Forest Villa Yamanakako

Whole-cottage rentals in the woods, a 5-minute walk from Lake Yamanaka

Forest Villa Yamanakako is a set of 4 whole-cottage rentals on grounds surrounded by trees in Yamanakako-mura. The shore of Lake Yamanaka is about a 5-minute walk away and the Yamanakako Interchange on the Fuji-Goko Road is about 10 minutes by car; supermarkets and convenience stores are close by, and Mount Fuji rises into view right from the terrace. Because each cottage stands on its own, you never have to worry about noise from the room next door or about your children's voices carrying, and the stay feels like having the family's own holiday home - the property's greatest appeal. Reviews from families stand out on Rakuten Travel, including one guest who wrote that their wife, children and dog all said they didn't want to go home.

2LDK cottages with a Japanese-style tatami room and a loft, for a family of up to 6 in one building

The cottages come in 4 types, buildings A through D. The mainstays for families are the 2LDK buildings A and C - two rooms plus a combined living, dining and kitchen area - which sleep up to 6. Building A has a kitchen and dining area plus an 8-tatami Japanese-style room, a Western-style room with twin beds, and a loft with 2 folding single beds. The tatami room is easy to use for a baby's nap or a diaper change, and the loft, reached by ladder, feels like a secret hideout to a child. Buildings B and D, which sleep up to 4, suit couples and smaller parties. You can also ask about booking several cottages or reserving the entire property, which works well for three-generation trips and groups. Do note that reviews mention heat building up in the loft in summer, so sleeping in the tatami or Western-style room is the safer choice in hot weather.

A full kitchen, with meals on a bring-your-own, cook-for-yourself basis

No meals are served: you either cook in your cottage's kitchen or bring in food from a restaurant or takeout. The kitchen has a refrigerator, microwave, toaster, rice cooker, coffee maker, pots, frying pans and dishes, so warming up baby food or cooking your children's favorite dishes is entirely up to you. There is also a washing machine (unavailable from December to February, when it freezes), a welcome feature for families who need to wash spilled-on clothes right away. Check-in is generally contactless, so you can come and go as you please.

Barbecues and campfires on the terrace, plus children's bicycles to hire

On each cottage's private terrace you can use a barbecue grill set (3,300 yen, charcoal and firelighter included, ingredients to be brought by you) or a campfire set (1,500 yen, one bundle of firewood included), both by reservation and for a fee. Guests praise being able to leave the cleanup to the staff afterward, and one review described how easy the fire was to light and what a special time it was watching the flames. A parasol is set up permanently, so a little rain is no problem. Barbecues and campfires both run until 10 p.m. at night, and the barbecue is unavailable from November to mid-March. Mountain bike rentals include 20-inch and 24-inch children's sizes (1,000 yen), so you can head out to cycle around Lake Yamanaka. Up to 3 dogs per cottage may join you (1,500 yen per dog; small to medium-sized dogs kept indoors, with a vaccination certificate required).

Staying here with children

There is no children's rate. Children under 3 stay free only when co-sleeping in the same futon or bed as an adult; everyone else is counted as an adult. Check-in is from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., and checkout is at 11 a.m. In the middle of the forest, insects and wildlife are simply part of the setting, so make use of the insect repellent provided. There are ordinary homes nearby, so the rule is to keep things quiet from 10 p.m. until 8 a.m. the next morning. With no meals served and no shop on site, finishing your shopping before check-in is essential. These cottages deliver an easygoing stay at Lake Yamanaka with the family and the dog.