Kawaguchiko Station Inn (Review)

Kawaguchiko is a popular destination for sightseers in Japan thanks to its exceptional view on Mount Fuji 🗻 (when clouds do not hide it), however the facilities around the lake are not characterized by modernity and have a rather old-fashioned look.

This gap between the natural landscape’s popularity and the facilities’ meagerness is partly due to the fact that this mountainous Fuji 5 Lakes Area is dedicated to hikers who tread the pilgrimage route at the foot of the sacred Fuji-san. Experience prevails on comfort and it is the frame of mind one has to have when booking a room at Kawaguchiko Station Inn, which is a 2-stars accommodation only.

The lodging is indeed a rectangular concrete building, without any charm whatsoever, and its outer look hints on what to expect inside. The decoration and inside layout are simple, efficient and slightly outdated, but typical of a standard category Japanese inn. The amenities provided are:

• At the entrance, where one must take shoes off: 2 free-to-use electric shoe dryers;
• Rooms with tatami flooring, and futon bedding with a fluffy comforter;
• Indoor yukata 👘 robe to use when staying at the inn;
• Low-rise furniture, and cushions for sitting;
• Shared bathrooms (outside the rooms); and,
• 2 public hot baths, with separated areas for men and women at the upper floor, which provide a beautiful view on Mount Fuji on the daytime. They can also be used as shower rooms but beware as the stainless steel tubs are quite slippery.

All the rooms have a reversible air conditioning and Wi-Fi connection, and they can accommodate from 2 to 6 futons spread on the floor. Families with young children can therefore sleep in the same room. A 7 adults-dormitory is also available for hikers groups. Sheets, towels and the shared spaces in the facility are naturally clean.

Customers of the Kawaguchiko Station Inn can also gather in the common room, that includes the following features:

• A traditional area, where one sits on the floor;
• Several large tables, and,
• A ping-pong table to relax in the evening.

Note that there is no evening catering service at the inn. Tea and coffee are available for free, and breakfast is served in the morning upon request. The inn’s surroundings nonetheless offer several options for dinner, which is preferably taken early in the evening (9 p.m. at the latest), with a choice among:

• Several traditional Japanese restaurants (sushi 🍣, tempura, yakiniku, teppayaki, okonomiyaki);
• A 7/11 konbini near the station; and,
• A bakery (Shokupan) opened on the daytime.

Direct access from Kawaguchiko Station

The inn’s location just in front of Kawaguchiko Station, opposite in the street, is a major attractive feature for a traveler arriving in the area from Tokyo by train 🚅 or by bus.

The location is also close to:

• Lake Kawaguchiko, about a 10 minutes’ walk;
• Fuji-Q Highland theme-park, located less than 2 kilometers away, about half an hour walk or 1 train station away on the Fujikyuko Line;
• The famous Chureito Pagoda in Arakurayama Sengen shrine's grounds, in the neighboring Fujiyoshida City and only 4 kilometers away from the inn.

Kawaguchiko Station Inn is a good compromise to stay one night at the foot of Mount Fuji for an affordable price, in an unpretentious but warm environment to share with other guests.