Izunagaoka Onsen Hotel Sun Valley Fujimi

A good hotel with traditional Japanese decor, clean surroundings, and kind service. There are lots of paintings on the walls.

From my room I got a lovely glimpse of Mt. Fuji. A really nice place.

The meals were delicious, and the staff were pleasant and efficient. For what we got, it felt like a great deal, and we’d happily return. It’s become one of our favorite places, almost too good to tell people about. Our tatami room had futons, which the staff usually lay out for guests, and on a clear day we could see Mount Fuji. The building feels a little old from the outside, but the renovated interior was beautiful and comfortable. The natural hot spring water flows freely, which is a rare treat these days.

There was plenty to look at around the hotel: carp swimming about, lots of dolls for the May festival, paintings on the walls, a basement art museum, and even a room with a replica Kitamae ship. There’s also a Chinese restaurant, handy if you book without meals. I had breakfast included for one day, which cost 2500 yen. I’ve visited Izu-Nagaoka before, but this time I tried a new hotel. It’s walkable from the station, fairly close by. Rain kept me indoors for a while, and the smart TV was good for watching dramas. The baths switch between men and women each day, with an open-air bath and a Hokutolite sauna, and you can drink the spring water too. On the third day the weather finally cleared, and I saw Mount Fuji through the big window in my third-floor room. It lifted my mood and left me feeling refreshed.