Throwback Ryokan and Onsen that felt like a time warp. Nice rooms, good service, very good Onsen with indoor and outdoor pools of various temperatures plus a cold plunge and sauna. The lowlight was the buffet dinner+ breakfast which were fine, just nothing special. I got chastised for having a tattoo in the Onsen but I was on the way out anyway. View of Mt Fuji across the lake was pretty nice. Heard some very cool frogs near the dining hall.

Overall a great experience staying in this hotel. Highly recommended. Rooms - Room a bit dated but have some modern items in the room to enhance the stay. Some smell in the room, but not as bad as what others mentioned. Will recommend to add air freshener for guests if needed. Room view is great, with Lake Ashinoko and mountainous views. If lucky, is able to see Mt. Fuji on a clear day. Service - Staff service is great. Help to carry my luggage into my room as it arrived before I reached. Staffs are able to converse in English and are very helpful and friendly. Location - Ryuguden is located at a quiet place which allow piece of mind and also able to walk along side the lake if needed. Close to a mini bus stop which can transport to several places. Ryuguden also does provide shuttle service if required.

We spent three nights at Ryuguden Ryokan, and it honestly felt like stepping back in time in the best possible way. The furniture and interiors have a beautiful historic feel and are incredibly well cared for. Everything looks authentic, not staged. The staff were genuinely friendly and helpful, and their English was very good, which made communication easy and stress-free. Our room had a huge 2×4 meter window with an absolutely breathtaking view of Mount Fuji. Waking up to that view every morning was unforgettable. The futons were high quality and very comfortable, and we slept extremely well throughout our stay. The food was another highlight. Both breakfast and dinner felt like a full experience rather than just a meal. Breakfast alone came with around 17 different items, all beautifully presented and delicious. We also had the chance to taste their sake collection, and it was absolutely delicious. The only part that felt a little confusing at first was finding the way to the outdoor onsen. The route isn’t very clearly marked, and the instructions can feel a bit overwhelming, especially with two different onsens, separate rules for towels, a special locker for slippers, and another locker for everything else. Once you figure it out, though, it’s absolutely worth it. What stood out most was the attention to detail. Whole ryokan runs smoothly and effortlessly. If you’re looking for a traditional onsen ryokan with amazing service, incredible food, and one of the best Mount Fuji views you can imagine, this place is truly special.

A beautiful traditional ryokan resort, with views of Lake Ashi, and Mt. Fuji (through breaks in the dramatic clouds). We had a room in the Annex with its own onsen hot springwater bath that got lots of use, and we also enjoyed the spacious indoor and outdoor onsen baths in the main building. All the staff were excellent and the experience will never be forgotten -- giving us deeper insights into Japanese culture. The full keiseki course was very special. We want to give a special shout out to Hou, one of our servers in the restaurant.

Great ryokan with indoor and outdoor onsen. Good Kaisen dinner and breakfast. Room with great view of Lake Ashi. The room is sufficient for 3 people, but the bathroom is dated with low ceiling. We had a nice massage here. Reasonable rate. Location is quite remote, not walkable for attractions/ shops/ restaurants.