Originally Posted by
rjm5235
Wanted to start by saying thank you so much for such a fantastic resource. I have spent the last few hours reading this thread and I am so inspired to explore more ryokan's on subsequent trips. For our upcoming trip we are visiting the Mount Fuji area for 4 days (including travel from Osaka on day 1 and travel to Tokyo on day 4) / 3 nights in September. We plan to rent a car and are keen to explore the area as we have not visited previously. On one of the days of the trip my husband will be attending a car race at Mount Fuji Speedway and I will be staying at the accomodation we land on, which initially triggered my exploration of a ryokan.
I have considered Ubaya but don't like that the private baths are not natural spring water, so that kind of leaves Fufu Kawaguchiko, which looks great but not very traditional. For those that are familiar with the area would I be silly to consider staying in Hakone over the Five Lakes area for a more traditional ryokan experience? Or is Fufu Kawaguchiko as great as the reviews say and I get the bonus of Mount Fuji views? Does anyone know when Fufu Kawaguchiko traditionally open rooms to book, looks like you can only book through June.
Would also be keen for any other ryokans near Mount Fuji or Hakone. Also keen to hear recent reviews of Gora Kadan as there seems to be a lot of negative reviews round the condition of the ryokan.
Hakone is certainly a consideration. There are some great Mt. Fuji views from various locations (Lake Ashi and Owakudani, among others), and Hakone is home to some nice ryokans.
One thing to keep in mind - the majority of the top ryokans in Hakone are modern/contemporary -
Sengokuhara Cocon, Regina Resort Hakone Ungaiso and Hakone Nica are highly regarded but are quite Western in design.
Gora Hanaougi and Gora Hanaougi Madoka no Mori are two of the traditional ones. Washintei Hougetsu has some Japanese-style rooms, too. Gora Kadan isn't traditional, but it's Japanese-modern. Hakone-Gora Byakudan and Kinnotake Sengokuhara might fit the bill - take a look at their room pictures to see for yourself.
Not 100% sure about Fufu bookings, but many ryokans accept reservations anywhere from 4-6 months out. Some ryokans allow bookings further out if you book directly through their website, if you call them on the phone, or if you're a repeat guest.