RakutenSTAY Fujimi Terrace Review — Private Onsen Apartment on Lake Ashi, Hakone

Sat, 26 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Visited April 2025 • Hakone, Japan

You can watch our full hotel tour and experience here:

Overview

On our recent trip to Japan, we stayed at RakutenSTAY Fujimi Terrace in Hakone — a luxury apartment-style property right on the shores of Lake Ashi. We booked a 2-bedroom apartment for our family, and the views over the lake toward Mt. Fuji are, as the name promises (“Fujimi” = Fuji-view), the main attraction.

This review breaks down what worked—and what didn’t.

🖼️ The View — ★★★★★

Terrific Fuji-san views over the lake are the headline here. Waking up to a calm Lake Ashi with the red torii gate of Hakone Shrine visible in the distance is, in the video’s own words, a “heavenly view to wake up to each morning.” The large dining/living area opens onto a big balcony with outdoor seating, so you’re never far from the water.

If you’re booking here, book for the view — it’s the property’s single best feature.

🛏️ The Apartment — ★★★★☆

The unit is a proper 2-bedroom apartment with room for 6–8 guests, which makes it a great fit for families or two couples traveling together. The living/dining area is large, and the apartment is notably high-tech, with lots of controls for lighting and climate — plus a projector and screen in the living room for movie nights.

One quirk worth knowing: the bedrooms have no windows, so the bright lake views live entirely in the shared spaces. Not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing if a bright bedroom matters to you.

🍳 Kitchen & Dining — ★★★★☆

The full kitchen is well set up for self-catering, stocked with complimentary drinks and coffee pods. But note: there is no on-site restaurant.

Full kitchen with fridge, range hood, microwave, and coffee setup
Complimentary drinks and coffee pods
No restaurant on the property — plan to self-cater or eat out

The practical answer is the 7-Eleven a block away — you’ll be relying on it for breakfast supplies and snacks, so factor that in.

♨️ Private Onsen & Sauna — ★★★★★

The other main feature, and the reason to choose this property over a standard Hakone hotel room: your own terrace onsen. The private hot-spring tub comes with an outdoor shower and opens straight onto the lake view.

The onsen hot-spring tub also has an accompanying sauna — and a uniquely Japanese touch: a hot-spring foot bath right on the balcony.

This hot tub is genuinely great to come back to every evening after a day of sightseeing — it’s the experience that defines the stay.

🧺 Practical Perks — ★★★★☆

A few thoughtful inclusions that make the apartment genuinely livable for longer or family stays:

Laundry room with a combo washer/dryer
Two detached toilets with Toto bidets, plus a second toilet and shower
Water purifier in the laundry area

🚢 Exploring Hakone — ★★★★★

The location earns its keep. The pirate ship sightseeing cruises on Lake Ashi are popular, and the dock is just a block away — the ship drops you off at the Hakone Ropeway, which is a smart loop for a day out.

From the ropeway, Owakudani’s sulfur hot springs are the stop to make: volcanic steam vents, and the famous black boiled eggs.

Back at lake level, the Hakone Shrine and its torii gate standing in the water is about a 15-minute walk away. And if you’re visiting during sakura season, consider upgrading to first class on the pirate ship cruise.

⚖️ Final Verdict

A terrific family base in Hakone: an apartment with real space, a private onsen and sauna with lake views, and the lake’s best sights within easy reach. The trade-offs — windowless bedrooms and no restaurant — are easy to accept at this format.

Ratings:

View: 5★
Private Onsen & Sauna: 5★
Apartment & Space: 4★
Kitchen & Self-Catering: 4★
Practical Perks: 4★

Bottom Line

A perfect option in Hakone — especially if you have a car.

🎥 Video Review

If you’d like to see the experience visually, check out our full walkthrough on YouTube (linked above).

For more luxury travel reviews, follow along on our journey.

Lake Ashi on Visit Karma