Luxury Glamping at the Foot of Mount Fuji

It might come as a surprise when just a few minutes out of the Kawaguchiko station, Hoshinoya Fuji appears out of nowhere. At first, it is hard to find any trace of what might look like a hotel, or even a room; just a building with large windows where check-in takes place.

Once the formalities have been completed, the experience can begin. First, choose one of the many backpacks hung on the wall that will accompany you throughout your stay. Inside you’ll find a headlamp, a water bottle and a small quilted jacket. Next you’ll need to climb aboard the Jeep that will take you to your room, still hidden behind the trees of the forest overlooking the reception.

A hybrid space

Hoshinoya Fuji evades definition, not quite a hotel nor really a campsite. The architectural firm Azuma Architect and Associates at the origin of the project sought to combine the luxury of a hotel with comfortable rooms, with the immediate proximity of nature and the frugality of a campsite.

This glamping site consists of forty spaces, small white cubes like contemporary works of art, arranged on a hill, amongst hundreds of trees. “The rooms have been designed to provide all the comforts of a hotel, with air conditioning and a bathroom,” said Yoshiharu Hoshino, director of this extraordinary structure. However a third of the room is totally open air, allowing guests to even enjoy the camping classic, the campfire. 

Mount Fuji in the background

While the rooms are perfectly furnished and decorated with care, it is the view that really sells the place. All rooms provide a magnificent view of the unbeatable Mount Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi, into which the sacred volcano of Japan is reflected. Completing this picturesque view is a magnificent forest of red cedars and deep green pines.