From Kawaguchiko station to Ubuya is about 15min taxi ride. Alternative way is to take the bus, but there was a queue that had no end to it when we arrived so taxi seemed a better choice.
It has traditional Japanese decoration with indoor/outdoor onsen, spa, a small shrine, a gift shop, dining rooms, entertainment room, conference rooms, and guest lounges. The atmosphere is very zen, very relaxing, and very Edo.
We arrived early so naturally rooms were not ready yet. We left luggages with the front desk to go out for lunch and walk around in town for a bit. We bought unlimited bus pass at the Kawaguchiko Station so we took the bus for a short tour. The bus pass also comes with many perks, such as free boat tour.
(Kudos to the housekeeping team. The entire ryokan was spotless!)
When we got back, our rooms were ready, unlike check-in at regular hotels, ryokan takes time to confirm EVERYTHING with guests and sends someone to give you a tour (Kind of like the butler service). A front desk lady brought us hot tea and oshibori (small hot towels to wipe our hands) and some paper work to confirm our room types, meals, number of people, etc. She went through everything one by one and double checked.
Our guide was a young lady dressed in a beige color kimono, she led us to our rooms, gave us a tour and a few things to keep in mind. Reminded us to be on time for meals and the location and where the bath house was. And then, she left.
My sister, brother, and I had a bigger room than our parents because there was 3 of us and we had a lot of luggage. Our room was big enough for 6, that's 2 full size beds plus futons on tatami. It was quite big and really we did not spend a lot of time in the room. We went to the hot springs like 3 times a day. Check out video above to see what the room was like.
One of the lounge area had kids sofa so they could finally chill too. But, I don't recall seeing many kids.
[Please imagine the next paragraph in a complete Japanese decoration in an old samurai movie, instead of your local westernized Japanese restaurant. I could not take photos of onsen because camera is not allowed inside.]
Onsen in Ubuya is indoor/outdoor and multi-floors. Women's entrance leads to a small elevator with tatami floor (I was impressed by it) that goes up to the third floor. Third floor landing is small but quaint with a wall bench for seniors. A wooden sliding door on the left opens up to the locker/changing room. Women's changing room has new hairbands, sanitized combs, and hair brushes on a shelf in one of the corners. A separate room with vanities and amenities like Panasonic hairdryer, well-lit 3-side mirrors, a comfortable chair to sit on, and a whole selection of beauty and hair product. Lockers come in different sizes and free. Lock is provided. Look for the ones still have keys on them and take the key with you to shower. There are clean bath towels and washcloths. Bath towel is not allowed to leave locker room, but washcloths is allowed in onsen area. Glass sliding door on the left leads to a water fountain, a staircase that goes up to the fourth floor, and another door to shower and the main indoor onsen pools, both have great view of the lake and Mt. Fuji. Taking the stairs up to the fourth floor, is steam room, sauna, a small changing area, and outdoor onsen, which was my favorite. I liked going up there when it was cold outside. Soaking in hot onsen looking out at the lake and the mountains was the best feeling. According to my bother, Men's onsen is on the second and third floor and without beauty product.
In between the next meal and onsen, get relaxed at the lounge. Kawaguchiko is famous for hot springs and its clear view of Mt. Fuji, but unfortunately the weather was foggy on the days we were there. Luckily, we were able to see Mt. Fuji on the second day for a few minutes.
There was a row of free massage chairs in one of the lounge area, where our dad was most of the time.
There was a small gift shop with Japanese snacks, wine, sake, pickled vegetables, and other souvenirs on the lobby floor. I got a bottle of soda made from pure Mt. Fuji water. It tasted okay...
Ryokan staff organized different activities at night to engage guests with Japanese culture. One of them was to learn how to make matcha tea and matcha art. We waited for a long time for this because many people signed up for it too.
There are other ryokan in Kawaguchiko offers good view and not as pricy. It really depends on your price range. It is fun to indulge once a while. We had a great time at Ubuya and cannot wait to visit again.
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