Fujinoyado Ohashi

The bathroom inside room had no sink.

Be prepared for a bit of culture shock if you have never been to Japan before. This is my third trip here, but the first time for relaxation and I wanted to do a traditional ryoukan. All that said, if you are over six feet tall, be prepared to duck through all the entry ways in your room. Bashed my head good a few times during my 8 day stay here. Expect tatami floor mats, paper screen sliding doors, Japanese bathing robes, sitting on floor sliding chairs, limited wall outlets, basic Air Conditioning....however, if you go with the room I did, you get an EXCELLENT view of Mt. Fuji. Please note, that there are private residences and a school/academy for kids within a block or so, so make sure you are clothed if you open the blinds and definitely close the blinds if you want to bath in your room's private onsen. The public onsen on the ground floor is spacious and I heard no complaints about my three tattoos. Men and women have segregated bathing times, but if you go late at night you will be able to bathe with your partner. The STAFF is absolutely compassionate, accommodating, and understanding to all guests! Imagine trying to deal with guests that speak dozens of different dialects of English, Chinese, Korean, and other languages. Wow. So empathetic and calm. I absolutely applaud their efforts, though they do seem a bit under-staffed. The place shows its age. I saw a lot of areas that need stains removed, repainting, carpet replaced, etc.... However, the most important parts of a hotel business shine through here : GREAT STAFF, GREAT VIEWS, GREAT AMENITIES, and a unique cultural experience. Bonus info: Decent wifi. Can smoke inside the lobby during rain, can rent a bike from the front desk, and can buy (overpriced) canned beer from the vending machines. Also, there's a decent little restaurant off the lobby as well. Panoramic view of the eastern Lake Kawaguchi area from the roof is simply jaw-dropping on a clear day.

-The Powered Bike rental costs are 600 yen (~6 USD) for 1 Hour and 1500 yen (~15 USD) for 3 hours. Other shops around Lake Kawaguchiko will rent you a bike all day for the same price. -Facilities need a fresh coat of paint, new hall and elevator carpets, some deep cleaning of ledges, door jams, corners, etc... -This place is a decent walk, at least 0.25 to 0.50 miles from the nearest convenience store, which is a Lawson's (think of a cleaner, nicer version of 7-11). For those with mobility issues, either rent a car or wear your braces and support devices. -Not a nitpick, more of a warning for those that can't read Japanese: the A/C control, TV remote, vending machines, and toilet controls have no English. Didn't bother me, but a hot toilet seat will probably weird you out if you don't know how to turn it down or off.