Yamadaya Hotel — Hotel in Fujikawaguchiko

Read the reviews for Yamadaya hotel and decided to stay a night here in the 2nd week of Dec 2017. |Rented a car from Toyota and drove to Yamadaya hotel because self-drive gave us the flexibility to reach this hotel after sightseeing Wind Cave at around 4pm. Note that if we don't drive, the last blue line bus timing was around 3pm or so departing from Kawaguchiko station, takes 30mins bus ride to reach the hotel. ||Arrived at the hotel around 6pm (it was already really very dark in Dec) and parked the car within the hotel compounds. There were a couple of cars, less than 5 when we parked ours on a Saturday night. |There were slippers provided for exact number of people in our party to change into before stepping into the hotel lobby and rest of the compounds. It is like leaving your shoes at the doorway at home instead of wearing it all the way to the hotel room. We had no issues with that and in fact felt it's makes the whole place even cleaner.|We had no issue communicating with them because there was a young lady who spoke English well enough. She helped us with booking of the half an hour private onsen to us, informing us where the sun will rise from in the onsen room.||Well heated room:|Our room was on the 2nd floor and there were two heaters which were available for us although one was more than enough to warm up the room where the futons were placed. There was a balcony whereby we could sit out with tea and view Mt Fuji. The toilet walls showed signs of aging and does need a new splash of pain. But otherwise it's clean and brightly lit even at night which we had no complaints with. The shower room looks clean and not too old either but we did not use it as we had our bath in the onsen room. It is a very clean and basic room with lightings which the children find interesting as it works abit slow requiring them to learn to wait before it lits up. 1 flask of hot water and 1 flask of cold water was provided together with green tea and cookies. The futons were thick and soft enough for us and we had a really good sleep. The next morning after we finished our breakfast and returned to pack our bags for check out, we found the futons were already kept away. That was so efficient!||The children were excited and enjoyed their very first onsen experience. We did it once after dinner and again the next day early morning before breakfast. We had booked for a time slot at sunrise in the hope to view Mt Fuji. We were excited to watch the sun rose right beside Mt Fuji. We could see a long row of people standing at the lake in front of the hotel waiting for the sunrise with their tripods. Some even camped there. It was a beautiful sight!|Thereafter we proceeded to Benny restaurant for our breakfast. Booked the room with half board.|Breakfast was nicely set on the same table (with your room number card on the table) where we had dinner the night before. It was once again really tasty and portion was really nice for us who are not big eaters. |They were also very thoughtful and took the initiative to email us at the time of booking to find out from us if our youngest child 4yr old will need a set of meal like the rest of us or share with us the adult. To which we reverted that our child will share our meal. Their initiative helped us save some money and also not to result in wastage of food as we will not be able to finish all the food if we had ordered meals for all in the family. Dinner the night before was delicious too. |After breakfast, we strolled along Lake Shoji in front of the hotel and basked in the sunlight as we viewed Mt Fuji.|We will return and stay here again if we ever have the chance to visit Kawaguchiko...

Read the reviews for Yamadaya hotel and decided to stay a night here in the 2nd week of Dec 2017. |Rented a car from Toyota and drove to Yamadaya hotel because self-drive gave us the flexibility to reach this hotel after sightseeing Wind Cave at around 4pm. Note that if we don't drive, the last blue line bus timing was around 3pm or so departing from Kawaguchiko station, takes 30mins bus ride to reach the hotel. ||Arrived at the hotel around 6pm (it was already really very dark in Dec) and parked the car within the hotel compounds. There were a couple of cars, less than 5 when we parked ours on a Saturday night. |There were slippers provided for exact number of people in our party to change into before stepping into the hotel lobby and rest of the compounds. It is like leaving your shoes at the doorway at home instead of wearing it all the way to the hotel room. We had no issues with that and in fact felt it's makes the whole place even cleaner.|We had no issue communicating with them because there was a young lady who spoke English well enough. She helped us with booking of the half an hour private onsen to us, informing us where the sun will rise from in the onsen room.||Well heated room:|Our room was on the 2nd floor and there were two heaters which were available for us although one was more than enough to warm up the room where the futons were placed. There was a balcony whereby we could sit out with tea and view Mt Fuji. The toilet walls showed signs of aging and does need a new splash of pain. But otherwise it's clean and brightly lit even at night which we had no complaints with. The shower room looks clean and not too old either but we did not use it as we had our bath in the onsen room. It is a very clean and basic room with lightings which the children find interesting as it works abit slow requiring them to learn to wait before it lits up. 1 flask of hot water and 1 flask of cold water was provided together with green tea and cookies. The futons were thick and soft enough for us and we had a really good sleep. The next morning after we finished our breakfast and returned to pack our bags for check out, we found the futons were already kept away. That was so efficient!||The children were excited and enjoyed their very first onsen experience. We did it once after dinner and again the next day early morning before breakfast. We had booked for a time slot at sunrise in the hope to view Mt Fuji. We were excited to watch the sun rose right beside Mt Fuji. We could see a long row of people standing at the lake in front of the hotel waiting for the sunrise with their tripods. Some even camped there. It was a beautiful sight!|Thereafter we proceeded to Benny restaurant for our breakfast. Booked the room with half board.|Breakfast was nicely set on the same table (with your room number card on the table) where we had dinner the night before. It was once again really tasty and portion was really nice for us who are not big eaters. |They were also very thoughtful and took the initiative to email us at the time of booking to find out from us if our youngest child 4yr old will need a set of meal like the rest of us or share with us the adult. To which we reverted that our child will share our meal. Their initiative helped us save some money and also not to result in wastage of food as we will not be able to finish all the food if we had ordered meals for all in the family. Dinner the night before was delicious too. |After breakfast, we strolled along Lake Shoji in front of the hotel and basked in the sunlight as we viewed Mt Fuji.|We will return and stay here again if we ever have the chance to visit Kawaguchiko...

Yamadaya is a hotel to give a view of Fuji Mt right out of window, no bullshit. It is apparently run by a local lovely family and for the family. The view is absolution stunning and tranquil at the same time. Warning ! Its modern hotel appearance completely conceals a traditional identity of Japanese structural and style build. Tansu storage with moving Fusuma door (襖) , Tatami bamboo floor throughout, wooden rim Engawa(縁側) attached with chochin lantern, and of course the artistic tea cups. So if an authentic, profound Japanese living experience in a hotel form is not what you like, keep scrolling. The location is on the 4th lake(Shoji) , as I like to count from Yamanaka lake as the 1st from west to east(sue me). In my surprise it kept the stay away from most of brouhaha in popular resort area (Kawaguchiko or Yamanakako), letting you enjoy the Fuji from a undisturbed space but still enable the quick access to all the funs that Fuji could offer(google it). A special shoutout has to be given to Okami(hotel owners wife). Special meal for night stay customer is really out of the world. You get to taste what means 4 seasons Umami , presented with lively colour in never ending pickle palate. People all know Japanese dinning table is busy and full of bowls and plates but ours was just like full domino challenge on a 8x3 table. And my ultimate satiation was reached at the last plate being cleared. Seafood is apparently the Okami best weapon without a shadow of doubt but oh man doesn’t she wield it beautifully? I ate almost of fish types Japanese sea can possibly produce during my 2 days stay. Not only the seafood, all the ingredients are chosen with extreme care and love. Words are often categorically inadequate for the sensation but to say I was fed abundantly and delicately. She kindly forgave my little naughty child filling up tooth picker bottle with soy sauce, which is totally not the reason why I stood this bit out in the review!

As if it is still not enough, the owner has topped it by providing a private open hot spring, you can wear Japanese bath robe(yukata) and enjoy exclusive Onsen for free(if you stay overnight), where you can bath naked and admire the Fuji mountain View simultaneously. What a hidden gem...