Forest Resort Yamanakako Shuzanso

Location and Access

A quiet inn surrounded by natural woodland in Mama no Mori, on the north shore of Lake Yamanakako at an elevation of roughly 1,000 m. It is about 2 hours 15 minutes by highway bus from Shinjuku Station, and reachable by car from the Kawaguchiko IC or Yamanakako IC on the Chuo Expressway. It is one of the onsen inns run by Forest Group across Japan.

Rooms

With 18 rooms in total, the inn is small in scale, and the room types are varied, from a 25-tatami Japanese-style tatami room that can be divided into two rooms to a barrier-free Western-style twin room. Every room comes with an electric hot-water kettle, a tea set, a refrigerator, a hair dryer, a toilet with a bidet function, Wi-Fi, a choice of three types of yukata, a hand towel for bathing and a bath towel. Check-in is at 2 p.m., with a final check-in time of 10 p.m., and checkout is at 10 a.m.

Onsen and Communal Bath

The communal bath switched to onsen water in September 2012. The high-alkaline Yamanakako onsen water (pH 10.2), brought in from Beni-Fuji no Yu, a bath with a strong reputation as a fine hot spring, can be enjoyed while you look out over the natural woodland. The spring water is a simple onsen (a weakly alkaline simple spring), with water added, heated and recirculated through filtration.

• Hours: 5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. to midnight
• Baths: an indoor bath for 10 people, plus a sauna
• Washing area: 10 shower stations
• Amenities: shampoo, conditioner, body soap and face wash
• Bathing tax: 150 yen, charged separately

The inn bills it as a gentle onsen that everyone from babies to older guests can enjoy, and the water is known for settling softly on the skin. There is no private-hire bath.

Dining

Breakfast and dinner are both served in the on-site restaurant. Dinner centers on creative set meals blending Japanese and Western cooking, packed with seasonal ingredients including A5-grade Japanese beef, and upgraded plans such as one with Koshu wine beef steak are also available. The small-portion plan Bimi Shoryo is aimed at women and older guests. Dinner cannot be served after 8 p.m., so keep an eye on your arrival time.

Staying with Children

The inn states clearly that this is a gentle onsen everyone from babies to older guests can enjoy. There are roomy Japanese-style tatami rooms, including the 25-tatami room, where a family can spread out and relax. Whether baby items are available to borrow is not stated, so please confirm with the inn in advance if you need them.

Parking and the Surrounding Area

Free parking for 30 cars, with no reservation required. The entrance curfew is 10 p.m. Barrier-free toilets are provided and wheelchairs are available to borrow, and there is an AED at the front desk. The inn is in Yamanakako village, which also makes it a convenient base for sightseeing at Mount Fuji, Oshino Hakkai and Fuji-Q Highland.