Shiki no Yado Fujisan

A Lakeside Onsen Inn at the Foot of Kawaguchiko Ohashi Bridge

Shiki no Yado Fujisan is an onsen inn on the south shore of Lake Kawaguchi, right next to Oike Park. It opened in 1971 and has five floors and 29 guest rooms. Step out of the entrance and Kawaguchiko Ohashi Bridge and the Kawaguchiko Herb Hall are both within walking distance, making it a well-placed base for a trip spent strolling along the lake. The inn states a policy that children ages 5 and under can stay free of charge, and its rates stay in a range that makes it easy for families to drop in.

Mainly Japanese-Western Rooms, and the Views from Them

Rooms are mainly Japanese-Western style, combining a 10-tatami Japanese-style area with twin beds, and you can choose either a Mount Fuji-side or a Lake Kawaguchi-side view. Rooms are around 40 sq m, so there is room to spread out even with children. On some winter days you can see Mount Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi at the same time, and in certain seasons you can watch fireworks displays from your room.

Onsen Communal Bath and a Free Footbath

The baths are separate men's and women's communal baths, 10 meters long, drawing water from the Fujikawaguchiko Onsen hot spring village. They are open from 3 p.m. to midnight and again from 5 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. the next morning. There are indoor baths only - no open-air bath, sauna or private-hire bath - and the water temperature is managed with recirculating filtration, added water and heating. Beside the entrance there is a free footbath where you can relax while looking out over the lake, and anyone can stop by, not only staying guests.

Indoor BBQ and Experience Plans

The inn has an indoor BBQ site where you can grill without worrying about the weather while taking in a 270-degree panorama of Mount Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi (limited to 4 groups per day, 2 to 15 people per group). From winter into spring, accommodation plans that include a wakasagi (pond smelt) fishing experience aboard a domed boat are also sold. Rental bicycles are available too - standard bicycles from 1,500 yen per day and electric-assist bicycles at 3,000 yen per day - for a loop of the lake, about 18 km and roughly 2 hours.

Things to Know When Staying with Children

The policy is that children ages 5 and under stay free of charge, but whether children who are not yet out of diapers may use the communal bath is not stated. Japanese-Western rooms pair beds in the Western-style area with a 10-tatami Japanese-style area, and the usual arrangement is to lay out futon bedding in the tatami area for co-sleeping. In winter, tire chains or snow tires are essential, according to the inn's guidance.

Access and Parking

It is 5 minutes from Kawaguchiko Station on the Fujikyuko Line by car or on the lakeside loop bus, and 8 minutes by car from the Kawaguchiko IC on the Chuo Expressway. A shuttle to and from Kawaguchiko Station is available, with pickup from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and return from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., arranged either by calling when you arrive at the station or by reserving in advance. Outside those hours, guests use the Lake Kawaguchi loop bus or a taxi. Parking is free for 13 cars and needs no reservation; when it is full, guests are directed to the adjacent free town-run parking lot. If you arrive by bicycle, groups of 2 or fewer can keep bicycles in their room, while groups of 3 or more can use the indoor bicycle storage, and simple tools can be borrowed and a maintenance space is available.