Overview
Stay at Rakuyu on a quiet hillside above Lake Kawaguchi, around ten minutes on foot from Kawaguchiko Station. All 25 rooms face the lake, giving you wide views of the water, sightseeing boats, the surrounding mountains, and the changing sky.
The view from Rakuyu focuses on Lake Kawaguchi rather than Mt. Fuji. For a direct view of Mt. Fuji, you can walk to the nearby Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway and travel to the observation area on Mount Tenjo.
Rakuyu welcomes you from the age of 13, helping maintain a quiet atmosphere throughout the property. You can spend your time in the lake-facing lounge, use the natural hot spring bath and sauna, visit the rooftop terrace, or enjoy the food and drinks served in the Club Lounge.
Accommodation
Choose from five room categories, all with views across Lake Kawaguchi. The selection includes Western rooms with tatami areas, Japanese twin rooms, and larger suites with private bathing facilities.
The 42-square-metre Western Room with Tatami Space has two Simmons double beds and a separate tatami area. When more than two people stay together, additional futons are prepared with Airweave mattresses.
This room sits on the same floor as reception, the Club Lounge, and the public hot spring bath, making it the most convenient option when you want to avoid unnecessary stairs.
The Lower-Floor Western Room with Tatami Space has the same 42-square-metre layout, two Simmons double beds, and additional futon space. It sits below the reception floor and can only be reached by stairs.
The 30-square-metre Japanese Twin Room places two Simmons semi-double beds on a tatami floor. Large windows frame Lake Kawaguchi and the mountains on the opposite shore. This room is designed for two people and also requires stair access.
Yuyuan provides 63 square metres of space divided between a Japanese room, a separate bedroom, and a private observation bath. Two Simmons semi-double beds are provided. The bath looks toward Lake Kawaguchi but does not contain natural hot spring water.
Suimeian is the largest category at 84 square metres. It connects a Western twin room with a Japanese room and includes two Simmons double beds, a tatami area for additional futons, a terrace, and a private ceramic bath. The ceramic bath faces Lake Kawaguchi but does not use hot spring water.
Every room is non-smoking and includes heating and air conditioning, a television, coffee machine, electric kettle, tea set, refrigerator, safe, hair dryer, washlet toilet, Airdog air purifier, free Wi-Fi, and complimentary mineral water.
Room amenities include towels, yukata, slippers, shampoo, conditioner, body soap, skincare products, toothbrushes, razors, brushes, and shower caps. Humidifiers, irons, chargers, and additional deodorising equipment can be borrowed, subject to availability.
Dining
Rakuyu does not serve a conventional kaiseki dinner. Instead, you can enjoy three food and drink presentations in the Club Lounge: breakfast, afternoon tea, and cocktail time. Access is included throughout your stay.
Breakfast is served as a Japanese and Western buffet from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Western choices may include freshly prepared scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, cereal, salad, seasonal fruit, and bread from Pan Daniel, a local Kawaguchiko bakery.
Japanese breakfast choices include rice, miso soup, grilled fish, rolled egg, and pickles. Coffee, tea, and soft drinks are also available.
Tea time runs from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. You can enjoy freshly made French toast, cakes from La Verdure Kimuraya, Japanese sweets, nuts, and snacks.
The drinks selection includes soft drinks, café lattes and cappuccinos prepared with Tamaya Kobayashi coffee, and ten flavours of TEARTH tea. Monin syrups let you mix your own non-alcoholic drink.
Cocktail time runs from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The self-service drinks include whisky, vodka, rum, gin, red and white wine, sparkling wine, plum wine, and Kai no Kaiun sake from a local Kawaguchiko brewery.
Light dishes change daily and may include salad, sashimi, tempura, roast beef, or pasta. These dishes are intended as light evening food rather than a complete ryokan dinner, so you should plan a separate meal when you prefer a full dinner.
The Club Lounge cannot prepare separate menus for allergies, vegetarian diets, or vegan diets.
Onsen and Wellness
Rakuyu uses Reisu-no-Yu, one of the natural sources within Fuji Kawaguchiko Onsen. The clear chloride spring is heated and circulated to maintain a comfortable temperature and bathing conditions.
Traditional bathing indications include fatigue, muscle discomfort, stiff shoulders, and neuralgia.
Yuraku is the main observation bath on the third floor. Separate men’s and women’s baths face Lake Kawaguchi, allowing you to watch boats cross the water while you soak.
The large windows create an open feeling and bring fresh lake air into the bathing experience. Yuraku also includes a sauna and an outdoor resting area where you can cool down after using the heat.
The washing stations have ReFa shower heads. Bath towels and face towels are placed inside the bathing area, so you do not need to carry towels from your room.
Yuraku normally opens from 3:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. and again from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. The men’s bath is called Kaze-no-Oto, while the women’s bath is called Mizuumi-no-Oto.
For a private hot spring experience, choose one of the two Tenku baths on the fourth floor. Hoshi-no-Matataki and Tsuki-no-Akari both look toward Lake Kawaguchi and allow you to bathe without sharing the space.
The private baths are available from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Each session lasts 45 minutes and must be arranged after arrival. Reservations are accepted in arrival order.
The hot spring facilities are reserved for overnight stays.
Guests with Tattoos
When you have tattoos, use one of the two private Tenku hot spring baths rather than the shared Yuraku bathing area.
The private baths are booked after check-in on a first-come, first-served basis.
Facilities
The lake-facing lobby gives you a comfortable place to sit with a book or freshly ground coffee. Large windows overlook Lake Kawaguchi, while a fireplace adds warmth during the colder months.
The Club Lounge sits on the third floor and provides breakfast, afternoon sweets, evening drinks, and light food. You can use the lounge during its scheduled service periods without an additional charge.
The rooftop terrace looks across the lake and surrounding mountains. You can visit for morning light, evening skies, or seasonal fireworks, although access may close during rain, snow, or unsafe weather.
A 24-hour coin laundry sits on the second floor of the annex, with a seating area where you can wait. Ice machines and microwaves are available on the second and third floors, while vending machines are located on the third floor.
Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the property. All rooms are non-smoking, with enclosed smoking spaces provided on each floor.
The building does not have an elevator and is not fully accessible. Most room categories, the rooftop terrace, and the private baths require stair access. A wheelchair can be borrowed, and selected toilets and bathing areas have handrails.
Activities
Walk five minutes to the Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway and ride to the observation area on Mount Tenjo. From the upper station, you can see Mt. Fuji and its foothills when the weather is clear.
The Tenjoyama Hydrangea Hiking Course passes in front of Rakuyu. Around 100,000 hydrangeas bloom along the mountain during the main summer season, and you can combine part of the walk with a ropeway journey.
Lake Kawaguchi sightseeing boats, lakeside walks, shops, and restaurants are also within easy reach. The complimentary station transfer helps you return to Kawaguchiko Station when you want to explore other parts of the Fuji Five Lakes area.
Seasonal events include spring cherry blossoms, summer hydrangeas and fireworks, autumn leaves, and the Lake Kawaguchi Winter Fireworks. You may be able to see the summer lake festival and winter fireworks from the rooftop terrace, lobby, or public bath.
For a longer outing, you can visit Oishi Park, the Maple Corridor, Kawaguchi Asama Shrine, Arakurayama Sengen Park, Oshino Hakkai, or Fuji-Q Highland.
Additional Features
Check-in begins at 3:00 p.m., with final arrival by 10:00 p.m. Check-out is by 10:00 a.m.
A complimentary transfer operates between Rakuyu and Kawaguchiko Station from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Advance bookings are not accepted. Call after arriving at the station and wait at bus stop number ten.
Free parking is available for 15 vehicles. Rakuyu stands on a steep hillside, so the final approach may be difficult for low vehicles or when you are not comfortable driving on narrow slopes.
