don’t have to whisper or walk around like you are on eggshells, but the peace and quiet is something that makes ryokan so special. In common areas especially, a little common sense will go a long way when it comes to noise and, if you are traveling with kids, make sure they aren’t running amok.
Meals
Ingredients are ordered to meet the day’s demand, so don’t make any last-minute menu requests as the ryokan might not be able to accommodate them. If you have special dietary requirements, let the ryokan know before you arrive. Be aware that dinner timings tend not to be flexible, beyond perhaps the choice of dinner at 6:30 or 7pm, as the chefs will cook all the intricate dishes at one time on a tight schedule, to be served at once. When you’ve set the time, you need to stick to it. Ryokan won’t hold a meal for you, as they won’t want to serve food that isn’t at its freshest.
GORA KADAN HAKONE
With its collection of hot-spring baths, spa treatments, and timeless ryokan style, this former Imperial villa in the mountains of Hakone offers one of the most luxurious weekend escapes from Tokyo.
Located on the grounds of the former summer villa of a member of the Imperial Family—in the village of Gora, midway through the classic sightseeing route around the Hakone area—the Gora Kadan initially opened as a ryokan in 1952, undergoing a major modernizing renovation in 1989 that has given the ryokan its current combination of traditional and contemporary styles.
The appreciation of nature is an important part of the experience at many of the best ryokan—as well as in traditional Japanese culture in general—and at the Gora Kadan opportunities to connect with nature abound. The setting, in the northern part of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, means guests are treated to lush mountain views, while in spots like the moon-viewing deck they can watch bamboo sway and listen to the sound of a small stream, while taking in star-studded skies—weather permitting of course.
The guest rooms build on this connection with nature. Rooms in the Annex Suites feature private open-air baths that overlook the Gora Kadan’s historic landscaped garden; other suite rooms boast open-air rock, stone, or wooden baths that look out into nature. Even the “standard” rooms have their own aromatic indoor wooden baths that draw on natural hot-spring wells, as well as their own small private gardens. And regardless of the class of room, each features a smart mix of traditional design elements such as tatami matting, sliding paper screen doors and lightly toned woods that give both a freshness and a feeling of spaciousness.
A cobbled pathway leads to the main entrance.
One of the outdoor communal baths. Gora Kadan’s water, which feeds the communal and in-room baths, is a mineral-rich source from deep under Hakone. One of its attributes is to leave one’s skin feeling soft and smooth.
A small garden feature (for purification purposes) that wouldn’t look out of place at the entrance to the inner grounds of a shrine.
A room with a view. Many of the non-standard rooms come with facilities such as outdoor baths, wood decking with panoramic or semi-panoramic views, and a sense of being within nature.
One of the outdoor guest room baths. With the soothing heat of the water, soaking up to your chin in one of these feels just as good as a full-body massage.
Since 1981, Gora Kadan has been a member of the Relais & Chateaux association of independently owned luxury hotels and restaurants, and in 2002 it was awarded the organization’s prestigious Welcome Trophy in recognition of high customer satisfaction and high standards of service. It’s not hard to see why. As well as in-room baths, there are two large communal baths that draw on piping hot mineral-rich spring water, soothing and relaxing in the midst of nature. The nightly kaiseki is an artistic multi-course treat served in-room by kimono-clad staff and employing seafood sourced fresh from the local waters of Suruga Gulf and Sagami Bay as well as other fine produce brought in from around Japan. Beyond the normal facilities one finds at a ryokan, Gora Kadan also incorporates a covered swimming pool, a jacuzzi, and a gym, not to mention a spa that offers a range of aesthetic treatments such as full-body massages, facials and aromatherapy.
The location is terrific, too. Guests can easily access tourist attractions such as the Hakone Open Air Museum (home to a large Picasso collection as well as many outdoor art installations), the steaming volcanic landscape of the Owakudani valley, and Lake Ashi with its postcard-perfect view of Mount Fuji. See page 33 for further information on Hakone's attractions.
Gora kadan 強羅花壇
Address: 1300 Gora, Hakone, Ashigarashimo, kanagawa 250-0408
Telephone: 0460-82-3331
Website: www.gorakadan.com
Email: [email protected]
number of rooms: 38
Room rate: ¥¥¥¥
In-room baths come in a variety of styles, like this aromatic cedar tub.
Design-wise, the spa looks extremely traditional, but the massages and other treatments available there have an eclectic feel, with shiatsu, acupuncture, detox, stone therapy, and more on the menu.
After a traditional ryokan breakfast, you very often don’t need lunch. If you aren’t used to it, rice, fish, pickles, soup (and more) can be quite a challenging start to the day. But, it invites you to take your time, and a slow breakfast sets one up for a relaxing day ahead.
Relaxation at the Gora Kadan goes beyond a soak in the bath and a massage. You could lounge by the pool all day if you wanted, or do something very rare at a ryokan—use it to get some exercise.
KAI HAKONE HAKONE
The KAI’s distinctive blend of local customs and refined tradition with sleek contemporary touches really comes to the fore at the KAI Hakone’s Yosegi-no-Ma room, which is designed using local crafts as a key motif.
Situated on the banks of a mountain river, a short taxi ride from Hakone-Yumoto Station in the heart of the Hakone area, KAI Hakone is a
