Ichinoyu Honkan

We loved the location which was a short walk from the centre of Hakone, however was located metres from a bus stop and also in walking distance from the train up the mountain. It was located right beside the river and we could hear the water and were located within the lush surroundings. We loved the cultural aspects of the property including the tatami floor and foutons, which were surprisingly comfortable.

It was a little tricky walking up the steps in the sandals. Apart from the onsen, we never found the showers and didn’t realise these would not be in the room.

The Shiraito room had an incredible view right over the Hayakawa River - the sound of rushing water all night was unforgettable. The building itself is genuinely historic, run by the same family for 16 generations, and even appears in old Hiroshige woodblock prints. The futon and tatami floors were surprisingly comfortable, soft and supportive. Just a heads up for travellers, you will sleep on the tatami floors. ;) We travelled as a group of 3 and were able to use their private family bath, which was a lovely bonus for groups (not a natural hot spring, but still a nice warm soak). Breakfast was a must to fully experience the ryokan, really completed the stay. They also provide unlimited yukata robes to wear around, and unlimited drinks in the reception area, which was great while browsing their small souvenir/shopping corner.

The ceilings, doorknobs, and sinks are quite low even for me 160cm/5’3ft built for a different era, so taller guests should expect to duck a bit. If you sleep with the window open, the river sound is loud and constant, which some light sleepers may find disruptive rather than soothing.

The Ryokan experience was nice, the breakfast and dinner were very nice. They do provide a QR code for you to check how to eat properly. The "onsen" or private bath was also nice. Otherwise the room was nice, very nice experience, the river view also makes it awesome. Finally they provide a kimono for you to wear which is also very nice!

Either I'm very mistaken, or the bathroom ceiling was covered in mold. Not very sanitary if so. As for breakfast and dinner would be good to have a bit more guidance from the staff during the meal. The personal interaction would've been nice.

this is an absolutely gorgeous building. the staff were gracious and helpful. we had a relaxing soak in the nice onsen. the location was scenic. our room was near the waterfall. the rooms were spacious, consisting of a nice size private entry way, a small (8 tatami) room with closets, a large sitting room, probably 3 times the size of the small room which had a low table/chairs, tv, and plenty of space to set up futons. my son found the futons slightly thin, and stacked 3 of them for comfort. i used 2. tea and hot water. a small floor vanity. the balcony contained the sink & view of the river/waterfall. the communal bathroom was on the far side of the floor, but easy walking distance. 3 toilets in the women's bathroom. one western, one japanese, one squat toilet. large tiled area with sinks. a vending machine was next to it to shower, one walked down the back stairs to the onsen area. there is a small shop next to the lobby with local souvenirs. free drinks and ice popsicles were available which were a nice touch after an onsen soak. breakfast and dinner were served on the 4th floor. i noticed some complained about the stairs & having to set up one's futons, but that did not bother us as we expected this. we only traveled with small backpacks for a few nights stay. our room was on the 3rd floor. i am a 66 yrs old woman.

the food looked fabulous, well presented and beautiful, but the flavors were flat. i almost wondered if anyone had tasted them prior to serving. disappointingly, the tuna sashimi had gone bad. the miso was fine. the dessert was the only item that had a great flavor except for the sorbet which was too bitter. the most unfortunate thing for this beautiful ryokan was the mold. the smell of black mold (stachybotris) was strong on the 3rd floor which we stayed on and on the balcony. they had fans running in the hallways, but humidifiers would have been more effective. our balcony was also moldy smelling. we kept the sliding doors shut. one could see the balcony sink tile had split from the walls in the corners. i am guessing that moisture had warped the subsurface. the only way one would be able to remove the mold is major remodeling, tearing down walls, removing the damaged parts, replacing & resealing the walls, windows, etc. very expensive to do. i am being treated for mold & am familiar with this problem. we stayed at the end of October when it was cool and rainy.