A Ryokan is a traditional Japanese Inn with tatami-matted rooms, communal baths or private Onsen with a half board option for an immersive experience.
For our first Ryokan experience, we selected Hotel Konansou located at the foot of the iconic Mount Fuji in Japan. The glass door entrance of the hotel was reminiscent of Japanese shoji doors with wood lattice while the inner reception area was spruced up by gorgeous flowers motif. First impression, it resembled more like a modern hotel than a traditional Japanese Inn.
For our stay, we selected a traditional Japanese room with an open-air bath facing Lake Kawaguchi. A short flight of stairs up to the roof terrace revealed a foot bath where you can soak away all your fatigue while admiring the impressive Mount Fuji. We had a long travelling day before arriving at the resort, hence it was extremely soothing to soak our tired feet in the bath and watching the fog clear unveiling the mystical Mount Fuji right in front of us. Back in our room, we jumped right into the private Onsen, appreciating the autumn foliage around the calm and tranquil lake for the rest of the evening before snuggling into our futon and calling it a night.
The highlight of the following day was the private Onsen experience that has to be reserved beforehand. It is ideal for couples who want to enjoy the natural Onsen experience in private. We changed into our Yukata and set off to indulge in our Onsen therapy. Each session last about 50 minutes and there is definitely ample time for you to savour the whole experience. While we enjoyed the therapeutic natural Onsen, we were also able to marvel at the Majestic Mount Fuji in the distance. I could never get tired of the sight of Mount Fuji!
Buses run on schedules and allowed us to explore the nearby Fuji Fugaku Wind Cave, the Narusaw Hyoketsu Ice Cave and the famous Aokigahara Jukai forest. If you feel up to it, you can also head to the Gotemba Premium Outlets.
Part of the Ryokan experience is always the traditional multi-course dinner known as the "Kaiseki"! I understood it as "Omakase" which is equivalent to the chef's selection based on the seasonal ingredients available. I was looking very forward to a visual and culinary feast. Since we were staying at Konansou in Autumn, I was eager to witness the chefs' creativity in their craft to create palatable dishes complete with visually aesthetic presentation. The dinner definitely did not disappoint!
We were forewarned not to be late as dinner will be served promptly like clockwork. Tables were set and we were presented the Kaiseki dinner in the evening at 7pm sharp and here was a list of what we had.
"Shiizakana", appetizer served with pear wine instead of Japanese sake
"Mukouzuke", sashimi
"Kuchitori", a small side dish
"Suimono", a soup
"Nimono", simmered vegetables
"Aemono", food dressed with sauce
"Kounomono", Japanese pickles
"Hassun", food from the mountains and the sea
"Yakimono", grilled fish
"Mushimono", steamed food
"Nabemono", beef sukiyaki
Rice, miso soup and dessert
Now, this is one experience definitely etched in my memory for a long time to come!
Every autumn, Fuji Kawaguchiko Autumn Leaves Festival is held at Lake Kawaguchi and is one of the most popular events held in Japan every November. I strongly recommend combining a visit to the festival with a stay at an Onsen resort as part of your bucket list.
