Yamadaya Hotel

A natural hot-spring inn on Lake Shouji where every room looks out on Mount Fuji

Yamadaya Hotel is a natural hot-spring inn on the shore of Lake Shouji, a quiet lake among the Fuji Five Lakes. Its greatest appeal is the location: every room looks out on Mount Fuji and Lake Shouji. From your room you can watch Mount Fuji change its expression many times a day, from the peak glowing with the morning sun behind it, to the red Fuji standing out in the evening light, to the beautiful contrast it makes with Lake Shouji. The open-air bath occupies one of the finest positions on the shore of Lake Shouji, and a soak with Mount Fuji in view is something special. To get here, take the bus bound for Lake Motosu from Kawaguchiko Station and get off at the Shoujiko Yamadaya Hotel Mae stop, or drive about 25 minutes from the Kawaguchiko IC. It suits families who want to spend quiet time in nature, away from the bustle. Its Rakuten Travel guest rating is a high 4.63 out of 5 (113 reviews), with consistent praise for the views, the onsen and the food.

The scenic private-hire bath with Mount Fuji views is free for 30 minutes, and the open-air bath and communal bath are open 24 hours

The pride of the bathing facilities for families is the scenic private-hire bath, positioned so that Mount Fuji and Lake Shouji sit just right in view as you soak. Staying guests can use it from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., and with a reservation made at check-in it is free for 30 minutes. Having a private-hire bath where you can bathe without worrying about other guests is a real reassurance for parents of small children. The open-air bath Hinode no Yu and the communal bath Fubokaku no Yu are open 24 hours a day, so you can enjoy the onsen whenever you like. The spring water is a calcium-sodium sulfate spring, said to be beneficial for conditions such as muscle pain and neuralgia.

Mainly Japanese-style tatami rooms, and seasonal dishes in a restaurant that opens onto the lake

There are 16 rooms in total: 14 Japanese-style tatami rooms and 2 Japanese-Western rooms. In a tatami room the family can lay futons side by side and sleep in a row, with the reassurance of being able to put the baby down on the tatami. Non-smoking and smoking rooms are kept separate, and you can specify a non-smoking room when booking. Every room has heating and air conditioning, a television, a refrigerator and Wi-Fi, along with a bidet toilet, yukata and down duvets. Meals are served in an open-view restaurant that opens entirely onto the lake, where you can taste seasonal flavors such as wagyu beef tobanyaki, grilled on a hot ceramic plate. Dining with Mount Fuji and Lake Shouji in view makes for a special moment on a family trip.

Pets can stay too, and how to plan a stay with children

Check-in is at 3 p.m. and checkout at 10 a.m. There is free parking for 30 cars, on a first-come, first-served basis. Pets other than large dogs can stay with you for a fee of 3,000 yen, and as long as you follow the rules they can accompany you anywhere except the dining room. Shogi, go and mahjong are available, along with a gymnasium and a sports ground (for a fee), so there are ways to be active in and around the hotel. Whether cribs or other baby items are kept on hand is not stated, so please contact the hotel in advance if you need them. Staying in a tatami room with a Mount Fuji view, enjoying the scenic private-hire bath and the 24-hour onsen, and sharing the food at the lakeside restaurant: this is a Lake Shouji inn well suited to families who put views and hot springs first.