紅富士の湯 – Benifuji no Yu

A bit out of the way, but if you want to enjoy an onsen in the Fuji Five Lakes area, this is a good place.  The outside of Benifuji no Yu is rather unassuming, but you really can’t judge a book by its cover.

Known for having a great view of Mount Fuji (weather willing), and in winter months this onsen opens early so that guests can view the famous , or “Scarlet Fuji”, hence the name of the hot spring.

Depending on timing and if you can print out their discount coupon from their website, you can get day admission for relatively cheap.  You will need to rent towels if you do not bring any of your own.

The first floor has the spa treatment and massage rooms with a shop.  The second floor has a dining hall with a variety of food and beverage choices, although sometimes they run out of the best options by late afternoon or early evening.  In the bath area itself, there are lots of lockers available to put your belongings in.  There are three indoor baths and two outdoor baths at varying temperatures.  The outdoor baths give a nice view of Mount Fuji, assuming that the sky is free of clouds.  There are also two kinds of saunas, a dry sauna made with cedar wood, and a wet,aromatic sauna.

Vital Information:

• Open: 10:00 to 21:00 (Opens at 6:00 from December to February)

• Closed: Tuesdays

• 700 yen Admission; 500 yen “Ladies Day” Admission every Friday

• Semi-English Friendly

• 5-minute walk from Hanano Miyako Koen Iriguchi bus stop OR Benifuji no Yu bus stop.