I Looked Into Kasuitei Ooya

In this series, alongside campsites, I've also been looking into facilities that could work for those "let's skip camping and do a hotel vacation instead" kind of days.

This time I looked into a hot spring inn called Kasuitei Ooya, located in the Lake Kawaguchi area of Yamanashi. I was curious about its setup with two types of large communal baths—one in the basement and one on the top floor—so I put together what I found.

What kind of place is Kasuitei Ooya?

Kasuitei Ooya is apparently a hot spring inn located in Fujikawaguchiko, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi Prefecture. It's about a 10-minute walk from Kawaguchiko Station, and there also seems to be a shuttle service available (though it apparently requires a phone call upon arrival), so for someone like me who doesn't drive, it seemed like a place I could plan around mainly using trains. By car, it's said to be about 15 minutes from the Kawaguchiko IC on the Chuo Expressway.

There are 46 guest rooms in total, apparently covering a wide range of types including Western-style, Japanese-style, and Japanese-Western hybrid rooms. Check-in is basically at 3:00 PM and check-out at 10:00 AM, though it seems you may be able to extend your stay for an additional 3,300 yen per hour for Japanese-style rooms with an open-air bath, or 5,500 yen per hour for the detached-villa type rooms. I didn't find a price list on the official site, since rates seem to vary by season and plan, so checking actual availability on a booking site seems like the most reliable approach.

Komorin

Being a 10-minute walk from Kawaguchiko Station is pretty reassuring info for me, since I'm basically a paper-license driver at this point. Since a shuttle option seems to be available too, I could probably choose depending on my mood that day.

Checking out the two large communal baths on the basement floor and top floor

The highlight of this facility seems to be the fact that it has large communal baths on both the basement floor and the top floor. On the basement floor, there's apparently "Seiryu no Yu" (for men) and "Kotei no Yu" (for women), which are said to include an indoor bath, an open-air bath, a sauna, and even a waterfall bath. On the top floor, meanwhile, there are the panoramic large communal baths "Tenku no Yu" (for men) and "Tennyo no Yu" (for women), which appear to be designed so you can soak while looking out over Lake Kawaguchi. Usage hours for both are reportedly 3:00 PM to midnight, and then 5:00 AM to 10:00 AM the next morning.

The water quality is calcium-sodium sulfate-chloride spring water (a hypotonic alkaline hot spring), apparently drawing from the natural hot springs of the Fujikawaguchiko hot spring area. It's also worth remembering that there's a separate bathing tax of 150 yen per adult.

If you're looking for a panoramic private bath, the one called "Ukifune" on the top floor (7th floor) is also worth noting. It's reservation-based, costs 3,300 yen (tax included) for 50 minutes, and is available from 3:00 PM to 11:00 PM, then 6:00 AM to 8:30 AM the next morning. That said, the elevator apparently only goes up to the 6th floor, so you'd need to take the stairs to reach the 7th floor—something worth keeping in mind.

The guest rooms with open-air baths overlooking Lake Kawaguchi (available in cypress-wood and Shigaraki-ware styles) also seem to be popular, but apparently the water used in those in-room baths isn't hot spring water—it's "Mt. Fuji water" instead. It seems to be positioned more as an amenity for those who just want to relax and soak in the privacy of their own room.

Meals, on-site facilities, and things to do nearby

Meals are basically served either in your room or in a private dining room. For groups of 2 to 4 people, meals are typically served in the guest room, while groups of 5 or more use private dining rooms such as "Kasuitei" or "Itsurakutei," or the table-and-chair-style private dining space "Karaku Chaya" (which apparently has children's chairs available). The kaiseki course meals reportedly feature local ingredients such as rice cooked with ancient rice grown near Lake Kawaguchi, Koshu-style horse sashimi and simmered chicken giblets, and Koshu wine.

Within the facility, there's apparently a spa salon called "Fino" on the basement floor, and a shop called "Nakairi" on the first floor selling local products and wine. Laundry facilities and parking are also available, though I couldn't find any information about the number of parking spaces or parking fees.

For nearby sightseeing, the official website mentions spots like Fuji-Q Highland, the Kawaguchiko Music Forest, the Itchiku Kubota Art Museum, and Saiko Iyashi no Sato Nenba. Even if your stay is mostly about relaxing indoors, there seem to be plenty of options if you feel like venturing out for a change of pace. Also, according to the FAQ on the official site, pets are apparently not allowed.

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

When I checked this facility's location using the official My Area Network Simulation tool, the overall rating came back as "C".

Given that the location is close to a mountainous area, it might be a zone where signal conditions tend to vary. I couldn't find any clear information about in-house Wi-Fi on the official website, so that remains unconfirmed. If you're planning to rely on mobile data as your means of communication, it's probably worth checking in advance.

Komorin

If I didn't mention the C rating honestly, it would just bug me, so I'm putting it out there as is. If you've got a stay planned, it might be reassuring to check the official tool yourself beforehand.

Wrapping Up

Putting it all together, my impression of Kasuitei Ooya is that it's a hot spring inn where you can enjoy both the basement-floor and top-floor large communal baths by using them at different times of day. Between the panoramic communal baths overlooking Lake Kawaguchi, the private bath called "Ukifune," and the meal style that's mostly served in private rooms, it struck me as a place with plenty going for it even for indoor types who just want to settle in and relax.

That said, the Rakuten Mobile signal came back as a "C" rating, so if staying connected matters to you, it's probably worth checking the official tool ahead of time. There were also a few details—like exact pricing and in-house Wi-Fi—that weren't clearly listed on the official site, so if you're seriously considering booking, it might be reassuring to double-check via a booking site or by phone.

This article includes a referral link for Rakuten Mobile's employee referral campaign. For details, please see our Disclaimer & Advertising Notice.

Related Links

• Official Site