. The free WiFi reception was excellent on the property. Room service is not available. The minibar in our room was empty, but the lounge had complimentary orange juice, coffee, English tea, natural water, and matcha lattes. After dinner, chamomile and sesame teas were also available. There are convenience stores within a 20-minute walk.
Then this is child-friendly. Staff provides the samue outfits, meals, and amenities for children if you request in advance.
How about In-house Facilities?
There are wonderful large indoor and outdoor communal hot spring baths on the grounds. You can enjoy the onsen baths while viewing an amazing Mt.Fuji. All of them are open from 5:00-10:00, 15:00-24:00.
If you have tattoos, you may not be permitted to use the communal bathing area. However, they may enter the baths only if they can be concealed by applying two 10cm x 10cm cover stickers. Please ask the reception desk for the cover stickers.
Then Ubuya is a universal design. There are some accesible rooms for wheelchair users. Wheelchairs are available for borrowing. If you bring people with weak legs, you may want to inform the staff in advance as they can arrange a room near the lift.
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How about meals?
The kaiseki food for dinner was wonderful, especially the Sukiyaki beef and pork course. You can choose either the Japanese kaiseki or Sukiyaki course for dinner. The portion tends to be big. Dinner starts at 18:00, 18:50 or 19:30.
Then we could choose western or Japanese cuisine for breakfast before, but only Japanese cuisine was offered when we stayed in 2017. Breakfast starts at 7:30, 8:00, or 8:30.
All meals are served in a private room.
*Please note that inform the staff when you book a room with meals if you have any food allergies. They probably wouldn’t be able to prepare alternative food if you request it on that day.
Then, as far as I know, there will be no nice restaurants around Ubuya. The local papa-mama stores will close early. You might want to book a room with meals included.
My impressions
This luxury onsen ryokan is is popular all year round. If you want to chill out here in a tranquil ambience, you might want to avoid staying during Lunar New Year, late April to early May, weekends in Nov, and the end of the year, and the New Year holiday. The property would be busy during the above periods more than you expect.
At last, don’t forget to check the weather forecast before booking a room. That’s the most important. Have a nice trip! Welcome to receive any questions about Ubuya from the below space.
If you check-in after 18:00, you need to inform the staff in advance.
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Info about Ubuya
| Style | Luxury Onsen Ryokan |
|---|---|
| Check-in and out times |
15:00/11:00 |
| Estimated Price | 80,000 JPY for 2 adults per room |
| Contact E-Mail |
dot0628@ubuya.co.jp |
| Internet Connection | Free WiFi in the ryokan |
| Facility Information | Wheelchairs are available Pets are not allowed The free parking lot is available |
| Location | Ubuya’s MAP |
| Access | Free shuttle bus from Kawaguchiko Station between 15:00 and18:00 |
| Address and TEL | 10 Azagawa, Fujikawaguchiko-machi, Minamitsuru-gun, Yamanashi-ken Tel +81 555-72-1145 |
| Official Homepage | Ubuya’s HP |
*All information above is as of the date that I posted on my blog.
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