Kinokuniya Ryokan

It was quite a journey from the station to the ryokan. Well worth it. Elaborate Japanese dinner and breakfast. Outdoor onsen. The new part of the lodge is 80 years old. It has been on this spot for 300 years. Quick bus ride to Lake Ashi next morning.

Very good, nice atmosphere

This was my first time staying at an onsen ryokan, but it was much better than expected. The staff was friendly, helpful, and professional. The room was roomier than what I imagined, but I guess I was staying at a place meant for two people by myself. Dinner was excellent, and the breakfast buffet was great too. Dinner was fully Japanese while the breakfast was continental with a heavy Japanese slant. The onsens were great. I'd recommend using the bath in the early afternoon or the early morning before people start arriving if you are not comfortable with stares. The outside bath was a bit small but charming. The only bad thing I can say about this place was the fact that it's a bit old, but that's to be expected from some place that's more than 300 years old. It was very clean though. Will stay again, next time with another person to play table tennis with.

This hotel was good-hearted and the food was Japanese artistry. It is an older property and has a very “mountain lodge” kind of feel. The food was interesting but challenging for an unadventurous North American eater. It goes well beyond sushi to escargot and tiny octopi (squids?) over cucumber and a miso sauce. I was impressed with the look of this but I am weak on seafood and so it wasn’t that easy to eat. I expect that it is very seasonal and probably changes to make sure the food is the freshest. The hotel itself is very high up the mountain, with a few walking trails nearby but no other. The hotsprings older facilities but again, overall very nice. It is very close to the bus stop, where the bus comes often from Hakone Yumoto station to Lake Ashinoko and back so that is convenient.