Hitsuki Guesthouse

Top choice in Fuji Five Lakes


Just about the only remaining Fuji oshi-no-ie (pilgrims' inn) you can still stay in. The young owner is both a carpenter (hence the lovingly restored 440-year-old building) and an 18th-generation oshi (Shintō priest associated with Fuji worship). Stay as countless pilgrims before you: sleeping on tatami in rooms partitioned by shōji (sliding-screen doors).

At time of research, Hitsuki were planning to set up guided ascents of Fuji that begin, as they traditionally did, from Fuji Sengen-jinja, a short walk from the inn.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Fuji Five Lakes attractions

2. Fuji Sengen-jinja

0.39 MILES

A necessary preliminary to the Mt Fuji ascent is a visit to this atmospheric shrine (8th century, rebuilt 1800s) dedicated to Sakuya-hime, the goddess of…

3. Kanadorii

0.51 MILES

A symbol of Mt Fuji worship, this gate was first constructed in 1788 (though the present one dates to 1955), and in clear weather frames picture-postcard…

4. Fujiyama Art Museum

0.97 MILES

Should the weather thwart your chances of seeing the real thing, this contemporary gallery space contains a fine collection of Mt Fuji paintings by…

5. Fujisan World Heritage Center

1.45 MILES

The flashy South Hall of this visitor centre has imaginative, interactive displays detailing the spiritual and geological history of the mountain, as well…

6. Churei-tō Pagoda

1.78 MILES

One of the classic Fuji postcard views has this five-tiered red pagoda in the foreground surrounded by cherry blossoms. It's actually a war memorial,…

7. Ide Sake Brewery

2.43 MILES

This small-scale brewery has been producing sake using Mt Fuji spring water for 21 generations. Tours (9.30am and 3pm; 40 minutes) provide a fascinating…

8. Kubota Itchiku Art Museum

3.99 MILES

In a Gaudí-influenced building above the lake, this charming museum displays the kimono art of Kubota Itchiku (1917–2003). You might see Mt Fuji in the…