I Looked Into Odakyu Yamanakako Forest Cottage

I've been slowly continuing my series of looking into campgrounds and lodgings one by one, and this time is no different. Today's spot is a facility in the Lake Yamanakako area of Yamanashi.

This time I looked into Odakyu Yamanakako Forest Cottage. I have a driver's license, but I'm a paper driver who doesn't actually drive, so I was drawn to the cottage-focused setup that seemed perfect for hiding away in the woods, plus the fact that guests can use a bathhouse. That's what made me open the official website.

The Short Version

Cottages and auto-camping sites spread through the forest on the shore of Lake Yamanakako, and the biggest draw seemed to be that guests can use the on-site bathhouse for free.
As for Rakuten Mobile, the overall rating from the official tool was “unknown.” It might be a good idea to check for yourself beforehand whether you'll be able to get a connection.

I've put the details together below.

A Lake Yamanakako Campground With Cottages and Camping Sites in the Lakeside Forest

It's a campground in Yamanakako Village, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi Prefecture, and it looks like you can choose from cottages, auto-camping, and even day camping or BBQ for day trips. The official website says it's about an hour and a half by car from central Tokyo.

Cottages: There seem to be quite a lot of types: Dog Run Cottages (Fika and Luonto), Hygge Cottage, Lakeside Cottage, Forest Cottage, Terrace Cottage, Leaf Cottage, and Log Bungalow. Apparently they sleep anywhere from 2 to 6 people.
Auto-camping: It seems the sites are divided into areas: Lakeside Mt. Fuji View, Lakeside Panorama View, Lakeside, Forest, Solo & Duo, and Dog Run Camping.
Day use: Apparently there are 6 day camping sites and a Forest BBQ.
Leaf Cottage: It seems it was renovated and reopened in March 2026.
Access by car: Apparently it takes about 15 minutes from Yamanakako IC on the Higashi-Fujigoko Road.
Winter notes: The elevation is about 1,000 m, and snow and icy roads are expected from around November to April in a typical year. Winter tires (studless or chains) are required, according to the site.
Public transportation: The access page on the official website has headings for train and bus directions, but the main text is an image, so I couldn't check the nearest bus stop or walking time. I also didn't see any mention of a shuttle.

The official website is here. As for specific lodging rates, the site explains the seasonal categories (rates A to E), but it seems the actual price for each day is shown on the booking screen.

Komorin

I never expected there to be so many types of cottages. As a paper driver, seeing the winter snow road info show up first made me feel like this is a place that assumes you're coming by car.

Lakeside Cottage and Clubhouse Facilities, From an Indoor Person's Perspective

The facility that caught my eye the most was the raised-floor Lakeside Cottage. It overlooks Lake Yamanakako, and apparently you can see Mt. Fuji on a clear day. The interior is 25 m² and the terrace is 12 m².

Bedding: It seems to have 1 bed, 3 futon sets, and a loft.
Bath and toilet: Apparently there's a shower and a toilet with a bidet seat.
Kitchen: It seems to come with a gas stove, microwave, refrigerator, rice cooker, cookware, and tableware.
Terrace: Apparently it's covered, with a tabletop BBQ grill and a bonfire area.
Not included: Amenities like towels, toothbrushes, and shampoo aren't provided, and neither are charcoal, fire starters, or grill nets. There's no TV, and I didn't see any mention of air conditioning.
Wi-Fi: It isn't mentioned on the Lakeside Cottage page, so I couldn't confirm whether it's available.

The clubhouse seems to have a shop that sells camping necessities such as fuel and seasonings. Apparently overnight guests can use the separate men's and women's bathhouses for free, and no reservation is needed.

Bathhouse hours: 9:00 to 11:00 and 15:00 to 18:00.
Amenities: It seems shampoo and the like aren't provided.
Note: People with tattoos aren't allowed to enter at all, not just the bathhouse, according to the site.

Elsewhere on the grounds, there seems to be a central plaza, two washing areas and restrooms (one on the forest side and one on the lakeside), and a private pier on the lakeside. Apparently the Fika, Luonto, and Dog Run Camping sites each come with an attached dog run.

Reservations and Rules Worth Knowing in Advance

Reservations are online only, and the phone line seems to be positioned as an inquiry desk. Hours are 9:00 to 18:00, and outside those hours there's only an email form, through which reservations can't be confirmed. It looks like you choose your cottage or site number yourself when booking.

Booking start dates: These are set by period. For example, bookings for September and October open at 9:00 on the fourth Sunday of June, and bookings for November open at 9:00 on the fourth Sunday of August. Apparently they may change.
Cancellation fees: Free up to 15 days before, 20% for 14 to 8 days before, 30% for 7 to 2 days before, 40% the day before, 50% on the day, and 100% for no contact.
Check-in/check-out: For the Lakeside Cottage, it's 15:00/10:00. I wasn't able to confirm the times for the other types of sites in this research.
Out-of-hours fee: The Lakeside Cottage page lists ¥1,100 per hour for cottage types. The FAQ, on the other hand, mentions ¥1,000 per hour excluding tax, so the information seems to differ between pages.
Payment: Various credit cards can be used, though apparently some cards aren't accepted.
Pets: Only dogs are allowed to stay, for an additional fee. Rabies and combination vaccinations are required. Also, the Lakeside Cottage doesn't allow pets.
Rules: Open fires, aerial fireworks, and firecrackers aren't allowed, while handheld fireworks seem to be okay in the central plaza. Quiet hours start at 21:00.

Komorin

Since the booking start dates are set by period, it seems best to check the official website early once you've decided when you want to go.

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

I entered this facility's location (Yamanakako Village) into the official “my Area Connectivity Simulator,” and the overall rating came up as “unknown.” I did this check on October 6, 2026.

On the official tool, it showed neither a “looks connectable” rating nor a “looks difficult” rating. So for now, it seems I can only go by what the official display says.

Since it's a forest on a lakeshore, conditions may vary depending on where you are on the grounds. If you want to use mobile data for things like work contact or watching videos, it might be reassuring to check ahead of time. If you're curious, please try the official Rakuten Mobile tool yourself.

Komorin

This time the result was “unknown,” which is a pretty hard one to read. As a Rakuten Mobile user, I figured it's best not to rely on it entirely once I'm there and to check beforehand.

See Rakuten Mobile Details

Nearby Spots You Could Stop By

The access page on the official website also listed some nearby spots. Few of them include distances, so I'll just put together what I could find out.

Supermarket: Ogino Yamanakako store is apparently about 15 minutes by car.
Cycling: There's a course of about 14 km (around 2 hours) that goes all the way around Lake Yamanakako, and apparently rental bicycles are available.
Cafe: Koo cafe, a cafe that roasts its own coffee, was listed.
Hot springs: Beni-Fuji no Yu and Ishiwari no Yu were listed.
Sightseeing: Hana no Miyako Park and Seiryu no Sato, as well as Fujisan Jiku no Mori, were listed.

For the cafe, hot springs, and sightseeing spots, I couldn't confirm the distance from the facility or how long it takes to get there.

Wrapping Up

To sum it up again, my impression of Odakyu Yamanakako Forest Cottage was that it's a campground with cottages and auto-camping sites spread through the forest on the shore of Lake Yamanakako, where guests can use the on-site bathhouse for free.

There are lots of cottage types, and some, like the Lakeside Cottage, even come with a kitchen and shower, so it seems easy to choose from even for camping beginners. On the other hand, there are a few things I'd want to keep in mind beforehand: the high elevation means snow and ice are expected in winter, reservations are online only with start dates set by period, and people with tattoos can't use the facility. I wasn't able to confirm public transportation access or specific rates in this research.

As for Rakuten Mobile signal, the overall rating from the official tool was “unknown.” If you're concerned about your connection, it seems like a good idea to check with the official Rakuten Mobile tool beforehand.

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