Staying in an onsen hotel with Mt Fuji views was on my Japan bucket list.
I searched long and hard for the best place to stay, reading every Konansou review and feedback on other hotels offering a similar experience.
After hours of research, I finally booked my stay at Onsen Konansou near Mt Fuji.
If you’ve come across this post, you’re most likely asking the same questions I did.
Should I book the room with Mt Fuji or Lake views?
Is the room with a private onsen worth it?
Is the dinner as amazing as it’s said to be?
I answer all those questions (and more) in this blog post. It’s the review of Konansou Onsen I wish I had when doing my research, and I hope it helps you with your travel planning.
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Is Hotel Konansou Onsen worth it
Before I begin, I want to clarify that this is an honest and unbiased review based on my genuine experience.
I made my booking here and paid for the accommodation myself. No one knew I was a travel blogger.
Considering Konansou Onsen is one of the most expensive hotels near Mount Fuji, I’m going to share my honest feedback on whether it was worth the money. I’ll also give tips on how you can have the same experience but with a cheaper price tag.
What’s included
Hotel Konansou sits at the foothills of Mount Fuji, in the tourist town of Fujikawaguchiko.
Its location next to Lake Kawaguchi means the hotel offers rooms with views of either Mt Fuji or the lake itself.
Regardless of which room you book, a Kaiseki multi-course dinner and buffet breakfast are included in the price.
Konansou has shared indoor and outdoor hot spring baths (onsens) as well as a private onsen and in-room baths.
One of the things I love about Konansou is that it’s a Ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn.
This means the rooms feature tatami (straw mat) flooring, and instead of Western-style beds, guests sleep on futons laid out on the floor.
After checking into Konansou, we didn’t leave the property until check out the next day.
We ate our hearts out, bathed for hours, and took incredible photos with Mt Fuji as the backdrop. It was the most magical 24 hours, and I felt refreshed and rejuvenated.
Now let’s jump into the details on what makes it so great.
Konansou Review
The rooms
There are a few different room types you can choose from. You can check them all out here but these are the most popular.
- Japanese-style room with lake view
- Japanese-style room with open-air bath and lake view
- Japanese-style room with open-air bath and Mt Fuji view
- Room with Tatami Area and Lake View
I was traveling with a baby, so I booked a room with an onsen bath.
From the moment I stepped through the private entrance hall to my room, I knew I’d made the right choice.
The room was beautifully designed, with every detail thoughtfully considered, and we had gorgeous views of Lake Kawaguchi.
Rooms with Mt Fuji views
While it would have been nice to have a view of Mt Fuji from our room, that option came at a significantly higher price. You can compare room options and prices here.
Fortunately, no matter which room type you book, you won’t miss out on Mt Fuji views.
The hotel offers breathtaking views of the iconic mountain from its shared indoor and outdoor baths, and the rooftop features a fantastic viewing deck and foot spa that provide uninterrupted vistas.
If you’re traveling on a budget, I recommend skipping the rooms with private onsen or Mt. Fuji views. You can still enjoy both in the hotel’s shared spaces without compromising the experience.
Top tip: The Mt Fuji rooms sell out the quickest, so if this is a must for you, I suggest booking that room as soon as possible.
Shared Onsen
Konansou has two shared onsens available for all guests to use at no additional cost.
One for females, and the other for males. They’re gender segregated because you have to be fully naked when entering the baths.
This is an essential part of onsen etiquette, and no bathing suits are allowed.
Even if your room has a bath, I recommend visiting the shared onsen too.
They have several indoor and outdoor baths, some hot, others cold, all of which offer spectacular views of Mount Fuji. There is also a sauna.
For privacy reasons, phones are not allowed, so I wasn’t able to take any pictures of the onsen and its views. But if you look through the images here, you’ll see what I’m talking about.
Despite the hotel being fully booked during my visit, I was surprised that the shared onsen was empty. I had it to myself and spent most of my time admiring the views of Mount Fuji from the outdoor bath.
Top tip: If you’re on a tight budget, I suggest booking a room without a bath and using the shared onsen. There’s no time limit, so you can use it throughout the day and night.
Private Onsen
Konansou also offers a private onsen, which can be reserved in advance for an additional fee. Once booked, you’ll have exclusive access to the facilities for up to an hour.
This is ideal for couples who want to enjoy the onsen experience together as it’s not gender-segregated and you’ll have more privacy.
The dinner
The dinner at Konansou is unlike anything I’ve had before. It wasn’t just a meal, it was an experience!
It’s a Kaiseki – a traditional Japanese meal made up of several small dishes that highlight fresh, local ingredients.
Each dish is carefully arranged to look like a work of art, using colorful ingredients and seasonal garnishes (like flowers or leaves).
We had a great time dressing up in our Yukata robes and feasting on this delicious meal in our room.
The menu changes, but here’s a sample of what we were served:
- Various sashimi
- Japanese-style soup with wasabi dumplings, blowfish, and shimeji mushroom
- Aged beef sukiyaki
- Simmered shrimp-shaped taro variety, abalone, and vegetables
- Vinegared Japanese Spanish mackerel, snow crab, and cucumber
- Miso soup with migrant crab
- Pickled vegetables
- Fujisan cake and other desserts
The staff and service
During our stay at Konansou, we were treated like royalty – and so were all the other guests.
From the moment we arrived, every detail was handled with seamless efficiency and care.
What really stood out, though, was the warmth and friendliness of the staff. It was clear that every member of the team took pride in their work, creating an experience that felt effortless, personalized, and genuinely hospitable.
Things to know
Sleeping on the floor: Most of the rooms offer floor beds. Don’t worry, it’s extremely comfortable. After dinner, the staff prepare your room for the night by placing futons in the living area. I was impressed by how comfortable the futons were, and the linen used was of excellent quality.
Breakfast is served as a buffet: It’s seriously one of the most diverse spreads I’ve ever seen. There were pastries, cheeses, eggs, Asian food, noodles, rice, sushi, fruit – you name it, it’s probably there. Come hungry, because you’re going to want to try everything.
Don’t skip the rooftop: It offers the best views of Mount Fuji, and there’s even a foot spa here.
Guests are encouraged to wear their yukatas throughout their stay: This is a light cotton kimono, which is worn by both men and women and will be placed inside your room.
Is it family-friendly?
Yes, Fujikawaguchiko Onsen Hotel Konansou is extremely family-friendly. It was the perfect hotel to take our baby to, and we saw a few other families during our stay. Kids under 2 are free.
If you’re traveling with children, I recommend booking a room with a private bath. This allows you to bathe with your child. Keep in mind that the water gets very hot, so they shouldn’t stay in for too long. If you have an in-room bath, you can also bathe while your child sleeps.
Can babies go in the shared onsen
There was a plastic baby bathtub in the shared onsen, but we chose not to take our little one here.
An onsen should be a quiet, relaxed experience, and our baby is very chatty, so he would have disturbed a lot of people.
Do I recommend Konansou Onsen in this review
Yes. If you’re looking for an onsen hotel with Mt Fuji views, I highly recommend Konansou Hotel. It’s not only the view that stood out to me, but the amazing dinner experience and the relaxing hot springs.
This Konansou review is extremely positive (and you can read more subjective reviews here), but I seriously cannot fault them in the slightest. I had a magnificent stay and would book with them again.
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