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Located near Kawaguchiko in Narusawa, Yamanashi, abrAsus Hotel Fuji feels less like a hotel and more like your own private retreat - except this one comes with an uninterrupted, almost surreal view of Mount Fuji from every single room.


Three small dogs (one pomchi and two chihuahuas) - Qoo, Tira, and Palpy - sitting on a cushion outdoors with Mount Fuji clearly visible in the background on a bright day.
Qoo, Tira and Palpy with the best Mt Fuji view at abrAsus Hotel Fuji

We visited with our dog Qoo and her besties, Palpy and Tira, and it was one of the most memorable dog-friendly stays we’ve had in Japan - a much-needed 20-hour reset!


One Group Per Day with Total Privacy


What makes abrAsus Hotel Fuji so special is its concept: one group per day - no other guests, no shared spaces, no awkward encounters in hallways.


A kitchen counter set with breakfast ingredients and coffee-making tools in front of a large window, with Mount Fuji visible in the background.
Morning at abrAsus Hotel Fuji - brewing coffee, making breakfast, and taking in a surreal view of Mt. Fuji

From the moment we arrived (you can pull your car right up to the building), it felt like stepping into a secluded villa. The property spans an impressive 710m² and is divided into thoughtfully designed spaces - each with its own purpose, but all centred around one thing: slowing down and being present.


Dog-Friendly Done Right


Travelling with dogs in Japan can be limiting; however, this property is entirely fenced with a huge garden, so Qoo, Palpy, and Tira could roam freely without a leash. Watching them run across the grass with Fuji in the background was one of those simple but perfect moments.


A small dog (pomchi) named Qoo sitting on a round cushion outdoors, with Mount Fuji clearly visible in the background on a clear day.
Qoo soaking it all in - Mt. Fuji views and a quiet morning at abrAsus Hotel Fuji

They also provide dog amenities on request (beds, bowls, cleaning supplies), which makes the whole experience seamless.


Dinner: Effortless but Elevated


Dinner here is a clever concept. Instead of going out or having a formal course meal, everything is already prepped for you - beautiful ingredients, carefully portioned, waiting in the kitchen. You simply follow intuitive instructions to bring each dish together.


An open refrigerator filled with neatly arranged, pre-prepared ingredients for a meal, including meat, vegetables, bread, milk, and packaged items.
Dinner comes ready for you - everything prepped, beautifully laid out, and just waiting to be cooked

What’s especially thoughtful is that abrAsus Hotel Fuji offers three different dinner menus, rotating depending on the length of your stay - so if you stay multiple nights, each evening feels distinct rather than repetitive.


Dinner Menu


  • Ratatouille with seasonal vegetables, prepared using a Vermicular pot heater

  • Pork spare ribs slow-cooked in jam using Vermicular

  • Grilled pork and duck loin cooked on a lava stone plate

  • Creamy potato potage made with a Hot Cook

  • Clay pot rice, cooked in a donabe with a glass lid


A pot filled with neatly arranged sliced vegetables, including courgettes, eggplants, and tomatoes, prepared for cooking on a stovetop.
Even the cooking feels elevated - fresh vegetables prepped and ready to turn into something special

We had dishes like slow-cooked pork ribs, grilled meats on a lava plate, ratatouille, and a rich potato soup—all surprisingly easy to execute (with generous portions). There’s something about cooking together, at your own pace, in total privacy, that just makes the meal taste better!


Multiple plates of grilled meats, ribs, and vegetable dishes arranged on a stainless steel counter, featuring colourful plates with prepared dishes ready to be served.
Beautifully prepped ingredients, grilled and plated at your own pace, turning a simple evening into something quietly special

Sauna, Bath & Doing Absolutely Nothing


The wellness setup here consists of a wood-fired Finnish sauna that you manage yourself (including the firewood), a bath perfectly positioned so Mount Fuji feels like part of the space, and the option to go back and forth between hot and cold. We ended up spending hours just moving between the sauna, cold plunge, and the open living area, completely losing track of time.


Morning Rituals: Coffee & Hot Sandwich


Morning here feels just as considered - simple, but thoughtfully designed as an experience.


A person sitting indoors near an open view, holding a manual coffee roasting tool, with Mount Fuji visible in the distance beyond a grassy garden.
@roasterylog roasting coffee by hand, with Mount Fuji quietly stealing the show in the distance

Breakfast Menu


  • Keema curry and egg hot sandwich made using a sandwich press

  • Coffee roasting experience - roast, grind, and brew your own beans


Breakfast was a keema curry hot sandwich that you make yourself - crispy on the outside, warm and savoury inside. You also get to roast your own coffee beans, then grind, brew, and sip it slowly while looking out at Fuji.


Two toasted hot sandwiches being pressed in black sandwich makers on a countertop, with golden grill marks and slightly melted filling visible.
Crispy hot sandwiches pressed to perfection, best enjoyed slow with Fuji waiting in the background

As cherry blossoms begin to line the streets of Nihonbashi, there’s a quiet shift in the atmosphere – soft pink reflections against glass buildings, petals drifting between historic facades, and a sense that spring has properly arrived.


At Mandarin Oriental Tokyo, the season is marked with two thoughtfully designed experiences that let you slow down and take it all in: a sakura-themed afternoon tea, and a rickshaw ride through one of Tokyo’s most historic blossom-lined streets.



🌸 Sakura Afternoon Tea at the Oriental Lounge


Set high above the city, the Oriental Lounge offers a calm vantage point over Nihonbashi just as the cherry blossoms begin to bloom. The Sakura Afternoon Tea (March 23rd – April 26th, 2026) is a seasonal take on the hotel’s signature offering.


The savoury selection leans into spring ingredients, with combinations like wild vegetables paired with sakura shrimp, and green peas with lily bulb panna cotta layered with prosciutto. There’s a subtle richness running through the course too – scallop with truffle in a crisp vol-au-vent, and foie gras with chicken sweetbread – balanced by fresher notes like asparagus with urui and caviar.


The sweets are where the sakura theme comes through most clearly, but never in an overpowering way: sakura leaf financier with raspberry, sakura mousse with matcha and red currant, pistachio and cherry, sakura pound cake, and a softly floral sakura and cassis Mont-Blanc.


Paired with this is a tea sommelier-curated selection of over 20 teas and coffees, all available for unlimited pours.


Elegant afternoon tea setting with a three-tiered tray of colorful pastries. Floral decor and pastel dishes enhance the sophisticated mood.
Sakura Afternoon Tea at the Oriental Lounge, Mandarin Oriental Tokyo

Information

  • 📍Location: Oriental Lounge, Mandarin Oriental Tokyo

  • 🗓️Dates: March 23th – April 26th, 2026

  • 💰Price: ¥9,900 per person


🌸 Sakura Rickshaw Experience


For something a little more immersive, the Sakura Rickshaw Experience (March 14th – April 12th, 2026) offers a completely different perspective.


Starting just outside the hotel, the route follows Sakura-dori street – known for its historical significance as well as its rows of cherry trees. It’s also where rickshaws were first introduced to Tokyo, which adds a quiet sense of continuity to the experience.


As you move through the area, you pass a mix of Edo-period architecture and modern buildings, all softened by the canopy of blossoms overhead; on a breezy day, petals drift through the air, catching briefly before settling.


There are two options:

  • A regular ride (¥10,000) for a simple, scenic experience

  • The Sakura Signature Ride (¥16,000), which includes mini bottles of pink champagne and a Polaroid photograph taken during the journey

A smiling woman pulls a rickshaw with two passengers under cherry blossoms. City street with tall buildings in the background.
Sakura Rickshaw Experience at Mandarin Oriental Tokyo

Information

  • 📍Location: Outside Mandarin Oriental Tokyo

  • 🗓️Dates: March 14th – April 12th, 2026 (10:00–16:00)

  • 💰Price: ¥10,000 / ¥16,000 per ride

  • ✍️Notes: Advance reservation (24h) required

Aerial view of a resort pool with loungers and umbrellas, surrounded by palm trees. Ocean and mountains visible under a blue sky. Relaxing vibe.
Nestled among lush greenery, Botanical Pool Club in Chiba offers the perfect blend of modern luxury and coastal calm, with ocean views framed by palm trees and blue skies

Just a 1.5-hour drive from central Tokyo, BOTANICAL POOL CLUB in Chiba is a luxury resort that feels worlds away. Surrounded by lush greenery and overlooking the Pacific Ocean, it’s a serene escape where tropical design meets Japanese minimalism. The property features two striking pools, stylish lounge areas, and a breezy coastal vibe that instantly puts you in holiday mode.



Pools with a View

The resort is home to two stunning pools - the Black Pool, a 40-meter infinity pool that melts into the horizon, and the Signature Pool, a circular pool surrounded by flickering fire features. Both offer completely different moods: the Black Pool gives you that endless ocean panorama, while the Signature Pool feels intimate and atmospheric, especially at night when the flames reflect off the water. Even in the cooler months, both pools are heated, making it a year-round destination. On clear days, you might even spot Mount Fuji across the horizon.


Glowing pool area with lounge chairs and palm trees at sunset. Orange and blue sky creates a tranquil atmosphere. Silhouetted landscape.
A beautifully illuminated luxury resort pool against a breathtaking sunset backdrop, with a silhouette of Mt Fuji and the sea

Stay: Pool Terrace Room

We stayed in the Pool Terrace Room, which overlooked the Signature Pool and offered a direct view of the ocean beyond. The room had a private terrace with lounge chairs and a gas grill, creating the perfect setup for a relaxed, private BBQ under the stars. The decor was modern yet warm, with natural textures and soft lighting that blended seamlessly with the coastal surroundings. And the best part - it’s dog-friendly, so Qoo could join us everywhere, even poolside.


A small dog sits in a black and white floatation ring by a pool, surrounded by palm trees and lounge chairs. The dog wears a black shirt.
Qoo enjoying a quiet moment by the pool, lounging in an inflatable ring with the ocean breeze

Dining: BPC BBQ & Breakfast

Dinner was the resort’s signature BPC BBQ, served right on our terrace. The experience felt intimate and effortless - grilling over a gentle ocean breeze while the pool glowed softly in the background. The BBQ set included pork, chicken, lamb chops, truffle sausages, and fresh clams, all paired with seasonal Chiba-grown vegetables and organic herbs. Each ingredient was high quality, and the flavors were simple yet elegant - the kind of meal that feels both luxurious and grounding.


Grill with meats and veggies on a terrace at sunset, overlooking a pool and palm trees. Vibrant colours create a relaxing mood.
Grilling the signature BPC BBQ under a stunning sunset, overlooking a poolside oasis and Mt Fuji views

For breakfast, we enjoyed egg and pastrami sandwiches by the poolside - freshly made, hearty, and surprisingly indulgent for a morning bite. You can also grab coffee or light bites at the Poolside Bar, where guests sip champagne or tropical cocktails while lounging in the sun.


A small dog in a black shirt sits on a float by a pool. Nearby, two boxed sandwiches labeled "Botanical Pool Club" are on a towel.
Breakfast at the Botanical Pool Club includes egg and pastrami sandwiches, best enjoyed by the poolside

Atmosphere & Experience

Botanical Pool Club feels like a modern-day coastal sanctuary. It’s easy to spend the entire day drifting between the pools, lounging on the daybeds, and watching the colours of the sky shift from sunrise to sunset. Despite being known as a summer hotspot, visiting in the off-season has its perks - fewer crowds, comfortable temperatures, and a more tranquil atmosphere.


Dog-Friendly Escape

For pet owners, this is one of the few luxury resorts in the Kanto area where dogs are genuinely welcome. Qoo loved lounging by the pool in her inflatable ring and exploring the spacious terrace. Staff were warm and accommodating, offering water bowls and plenty of smiles.




Botanical Pool Club

Address: 1510-2 Shimosakuma, Kyonan, Awa District, Chiba 299-2115

Best time to visit: Summer for the full poolside experience, or early spring and autumn for fewer crowds and clear views of Mt. Fuji.

Getting there: About 1.5 hours by car from central Tokyo.

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