What kind of glamping resort is HOSHINOYA Fuji near Mt.Fuji?
In January, a cold, snowy winter month, I was suddenly able to take a weekday off, and after checking the weather forecast, it was expected to be sunny, so I decided to stay alone at Hoshinoya Fuji, where I could see Mt. Fuji. As usual, I took an express bus from Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal, got off at Kawaguchiko Station, and then took a cab to the glamping resort. It took about 15 minutes and I saw a black building with a reception desk.
This black building has only a reception desk and a parking lot, and the accommodation building is accessed by a special car. As I got out of the cab and entered the reception building, I saw countless colorful bags decorating the walls. With high ceilings and glass walls on three sides, the room was bathed in sunlight and so open that it was hard to believe I was indoors. After waiting for about 10 minutes, looking out the large windows at the majestic Mt. Fuji and anticipating my stay here, a staff member came up to me and asked me to choose a bag of my choice.
The bag I chose contained an outdoor mat and pillow, a blanket, a headlamp to use when traveling at night, binoculars for bird watching in the forest, an original bottle of Hoshinoya Fuji, and biscotti. I was already getting excited at this point. After completing the check-in procedures here, I was escorted by jeep up the steep and sharply curving road to my room. The resort was built on a mountainside.
When I opened the wooden door and entered the room, the first thing I saw was the beautiful Mt. Fuji, and the white walls, ceiling, and floor were designed like a picture frame. The view through the square-cut windows was so spectacular that I couldn’t help but forget to blink and was riveted by the view. It was like I was in a different world in an instant, even though I was at the lakeside reception desk just a few minutes ago. With nothing to block my view in front of me, I was repeatedly impressed during my stay by the shimmering reflection of the sunlight on Lake Kawaguchi and the beautiful ridge of Mt. Fuji.
As soon as I entered the room, I was drawn to the window and found a terrace. Then to my surprise, I felt as if the terrace space was directly connected to the outside space. During the cold winter of January when I visited, a kotatsu was set up on this terrace. There was also an ornamental fire on the terrace, which the staff lit in the evening. For a while, I was so happy to sit in the kotatsu with a cup of coffee and enjoy the view of the majestic Mt. Fuji.
The room was a simple but relaxing modern space, and when I opened the cloth bag hanging by the bed, I found a Bluetooth speaker inside. Connect it to your own smartphone and you can enjoy your favorite music. It is rechargeable, so you can move it to the terrace. There were also foldable coffee drippers and cups perfect for glamping. I also had a view of Lake Kawaguchi and Mt. Fuji from the bathroom. There were also boots and warm coats for when it rained or snowed, slippers for use in the room, and sandals for the terrace.
There were a total of 40 square tubular independent cabins lined up on the mountainside, and the square white tube-like cottages were curiously constructed like two tiers of white tubular boxes stacked one on top of the other.
Then, feeling a little hungry, I decided to go to Library Cafe in a large terrace called Cloud Terrace, where coffee, herbal tea, cookies, and other treats are available. This place is always free to enjoy from 7:00-22:30. As the name suggests, the wooden decks were arranged in a hierarchical pattern like clouds.
Surrounded by a forest of cedar trees, it was a space where one could feel nature to the fullest. Around 3:30 p.m. when I visited, the staff prepared a baumkuchen baked in a skillet in a savory oven. This time it was covered with strawberry sauce, but the fruit and sauce toppings seem to change depending on the season.
Afterwards, in the bonfire lounge next to the library café, I roasted mashomaro over a bonfire, ate the beige browned mashomaro and chocolate between crackers, and enjoyed coffee while watching the crackling flames of the wood-burning stove. During the winter season, the inside of the library café was warmed by the wood stove, making the place feel like a mountain hut. Sitting deep in a comfortable chair and sipping warm herbal tea, I felt as if I would fall asleep.
In the meantime, dusk was falling and the area quickly became dark. The staff had prepared a lantern and made me a cup of Irish coffee with whiskey. The service at the resort was amazing and left nothing to be desired.
Then for dinner that night, I decided to order a glamping curry in advance and eat it in my room. Other options include a course meal in the dining restaurant or a gibier meal prepared in the forest with a glamping master. The staff came to my room and prepared dinner on the kotatsu table on the terrace. Vegetables and beef on skewers were grilled, and curry roux in a pot was heated. Five curry spices were ground into powder in a mill, added to the curry roux, and placed on top of the grilled meat and vegetables. Now the glamping curry was ready. It smelled good. It was also good to grind the curry spices of my choice in the mill. It enhanced the aroma of the curry. For some reason, even at night, I could clearly see Mt. Fuji. Perhaps it is because the air is clearer in winter. Looking up at the night sky, I could see the winter constellations. It was a very luxurious time.
After dinner, I went out to Cloud Terrace. A small concert was about to start. It was a cold, almost snowy night, but the hot wine and hot cocktails prepared by the staff warmed me up. On Cloud Terrace at night, guests gathered around the large, glowing bonfire and relaxed in their own way. The player seemed to change each day, and on this day it was a stringed instrument I had never seen before, with a magical vibrato sound that was pleasant to the ear. The fantastic night forest and the sound of the instruments were in perfect harmony.
When I woke up the next morning, it was just before dawn, and I was able to see the beautiful and miraculous view of the ridge line of Mt. Fuji. Since the room faces almost directly south, I could enjoy not only the sunset but also the sunrise from the room.
With a little time to kill before breakfast, I decided to take a walk around the room. The winter forest was filled with cool, clear, comfortable air. Most of the leaves had fallen off the trees, and the cedar trees, which had grown straight up to the sky, looked tighter. The soft sunlight shining through the gaps between the leaves illuminated the wooden terrace. The winter forest looked dark and dreary, but in fact it was a relaxing space.
Just as I returned to my room, the intercom rang and the staff prepared breakfast on the terrace of my room. In a wooden box that resembled a fishing tackle box, we were served a beautiful breakfast of Dutch oven baked bread, jam, pumpkin soup, omelette, sausage, roasted vegetables tomato sauce, honey, and other local products.
If I were to raise a fault, it would be that the resort is built on the slope of a mountain, so there were many ups and downs of stairs in the large grounds, and the next day, my muscles ached from lack of daily exercise. It is inconvenient for people with limited mobility or in wheelchairs. Also, this resort does not have hot spring. If you want to soak in a hot spring bath with a view of Mt. Fuji, other resorts would be recommended.
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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 it takes 15min by taxi from Kawaguchiko station to Hoshinoya Fuji. It costs approx. JPY3,000.
Alternatively, take a Kawaguchiko Sight Seeing Bus *Red line from bus stop No. 1 at Kawaguchiko Station roundabout, get off at the last stop, Kawaguchiko Shizen Seikatsukan, and walk about 5 minutes from there. The tour takes 30 minutes and costs JPY480 per adult. This bus route used to run every 15 minutes, but due to the coronavirus pandmic, the service was reduced to one bus per hour as of April 2021. It may increase in the future depending on the situation, but please check the latest information before going.
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.
What was my room like?
A limited number of rooms with views of Mt. Fuji from the bathrooms are available, and I requested it in advance. I was told that since it was a request, it could not be guaranteed, but I was lucky enough to have a view of Mt. Fuji from my bathroom as well.
How about toiletries & in-room amenities?
All of the amenities are taken care of including minimum toiletries, skincare products, pajamas, gowns, drip coffee bags, and English tea bags, etc. A portable speaker is placed in each room, but there is no TV. The free WiFi reception was good in my room. Room service is available. If you want to request room service, you need to inform in advance. Then there is no convenience store nearby. You may want to buy your necessities before coming here.
How about In-house Facilities?
Overall, facilities tend to be a bit worn out. I noticed that there were some stains on the wall and sofa. It opened in 2015, though.
As described above, this is not a universal design. There are many steps on the grounds. There is no lift. If you bring people with weak legs, I wouldn’t recommend it.
Then complimentary coffee, herb tea, hot chocolate, hot wine, hot beer, hot plum wine, snacks, marshmallows, waffles, cookies, and dry fruit, etc., were available in Cloud Terrace in the winter season. It seems that the menu for food and drinks depends on the season.
My impressions
Finally, check-in time is from 3 pm, but you can arrive around 2 pm and participate in activities on Cloud Terrace until it is time to get into your room. There are many ways to make the best of your time in the forest.
You can enjoy your stay with marshmallows roasted over a bonfire, tea time with baumkuchen and coffee, chopping wood, bird watching, and forest bathing on Cloud Terrace, etc.
Have a nice trip! Welcome to receive any questions about HOSHINOYA Fuji from the below space.
*If you check-in after 19:00, you need to inform the staff in advance.
**If you have dinner at the property, you need to check in by 20:00.
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Info about HOSHINOYA Fuji
| Style | Luxury glamping resort |
|---|---|
| Check-in and out times |
15:00/12:00 |
| Estimated Price | 90,000 JPY for 2 adults per room |
| Contact E-mail |
Fill the form in |
| Internet Connection | Free wifi in the property |
| Facility Information | Wheelchairs are not available Pets are not allowed The free parking lot is available |
| Location | Hoshinoya Fuji’s MAP |
| Access | 15min by Taxi from Kawaguchiko Station |
| Address and TEL | Tel +81 555-76-5050 |
| Official Homepage | Hoshinoya Fuji’s HP |
*All information above is as of the date that I posted on my blog.
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