for generations of Tokyoites, because of its easy access (one hour forty minutes from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo to Hakone by the Romancecar express train), its proximity to Mount Fuji, natural hot-spring baths, and other natural attractions. The Kikkaso is conveniently situated for easy access to many local areas of interest.
Using the trundling Tozan railway, the two-carriage switchback service that many guests take from Hakone-Yumoto Station to Miyanoshita Station, which serves the Fujiya, you can go higher and deeper into the Hakone area. Two stops up the line, at Chokoku-no-Mori Station, is the Hakone Open-air Art Museum which has a sprawling collection of outdoor sculptures, as well as a large indoor Picasso collection. One stop on, at the end of the line, comes the town of Gora, from where a funicular train runs to Mount Soun. After taking in the views here, you can take a cable car over the volcanic valley of Owakudani—a barren range dotted with bubbling hot-spring pools and steaming sulfur vents. The cable car journey ends at the attractive Lake Ashi, which offers spectacular views of Mount Fuji when the weather is clear.
Fujiya Hotel, kikkaso inn 菊華荘
Address: 359 Miyanoshita, Hakonemachi, Ashigarashimo-gun, kanagawa, japan 250-0404
Telephone: 0460-82-2211
Website: www.fujiyahotel.jp
Email: [email protected]
number of rooms: 3
Room rate: ¥¥¥
The three guest rooms at the Fujiya are relatively modest, but fully traditional. That, of course, includes the low table in the main room being moved at night and futon being prepared on the floor, so guests can fall asleep to the gentle scent of tatami.
Guests at the Kikkaso have the option of a traditional kaiseki course featuring dishes like this, but can also dine on French cuisine at the main Fujiya Hotel.
The garden is one of the loveliest features of the Kikkaso, especially with the accent given by the striking vermilion bridge.
SHUHOUKAKU KOGETSU LAKE KAWAGUCHI
About as close to a stay in the shadow of Mount Fuji as you can find, the Kogetsu gives mesmerizing views of Japan’s tallest and most iconic peak from its lakeside berth.
Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest and most iconic peak, has inspired generations of Japanese, from artists like Hokusai and his famed woodblock prints to the haiku master Matsuo Basho. The mountain, snow-capped for much of the year, is visible as far afield as Tokyo, and has been claimed as sacred by Shinto and Buddhism. Mount Fuji has shaped Japanese culture like no other natural monument. And whether seen for the first time or the hundredth, its beauty always captivates.
Though it can be seen from far and wide, few places in Japan offer better views of Fuji-san—as the Japanese call it—than Lake Kawaguchi, sixty-two miles (one hundred kilometers) west of Tokyo in Yamanashi Prefecture’s Five Lakes area. And few places at Lake Kawaguchi boast better views of Fuji than the Kogetsu ryokan on the lake’s northern shoreline. From the Kogetsu’s two communal outdoor hot-spring baths, Fuji appears across the lake in all its symmetrical magnificence. On some winter mornings, when the light is just right, its surface appears reddish, and on some nights, when the moonlight deems it fit, it appears to float on the lake—phenomena known as akafuji (red Fuji) and kurofuji (black Fuji), respectively.
The entrance to the hot-spring baths. The swirly looking character is one ryokan and hot-spring fans will see often. It’s the phonetic hiragana character for “yu”, meaning hot water, but here signifying the hot baths.
Like the baths, all the rooms come with Fuji views; some of the non-standard rooms have their own wood-decked terraces where guests can relax in loungers or soothe their feet in private footbaths while taking in the scenery; others have private open-air baths too. Looking inside, all are bright and airy, with light tatami, walls, and wood, and either futon or simple Western-style beds. Most guests will have dinner served in their room (though large groups can have their own dining rooms), and at the Kogetsu—like most ryokan—that means an elaborate kaiseki affair featuring mostly local, seasonal produce turned into dishes such as richly fragrant matsutake mushroom soup and a shabu shabu hot pot featuring pork from pigs that have been reared on Koshu wine.
What makes Lake Kawaguchi great for a weekend away from Tokyo—besides the scenery, the ryokan, and the hot-spring baths—is the variety of things to do here. It’s an easy drive from Kawaguchiko to the amusement park Fuji-Q Highland, which has a terror-inducing selection of white-knuckle rides. In the lake area itself is the Itchiku Kubota Art Museum, which houses decorative tie-dyed kimono and other fabrics. Around the lake, there are also herb gardens and, in spring, vast fields of pink moss phlox that create a stark contrast to Fuji. The lake area is also close to trails that lead to Fuji’s peak, when the summer climbing season opens and thousands of hikers make the slow trek up to 12,388 feet (3,776 meters) in the hope of seeing the sunrise from Japan’s highest point. More than anything, there’s just something special about being so close to Fuji, soaking outside in a hot bath as the sun sets, or whiling away an afternoon on the decking taking in the views.
Shuhoukaku kogetsu 湖月
Address: 2312 kawaguchi, Fuji kawaguchiko, Minami-tsuru-gun, Yamanashi 401-0304
Telephone: 0555-76-8888
Website: www.kogetu.com
Email: [email protected]
number of rooms: 45
Room rate: ¥¥¥
The Kogetsu’s baths have Fuji views. If the conditions are right, some mornings you can get a glimpse of akafuji (when Fuji takes on a red hue) or of an evening kurofuji (when the mountain appears to float in the moonlight).
The choice of serving dish is just as important as the arrangement of the food itself. During the dinner, you are invited to enjoy not just taste, but to appreciate design.
A member of staff serves a welcome drink shortly after arriving at the guestroom. As well as being the first opportunity to unwind after traveling, the welcome drink service is also the first opportunity to get to know the staff member who (very likely) will be serving and looking after you throughout your stay.
The rotemburo (outdoor bath) comes with lovely lake views, although if you stand up for long you run the risk of flashing any passing boats.
