Hakone Kowakien Mikawaya Ryokan

I stayed in a private villa with a private onsen and it was almost magical. From the building itself to the nature the entire ryokan is nestled around. It was all stunning. They especially loved how someone showed me to my villa and showed me around while waiting to answer any questions I might have. I can’t wait to stay here again.

Breakfast and dinners were exceptional! Our table was set and ready for us each morning and evening at our agreed upon meal time. They were traditional Japanese meals with more than enough to satisfy our appetite. The staff were incredibly helpful and spoke enough English for us to be able to orient us to the property and answer our questions. Our ryokan greatly exceeded our expectations! We had an indoor and outdoor onsen, large living space and western style beds. We left feeling like we had just been on a wellness retreat tucked away in the beautiful mountains of Hakone! They also provide a shuttle from the hotel to Gora station and to the Open Air museum, which was very helpful as the hotel is not in walking distance of much other than a Family Mart. They also provide two cotton kimonos and sandals for you to wear to each meal, shampoo, conditioner, face wash, lotions, vanity kit, hair dryer, hair crush, toothbrush and paste, razor, slippers and socks!

Wow! Click ‘book now’ before the property gets fully booked! We visited Hakone for our anniversary and stayed in the Annex Standard Room with “Shared” Bathroom”(You have a private toilet and sink in your room, but a gorgeous hot spring onsen room for shared showering. We actually asked to use the private onsen each time we showered and it felt like an oasis each morning!). In this room, we had a balcony view of the mountains in Hakone and the valley! The food was INCREDIBLE, we selected the ‘Western Breakfast’ each morning and every night we had a delicious traditional meal. They were extremely accommodating to my pescatarian dietary restrictions - which meant more delectable seafood cuisine! My husband said that we had the best meal of our two week Japan vacation during our stay at this Ryokan. Also, the bus stop is right at the base of the staircase which made exploring Hakone during our two day stay a breeze. Don’t forget to book the “Hakone Free Pass” during your stay through an external website!!

This was my second time staying at this ryokan, and the experience was just as incredible as the last. I speak some Japanese, and the staff were able to meet me in the middle with their English. When you first arrive, you are able to rest and have tea and a snack while you fill out the necessary check-in forms. We were in the villas, so we ate our meals at the main building. There were a variety of times to choose from for meals, which was very convenient. We received incredible service the entire time, and our stay was comfortable and relaxing. Our private onsen's water stopped flowing one day, and it was fixed within 20 minutes! As I said to my partner regarding the staff "They do everything except let you help yourself," as even handing your plates back at dinner was met with gracious thanks. They have a wonderful store, great views of the mountainous foliage, easy access to the bus, and they provide lightweight yukata and geta shoes so you can fully experience Japanese onsen culture. There are many beautiful moths and butterflies in the gardens, as well as salamanders; we even were lucky enough to glimpse a tanuki!

I loved the views from the Ryokan, was totally worth the walk up the hilly road with a suitcase. The staff were excellent and after I checked out it was raining so the very smartly dressed man behind the desk helped me by giving me the bus timetable and even took me to the bus stop I needed to go! The food was delicious both dinner and breakfast and VERY enjoyed both the Indoor bath and Outdoor bath in the villa!! What a wonderful stay! 🥰 Thank you so much!