Hi there, I know both of these Kawaguchiko ryokans are highly recommended, but I’m having a hard time deciding between the two. Kozantei has better views (both mountain and lake), both offer rooms w/ private baths, perhaps Konansou seems a little more authentic? Anyone stay at either, or even both, and can help me decide?
Thanks!
10 comments
Hi subrosaa,
I have stayed at both Ryokans before with private bath.
Out of the two I preferred my stay at Konansou.
Here’s my experience:
Konansou:
– Their hospitality felt genuine and wholesome.
– Style of room felt more traditional which is something we really liked for our first Japan trip.
– Dinner was served inside your room which was a nice experience.
– We booked the lake view which was quite nice.
Kozantei Ubuya:
– Their hospitality was great and very professional as well but it felt more like I was at a top tier 5 star hotel (understand some people prefer that, we just prefer more wholesomeness…)
– Style of our room was very modern and super nice.
– Dinner was in a private room is dining area which we didn’t mind.
– We booked the Mt Fuji view but wasn’t able to see it because it was overcast but based on the photos it would have to be amazing.
It really is hard to fault both Ryokans as they both offer exceptional experiences and hospitality.
What I’d keep in mind is the pricing of each. As we went over Christmas time, the price for Kozantai Ubuya was 2.5 times more expensive than Konasou.
That’s just my 2 cents.
As someone who’s travelled and lived in Tokyo for short period, I’d recommend taking the shinkansen to Karuizawa and hiring a car and doing a road trip to Gunma prefecture and visiting the Kusatsu (Onsen Town). The drive through the mountains won’t disappoint you.
Enjoy!
If you have any questions, just PM me!
I enjoyed my time in konansou, and I’d stay there again. The location is really nice so it’s a short walk to the station and you can walk to other restaurants and attractions easily.
I’ve stayed at Konansou several times. The food is amazing, the service is so kind and genuine, and the onsen facilities are to die for. I haven’t stayed at your other option, but I can’t imagine you could possibly be disappointed with Konansou.
I also was at Konansou last September and had a fantastic stay. We had a room with private onsen, was very clean, exceptional service. I struggled with some Japanese phrasing during conversation with staff and they didn’t hesitate to switch to English, they were very welcoming and we plan to stay again. Breakfast buffet was delicious, too!
Cannot speak for Kozantei Ubuya but I know Konansou won’t disappoint.
My group and I stayed at Konansou in October 2019. Three of us had just come from a rushed off season climb of Mt Fuji. Super friendly service. We visited the rooftop foot onsen. Was quite lovely on my tired and aching feet. We had a lakeview room. Our room was quite large with the option to sleep in a western style bedroom or a more traditional Japanese style bedroom. Had a sauna in our room and we requested a private onsen service for 3000 yen for the hour. Very nice way to relax near the end of our trip. We had a group of six so we had a private dining room. The sukiyaki experience was amazing. Their in house grape sake was fantastic. My only complaint is the grape sake was not for sale. Would go back in a heartbeat the next time i find myself in Japan after this whole Covid thing is behind us
I stayed at Konansou in 2018 with a balcony bath.
The rooms are large and the dinner service in your room is a nice experience but I preferred a different hotel a short walk away that was half the price when I stayed – Have you considered Mizno? The view of the lake with the mountain behind it is breathtaking from their rooftop private onsen 🙂
I stayed in Konansou a few years ago with the private balcony onsen, lake view room. It was probably one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had in japan. I went there one day after arriving in japan from a 12 hour flight and it was extremely relaxing.
It’s nice there
I only stayed at Konansou, and would 100% recommend them to anyone. I got a lake view room with no private bath, because the outdoor public onsens are always my favorite when I stay at Ryokans. As for the view of Fuji, I recommend going across the lake from Konansou for a better view of it.
Thank you for asking this! The info definitely helped me decide which to go with for our trip next year.