Mount Fuji hot spring inn gets even more beautiful after dark with Firefly Festival

When picking a hotel for traveling in Japan, “has views of Mount Fuji” is definitely a big plus. Japan’s tallest mountain is a symbol of the country itself, and its beauty is so timeless that admiring it at length will always feel like time well spent.

But what about after the sun goes down? While we’re thankful that the plan to put electric lights on Mount Fuji didn’t go through, that does mean that hotels that boast that they offer views of Mount Fuji really only offer views of Mount Fuji during the day, and so they start to feel less special at night.

However, a notable exception next month will be Kaneyamaen, an onsen (hot spring) hotel located near the foot of Mount Fuji in the town of Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi Prefecture. Kaneyamaen has an expansive garden, and part of the grounds stretch across the Katsura River, which becomes a gathering place for fireflies in early summer.

Next month, the hotel will be holding its Hotaru Matsuri, or Firefly Festival, coinciding with peak firefly activity in the garden. Special firefly viewing sessions will be held nightly from 8 to 8:45 p.m.

Accommodation packages include pre-viewing refreshments of matcha green tea, classical Japanese confectionaries, and amazake (a sweet, non-alcoholic sake) served in the late afternoon and early evening…

…and at night, violin performances will be held in one of the garden’s pavilions.

And with firefly viewing being something that’s been enjoyed in Japan for generations, the hotel also offers yukata (summer kimono) rentals and fittings, so that even first-timers can get into the traditional spirit.

Kaneyamaen’s Firefly Festival runs from June 5 to 27.

Related: Kaneyamaen official website

Source, images: PR Times