Fuefukigawa Onsen Zabou front entrance

While we wouldn't say it's the best ryokan we've ever stayed at, among the four we visited on this trip, Fuefukigawa Onsen Zabou was the most memorable. Despite some warts, we had a fairy tale-like experience there. The grounds and views are mesmerizing, the architecture is traditional and charming, the view from our room was Instagram-worthy and the Onsen hot springs baths - both in the room as well as the communal onsen - were glorious.


Fuefukigawa Onsen Zabou - Restaurant is in a restored Kominka (traditional rural folk house)

It's located in Koshu in Yamanashi Prefecture, and near Kofu, which is its capital city. The area might not be on the short list of places for travelers to visit, but it's not too far from Tokyo - a 90-minute limited express train ride from Shinjuku gets you to Enzan Station, and from there it's a 10 minute drive to the ryokan. As a basis for comparison, the time investment to get there is not much different than going to Hakone, Izu or Nikko. Koshu is just adjacent to Kofu, which is the capital of Yamanashi and its largest city. It's in a rather large basin surrounded by mountains on all sides with views of Mt. Fuji in the South being a possibility on a clear day. The Koshu area receives a ton of sunshine, making it an ideal environment for growing grapes (the locally grown purple Kyoho grapes are renowned in Japan.) The region is also the birthplace and epicenter of Japan's wine production. While it's not (yet) on the level of the finest vineyards in France or Napa Valley, Kofu has a wide array of wineries that are open to the public, with many of them offering tours and wine tasting.


Fuefukigawa Onsen Zabou - Kotogawa suite with open-air bath, 73mē

The ryokan was established about 25 years ago, but it was not until 2015 that Zabou was transformed into a luxury establishment. It changed ownership in 2022 - Maruki (aka "Marquis") Winery, a subsidiary of Japanese company Group Raison, is the oldest currently-operating winery in Japan (established in 1891), and they've done a terrific job in turning Zabou into the pride of Koshu. The property grounds are not super expansive, but what's there is artfully crafted and very well manicured. There's a view of a beautiful garden and small lake from the reception lounge area and is full of Koi fish as well as a male and female duck couple. While walking around the property, you'll be treated by views of mountains and hills all around, both lush and rugged at the same time. The Zabou/Maruki connection manifests itself in several ways, mainly regarding the wine on offer. In the large salon/library area they offer unlimited free wine servings and wine tastings for their guests, as well as various wagashi Japanese treats. And for dinner, there is an extensive wine selection to choose from (many of them Maruki-labeled) as well as a pairing option for a modest surcharge.


Fuefukigawa Onsen Zabou - Kotogawa suite with open-air bath, 73mē

We've been in the area several times in the past, but we were never able to secure a booking in one of Zabou's two top rooms - Kotogawa and Tsuzumigawa - both are Japanese-Western Suites with 73mē of space. We were so smitten by the photos of these two Suites on their website that we've been trying to stay there ever since. It's not so much the Kotogawa room itself was delightful - it definitely does the job - it was the spectacular view from the room that won us over. Kotogawa and Tsuzumigawa are the only ones among the 23 total units that offer the same gorgeous garden and lake view as the lobby area, but it's actually even nicer, as they're more centrally situated to the lake. The balcony has an amazing onsen in a hinoki bathtub, as well as two lounge chairs. The ryokan even had treats placed in a jar so that we could feed the fish and ducks from the deck. Everything - the pond, the well-groomed vegetation, the privacy, was simply captivating.... to the point where we were able to overlook a few flaws in the room itself.


Fuefukigawa Onsen Zabou - Kotogawa suite with open-air bath, 73mē

To begin with, Kotogawa (our room) had just one sink, and the toilet with washlet was not recent vintage (by Japan standards) - there was no button on the control panel that allowed the user to lift/lower the seat with the press of a button. First world problem, I know, but once you get used to Japanese hygiene standards, there's no going back. Secondly, the shower is out on the deck (next to the Onsen bath), which is fine (except, perhaps, when it's freezing cold outside), and the shower head holder is placed low on the balcony railing - I suppose there's no other place to put it. If it was affixed on the room wall (away from the pond), that would mean that the shower water would be splashing into the pond, which would be a no-no since soap and shampoo would also find its way there. While the shower head can be hand held, it's not easy to wash and rinse while having one hand holding the shower head. I ended up crouching low to effectively wash and rinse myself before taking a soak in the bath (which is the de-facto way of doing things - jumping into the bath without first cleaning yourself is scorned upon and bad etiquette in Japan.)


Fuefukigawa Onsen Zabou - View of the pond and garden from Kotogawa suite with open-air bath, 73mē

Aside from those two (admittedly first world) issues, everything else was terrific. The room itself was traditionally and tastefully decorated and furnished, and in muted tones. And the toiletries were very high quality. Everything from the two sets of individually packaged items (shampoo, conditioner, body soap, moisturizer, lotion, etc.) were Laura Ashley-branded. Not only that, but there was also a set of cleansing gel, wash foam, rejuvenating essence & moisturizing gel from Japanese maker First Skincare. Finally, Zabou placed two sets of razor/shaving cream/aftershave (single-use for the latter two), toothbrush/toothpaste & hair brush/comb and cotton swabs in the bathroom as well. Basically, you will not be left wanting, and you can easily leave all of your toiletries at home, especially if you are male.


Fuefukigawa Onsen Zabou - View of the Koi pond and gardens from Kotogawa suite with open-air bath, 73mē

One note about the rooms. If you have the budget, I would highly recommend swinging for either Kotogawa or Tsuzumigawa. While entry level rooms are not super cramped, they are not in any way special. Some of the higher category rooms are spacious and have nice open-air onsen in the room, but they lack the spellbinding setting and views found in Kotogawa and Tsuzumigawa. The quality of experience at Zabou may dramatically differ depending on your room choice.


Fuefukigawa Onsen Zabou - Daiyokujo (Communal, gender-segregated open-air Onsen bath

There is also a Daiyokujo - communal, gender-segregated hot springs baths, and has a large indoor onsen as well as a massive, unique outdoor open-air "bath" - it's more of a hybrid pool/river... you can literally swim in it, and at the far end of the outdoor onsen is an cave that you can get to by wading or swimming in the onsen stream. In the evening, the entire outdoor bathing area is lit-up, giving the place an hauntingly beautiful vibe. The temperature of the outdoor Onsen was a bit lukewarm for my tastes, but on the other hand, it will probably allow guests to spend a longer time enjoying the bath, just as you would a standard swimming pool or Western-style hot tub. Zabou's Daiyokujo was definitely one of the most atmospheric onsen that we've ever laid our eyes on - a true delight.


Fuefukigawa Onsen Zabou Cha-kaiseki dinner - Lily Bulb Manju stuffed with ground Chicken, made to look like "Gencho Mochi", a Mochi traditionally made during the day of the Boar. With Carrot, Burdock Root, Spinach, Steamed Abalone, Young Leaves of a Sansho Plant

Meals are served either in a restaurant, in a charming kominka (traditional farmhouse) style structure, although there is a separate area with several "koshitsu" (private rooms.) They accept koshitsu dining requests on a first-asked, first-served basis, so make sure you ask for it if it's important to you. Zabou's meals are "Cha-kaiseki," which are meals served in the context of Japanese tea ceremonies, and traditionally precedes the serving of the tea at a formal tea function. While there are actual differences in the names of each serving as well as the order in which they are served, it's effectively not much different than the "standard" kaiseki that is usually served in ryokans. Zabou offers wine pairing options with their meals, and that's what we opted for. Unfortunately, the cuisine at the ryokan was the weakest point of the Zabou experience. While a few of the dishes were unique and delicious - especially the clear soup that contained Lily Bulb Mochi stuffed with Chicken, together with Abalone and seasonal vegetables - some of the other servings were unimaginative and not particularly mind-blowing. The grilled Japanese Amberjack was nothing special, and the Koshu Beef thigh grilled while covered in Cedar wood was a bit tough and lacked flavor. Furthermore, the quantity of food was less than most other ryokan kaiseki meals that we've had. The handmade soba (buckwheat noodles), on the other hand, was absolutely delightful. Overall, we were "satisfied" with the dining experience but it was not one of the main highlights of our stay. One aspect we did enjoy was the wine pairing option during dinner; they did a good job in selecting the appropriate wines for each course (all Maruki-produced, of course), and it was interesting to hear the explanation of each wine variety, as well as the reason behind the pairing of the wine and cuisine.


Fuefukigawa Onsen Zabou Cha-kaiseki dinner - Hassun (Seasonal Assortment Platter): Matsukaze (Chicken Savory Cake), Simmered Shrimp seasoned with Dashi and Sake, Vingared Persimmon, Threeleaf Arrowhead Rice Chips, Somen Matsuba (Red Pine leaf needle powder kneaded into somen noodles) and five varieties of nuts. Decidedly ho-hum.

Service is elegant and graceful - since we speak Japanese to ryokan staff, I cannot comment on the quality of service in other languages. However, everyone seemed eager to please, and many of the employees were locally born and raised, took pride in their work and had immense knowledge of the area.

While Fuefukigawa Onsen Zabou is not perfect, it's unique, mystical and worthy of a stay. I just wish that the food quality (and quantity) met or exceeded the other aspects of the incredible ryokan experience at Zabou.