Fujisan Onsen Hotel Kaneyamaen — Hotel in Fujiyoshida

We had a beautiful one night stay in Hotel Kaneyamaen during the cherry blossom season. I was initially apprehensive about paying the expensive nightly rate to be at this hotel for less than 24 hours, but it was a once in a lifetime opportunity that was well worth the price paid. Upon arriving at the hotel shortly after, we were greeted by a hoard (no exaggeration) of ultra friendly and charming staff who doted on us and provided us with the warmest welcome. We were taken to our room for tea and an "initiation session" in which a staff member told us about the evening events that were scheduled, gave us a map of the hotel, took our sizes for slippers and kimonos, explained how to wear the kimonos, and answered our questions. This level of highly personalized and attentive service was consistent throughout our stay. We stayed in the Waraku room (in the Yuraku Yamabiko-tei wing) and it was very clean and spacious. We had a tatami room with a traditional low table and floor seats (which they moved aside in the evening to set up the traditional Japanese bedding) and a private onsen on the balcony. The room had a view of Mount Fuji, however you had to peer out to the side to see it (it wasn't directly in front). There was plenty to do on site to occupy your day. The garden is enormous and quite lovely for a walk, especially since the cherry blossoms were in bloom. We then went to the tea room for a "tea ceremony" (not a full blown one, they simply provided us with a mochi sweet and a rich bowl of perfectly frothed matcha). After enjoying our private onsen, we headed down to dine at Mikuri, one of the many restaurants on the premises (this was included in our nightly rate). We had a set menu of about 9 courses, and once again we were treated like royalty by the restaurant staff. The food was Japanese contemporary and the plating was beautiful. We very much enjoyed everything that we ate, and there was a large quantity and variety as well. We also tried some interesting drinks including the yogurt wine, plum wine, and yuzu honey cocktail, all of which were delicious. After dinner, there was an awesome taiko drum show in the lobby followed by a Hanami party in the lounge area facing the garden (to celebrate the cherry blossom season). In the morning, there was a buffet for breakfast with a huge selection of both western and Japanese foods. The only negative thing that I have to say is in fact not about the hotel but of its location in Fujiyoshida, a town that is not exactly picturesque, to put it nicely. Even after walking around a bit, we were unable to find the perfect shot of Mount Fuji that wasn't marred by power lines, parking lots, or run down looking industrial buildings. However everything you need to have a good time is already in the hotel, and the mountain looked majestic and impressive regardless. The location was also conveniently located within a 10 minute shuttle ride to Fujisan station (arranged by the hotel). Overall, it was an incredible, memorable and romantic stay in a spectacular, elegant and unique hotel. The service at this hotel is unparalleled and we are incredibly thankful to the hotel and restaurant staff who pampered us and made our stay so relaxing and luxurious. Thank you and we are looking forward to...

EXCEPTIONAL & UNDERATED 👍👌😎🗻with Mount Fuji Views!

This hotel honestly exceeded all expectations and turned out to be one of the most surprisingly amazing stays of our entire trip to Japan. 🇯🇵 We were a bit cautious based on some reviews (likely written by a few Karen-types… possibly Canadians letting the side down a bit), but we found Fuji Onsen Hotel Kaneyamaen to be exceptional in almost every way 👍

Upon arrival, we were greeted by an entourage of staff who helped with luggage and made the check-in process smooth. Free parking was a plus, especially since we were travelling with a car🚗

We had two suites and one comfort room for our group of five, and each one was spacious, beautifully kept, and incredibly comfortable. The Western-style beds were the most comfortable we’ve had in Japan – a real standout. Bathrooms were generous with lots of vanity space, and the extra dressing tables were a lovely touch.

Pros: 🗻 Private onsens with Mount Fuji views – pure magic 🛌 Incredibly spacious, comfy rooms with thoughtful touches 🍱 Excellent multi-course dinners with flavour, variety, and flexibility 🍳 Breakfast suited to both Japanese and Western palates (fresh omelettes!) 🪷 Gorgeous traditional garden with a bridge and secret area to explore 🎭 Free tea ceremony, nightly taiko drum show, and fun bingo games 👘 Complimentary kimono rental – great to see so many guests enjoying this 🍷 Two guest lounges, one serving alcohol with 20+ wines, snacks and ice cream 🚗 Ideal for drivers – near shops, sights, and an easy scenic drive 🧼 Everything spotless and beautifully maintained

The private onsens were without doubt the highlight – hot, clean, and available 24/7 off your own room’s shower space. Ours had uninterrupted views of Mount Fuji, and we were pleasantly surprised by the excellent condition (despite some older reviews suggesting wear).

Staff were polite, helpful, and flexible – they adjusted the dinner menu on both nights to suit our preferences. Even as a Westerner, I found plenty to enjoy while also getting to explore new tastes.

The gardens and exterior areas are stunning, with traditional lighting that makes evening walks feel peaceful and immersive. And although the hotel had many foreign guests, we noticed just as many (if not more) Japanese guests, which is always a good sign of authenticity and quality.

Cons: 📶 Wi-Fi can be patchy – different routers and passwords in different areas 🍽️ After 2–3 days, the dinner routine might become a bit repetitive 🔕 Could use some soundproofing in public areas – not a major issue, but noticeable

If you’re visiting the Fuji Five Lakes area, this is the place to stay. We spent two nights and could have easily done three. Just don’t expect a full work-from-hotel setup – the focus here is relaxation, views, and cultural immersion.

Highly recommended, and truly one of the hidden gems of our...

I’ll start with the goods: the onsen and gardens are as advertised. Even with limited views of Mt Fuji, we were impressed by the upkeep of the backyard gardens. Shuttle pick up was convenient as well. ||The service was not the best, though. There were several examples:||1) my younger brother left for onsen for more than an hour and could not be contacted. The rest of us are worried but women so I found a manager and begged him on google translate to please go to the male side of the onsen to check on him. He promised he would do so. Then he disappeared and did not give any more updates.||When I finally tracked this manager down again after 20 mins, he said he’s found my brother a while back and asked him to go back to the room. When I went back to our room and saw no trace of my brother returning, it only made things more confusing and left me very distressed. ||i only found my brother after another 20 mins. Turns out nobody went to check on him. The manager ignored my safety concern (which I don’t think was too demanding. The staffs were standing around unoccupied anyways). He even actively lied so he could get out doing (or asking another staff, if he’s busy) a simple but urgent request. ||This made me feel like this hotel’s staff have no regards for the customer’s wellbeing or even safety, at all. They would rather lie and have you panic about what’s going on. I’d rather he told me he doesn’t want to help. I would’ve reached out to another tourist and might have more luck there. ||2) unhygienic dinner. The kaiseki dinner was great, but we found hair that do not belong to us in one of the dishes (doesn’t belong to us because color and length don’t match any of us). Could be a coincidence, but we had diarrhea / food poisoning the few days after our stay. As avid travelers, we did not expect this sort of issue in Japan, let alone in a reputable hotel like this. Didn’t have this anywhere else in Japan though ||3) shuttle drop-off not as advertised|The hotel FAQ boasts the shuttle service as one of the perks. That means pickup from and drop-off at nearby stations. When it’s time to leave though, we were told they will not provide shuttle drop off and we have to pay for a taxi ourselves. This wouldn’t have been an issue except a lot of taxis only accept cash and we were in a rush to catch the bus back to Tokyo. Another staff (as well as the website) told us there WILL be a bus to drop us off on time and we did not bother to carry enough cash on us. The arbitrary change in rules almost disrupted our entire packed itinerary. ||TL;DR - facilities are great. Services every now and then inferior to the other Japanese hotels we’ve stayed at for less than 1/4 of the price. Felt like the staff actively avoided helping or communicating with those who are not...