Tokyo is undeniably exhilarating. Everything about Tokyo is a treat for the senses: neon lights and noodle shops, packed train platforms and tiny bars tucked down side streets.
But after a few days of navigating the city at full speed, getting out—even for just a night or two—can feel like a reset button.
One of the easiest ways to do it? Head to an onsen town like Hakone, where the pace slows, the air gets cleaner, and your biggest decision of the day might be whether to soak before or after dinner.
And for many travelers, this is where one of the most memorable parts of a Japan trip comes in: staying at a traditional ryokan.
There’s something wonderfully old-world about meeting the innkeepers, trading your shoes for slippers, slipping into a yukata, and eventually sinking into steaming mineral-rich water with nowhere else you need to be.
If you want that experience with a little more privacy, a ryokan with a private onsen lets you soak at your own pace, often with a view of Hakone’s mountains or forested hills right outside your door.
Hakone is one of Japan’s easiest escapes from Tokyo, but it feels worlds away. Without very much effort at all, you get a glimpse of a quieter, more traditional side of Japan without having to sacrifice half your itinerary getting there.
Just don’t wait until the last minute to book. Ryokan rooms with private onsens are some of the most coveted rooms in Hakone, and the best ones can book up weeks or even months in advance.
Once you find a ryokan you love, I’d book that private onsen room sooner rather than later.
This post may contain affiliate links. You won’t be paying a cent more, but in the event of a sale, the small affiliate commission I receive will help keep this blog running/pumping out useful and free content. Thanks a lot!
Table of Contents
Where Is Hakone, Japan?
Hakone is located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, approximately 80 kilometers southwest of Tokyo. This magical town is best known for its natural hot springs, or onsen, as well as its stunning views of Mount Fuji!
While Hakone makes for a perfect day trip from Tokyo, you’ll be doing yourself a disservice by NOT staying the night! Many travelers choose to spend the night in Hakone just for the ryokan experience, which is a real treat.
Beyond bathing in Hakone’s healing waters and relaxing in a ryokan, you can also find beautiful nature trails and historic landmarks such as Hakone Shrine and the Hakone Open-Air Museum.
Other popular activities in Hakone include taking a scenic boat ride on Lake Ashi, riding the Hakone Ropeway for panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, visiting the Owakudani geothermal valley to see volcanic activity up close, and exploring the Hakone Checkpoint Museum to learn about the area’s history.
Filling your days up with new landscapes and sights? Easy.
First Off, What Is A Ryokan?
Long before Japan had bullet trains, boutique hotels, or even modern highways, ancient travelers were making their way between cities on foot and by horseback, and they needed somewhere to sleep along the way.
Ryokan grew out of this tradition of roadside inns, giving travelers a place to rest, eat, bathe, and sleep as they made their way toward Japan’s major cities, including the capital of Edo (now Tokyo).
The experience was practical, but it was also deeply tied to Japanese hospitality. Guests would remove their shoes, settle onto tatami mats, sleep on futons, eat a traditional meal, and soak in a bath before turning down for the night.
The basic ingredients haven’t changed all that much, though today’s ryokan experience is considerably more comfortable.
Modern ryokans range from humble family-run inns to seriously luxe retreats, but the emphasis is still on Japanese hospitality and slowing down.
You’ll typically sleep on a futon laid over tatami, change into a yukata (a casual cotton robe), and dine on beautifully presented Japanese cuisine. Depending on the property, you might also have access to an onsen, a private bath, traditional gardens, tea ceremonies, or even a multi-course kaiseki dinner served in your room.
Okay, So What Is an Onsen?
You’ll often see ryokan and onsen mentioned together, but they’re not the same thing.
A ryokan is the inn; an onsen is a natural hot spring used for bathing. Many ryokans are built around onsen, particularly in Japan’s famous hot spring towns, but you can absolutely stay at a ryokan without one (and visit an onsen without staying at a ryokan).
My Top Pick For Best Ryokan In Hakone
Hakone Kowakien TEN-YU
- Opened in April 2017
- All rooms come with their own private open-air bath
- Public baths include a hot spring infinity pool and another in a forest, with a waterfall.
- Three restaurants on the property
- The breakfast buffet is complimentary with your stay, but you should 100% opt for the dinner package too!
- A great balance of luxury treatment and price.
1. Retreat Hakone Villa
Cost: $$$
This one is an amaaaazing splurge-worthy option if you’re celebrating something special!
If what you really want from Hakone is to disappear into the forest for a little while, Retreat Hakone Villa makes it almost too easy. The villa-style property is tucked into the foothills of Mount Fuji, with spacious private villas surrounded by greenery and mountain views.
Inside, the rooms feel more like little countryside homes than traditional ryokan rooms, with generous living spaces, fireplaces, wine fridges, well-stocked complimentary minibars, and speakers with seriously good sound quality.
But the real reason to book? Every villa has its own private onsen. You can slip into the mineral-rich water whenever you want, without sharing the bath or worrying about a schedule—the kind of luxury that makes you want to slow down and stay put.
When you do venture outside your villa, you’ll find a garden, pool, restaurant, and shared hot tub, while you can enjoy breakfast and dinner in your room or in the communal dining space.
If you’re looking for a Hakone stay where the point is to wake up, soak, wander, eat well, and do absolutely nothing for a while, this is it.
A shuttle also runs to and from the nearby town of Hakone, making it easy to explore all this picturesque region has to offer. A bus station is also next to the hotel.
2. Hakone Kowakien Tenyu
Cost: $$ – $$$ – TWE RECOMMENDED CHOICE
Travelers go out of their way to stay at Hakone Kowakien Tenyu to experience world-class service and to feel tranquility at its finest.
Opened in April 2017, Hakone Kowakien Tenyu offers Japanese-style rooms with tatami flooring and private onsens, plus communal open-air baths made with Shigaraki pottery.
The standout features of this ryokan include the private baths and the quality of the meals here. Both dinner and breakfast will be exceptionally good and beautifully presented. Not to mention, the staff members here are very attentive and will make you feel really welcome.
Upon arrival, you can stroll through the garden on the first floor, then enjoy a nice, relaxing couples massage.
For onsen amenities, you can choose from two public baths, plus the private one in your room. Both the infinity-style onsen and the waterfall onsen are great.
The resort also has an on-site bar and lounge, along with a Japanese-style restaurant. Hakone Kowakien Tenyu offers a self-serve breakfast buffet. For dinner, guests can enjoy Japanese-Western fusion cuisine.
3. Hakone Fuga
Cost: $$
Hakone Fuga offers a more modern experience, with spacious rooms featuring hardwood floors and raised Western-style beds. In fact, the rooms here are some of the largest rooms you’ll probably stay at in Japan.
In terms of food, Hakone Fuga grants guests a creative Japanese-Western kaiseki cuisine experience for dinner and breakfast.
Guests can unwind in their very own private open-air onsen for an additional charge. You’ll just need to select a room with an onsen upon booking.
From the complimentary glass of wine at check-in to the beautiful foliage views from the guestrooms and the tranquil onsen baths to the delicious meals served here–you can expect quite the delightful experience.
While the property is a bit further from the main attractions in Hakone, a free shuttle service is available to guests, but only within 10 min from the property.
4. Hakone Ashinoko Hanaori
Cost: $$
Featuring a terrace with views of Lake Ashi, Ashinoko Hanaori offers a wonderful ryokan experience, from its soothing hot spring baths to its relaxing sauna.
Even upon arriving, you will be wowed. Here’s why! Almost immediately, guests are treated to a lovely view of Ashinoko that is made more breathtaking by the hotel’s infinity pond.
Each room will feature a view of either the lake or the mountain. Some rooms have balconies with private onsens, while others are more basic.
In terms of amenities, you’re going to find a good amount here. The ryokan has an expansive public onsen, a private onsen that can be booked for an additional charge, an on-site restaurant and shop, and guests can relax with a massage treatment at the property.
And if you’re wondering if Hakone Ashinoko Hanaori is in a good location, you can rest assured that it is! The property is located a 2-minute walk from Togendai Station, close to Hakone Ropeway and the pirate cruise boats.
A free shuttle bus to Odawara Station runs a few times daily. Please note that you must book this in advance.
Also of note is that both dinner and breakfast are both buffet-style as opposed to in-room dining.
5. Tensui Saryo
Cost: $$
At Tensui Saryo, you can expect great and spacious rooms with private open-air baths. And of course, like many ryokans in the area, the food will be amazing.
You can choose from a few different rooms with private onsens, but one thing is consistent across them all: you get to enjoy it on your own little balcony, which elevates the experience even more. The mountain views are incredible.
Once you are done soaking for the afternoon, it’s time to prepare for dinner. Come out of your room in your traditional yukata and head to the restaurant for an elaborate 10-course kaiseki dinner.
For all my coffee drinkers, they also provide drip coffee in the room! Another little bonus is that there is a nice cafe right in front of the hotel.
In terms of location, Gora Station is literally just around the corner, with cable cars and a bus stop nearby. Given such a prime location, Tensui Saryo is ideal for traveling around Hakone for a few days.
6. Hakone Suimeisou
Cost: $$
If you’re looking for a moderately priced ryokan near Hakone Yumoto Station, Hakone Suimeisou is a really sensible option. It’s only 3 minutes from the main train station, making it a super central place to stay.
Its location is perfect if you want to take your time exploring the area and seeing attractions such as Odawara Castle and Hakone Open-Air Museum.
While this ryokan isn’t your traditional Japanese-style inn, it does a fantastic job of incorporating Japanese design concepts to make its simple, modern spaces reminiscent of traditional Japanese ryokan style.
You can reserve a room with its own private onsen, which you can use whenever you want. In addition to private onsen rooms that can be reserved for a set period, there is also a public onsen on the top floor that all guests can use.
If you’re looking for that extra privacy, do try to book the private onsen room if possible; otherwise, the public open-air onsen on the top floor is great.
7. Kinnotake Tonosawa Ryokan
Cost: $$$$
Kinnotake Tonosawa Ryokan is an adults-only ryokan that’s perhaps the most luxurious on this list. From the attentive 5-star service to the surrounding bamboo grove that creates the most inviting atmosphere, this ryokan will be a pure delight.
And the food? Oh yes, the food. The meals here are some of the best you’ll ever taste at any ryokan.
The luxury guest rooms all come with a private onsen bath. There is quite a variety of private onsen styles offered at this ryokan with names such as Haruka, Tsuki, Hoshi, etc., so half the fun is choosing the room you want!
You can check them all out online and book the one that calls to you the most.
Need To Know: Basic Onsen Etiquette + Rules
Your first onsen can feel a little intimidating, especially when you’re trying to remember which towel goes where and whether you should shower before or after getting in.
The good news? Onsen etiquette is actually pretty simple once you know the basics. The biggest thing to remember is that an onsen is a place to soak and relax, not a swimming pool or a communal shower!
Yes, you really do get naked.
This is probably what makes first-timers most nervous, but in 99% of cases, there’s no swimsuit option here. You’ll undress completely in the changing room and leave your clothes in a locker or basket before heading into the bathing area.
And once you’re inside, nobody is paying attention to anyone else. In Japan, it’s completely normal for no one to give it a second thought.
Shower before you soak.
Here’s the cultural distinction that trips people up: the bath is for soaking, not washing. Before you get anywhere near the hot spring, sit at a shower station and thoroughly rinse and wash yourself.
Most have a little stool, handheld showerhead, shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. Once you’re clean, you’re ready for the good part.
Keep your towel out of the water.
You can bring your small face towel into the bathing area, but don’t let it touch the onsen water! You’ll often see people folding it up and balancing it on top of their head while they soak. It’s partly to keep the head cool, and partly because there isn’t anywhere else to put it. Everything else stays back in the locker / changing area.
Final tip: Keep voices low, don’t splash, and avoid treating the bath like a social swimming pool. Then, enjoy and let the tensions melt away.
Essential Tips For Staying At A Ryokan
- Dinner and breakfast are typically included in the price of your stay. If you are given a choice upon booking, opt for the meal package! Expect a huge spread of traditional Japanese deliciousness for both meals.
- At some ryokans, you’ll eat sitting cross-legged on the floor. At other more Westernized ones, you can eat at tables while sitting in chairs.
- Just like in Japanese homes, it is customary to take off your shoes before entering Japanese inns. More modern ryokans might not require you to take off your shoes until you get to your room. No matter what though, you should never wear your shoes on the tatami mats.
- Many ryokans feature a public soaking area that you can use if you’re not afraid of being naked in front of others.
- It’s customary to shower before getting into the bath so you don’t dirty the water.
- The traditional yukata that you’ll be wearing doubles as both pajamas and the outfit you wear to dinner.
- At some ryokans, walls are divided by shoji, translucent paper room dividers. Since they don’t offer much soundproofing, be mindful of other guests who might be sleeping.
- During breakfast, coffee is not guaranteed (depends on the ryokan you choose). If you know you’ll need more caffeine than what a cup of green tea can offer, pack your own instant coffee to drink in the morning.
- Tattoos are technically still looked down upon in Japan. Many ryokans do not allow tattoos in public soaking areas. If you have tattoos, it may be best to choose ryokans that offer private onsen tubs.
Ryokan in Hakone: Frequently Asked Questions
Are private onsens expensive?
Private onsens can range in price depending on the location, size, and amenities offered. However, they tend to be more expensive than public onsens, as they offer a more exclusive and private experience. If you’re conscious of your budget, be sure to take a look at the ryokans listed above and compare prices!
Can couples go to public onsen together?
In most cases, couples are not allowed to go to public onsens together. Public onsens are traditionally gender-segregated, with separate areas for men and women.
Having said that, some ryokans and hotels offer private onsens that can be used by couples together. These private onsens can either be inside your hotel room or in a private room on the property that you can reserve (usually on a first-come-first-served basis).
Can you wear bathing suits in an onsen?
No, it is not customary to wear bathing suits in an onsen. In fact, many onsens ban clothes/bathing suits. Clothes and bathing suits can bring dirt and soap into the natural hot spring waters from outside and are, therefore, considered unhygienic.
Onsens are meant to be enjoyed without clothes on, as this is more hygienic, lessens the chance of water contamination, and allows for a more natural and relaxing experience.
How long do you sit in an onsen?
The length of time you sit in an onsen can vary depending on personal preference and the temperature of the water. However, it is generally recommended that you soak for about 10-15 minutes at a time, taking breaks to cool down and rehydrate as needed. It is important to listen to your body and not stay in the onsen for too long, as this can lead to dehydration or overheating!
What are some other popular onsen towns in Japan?
Some other popular onsen towns in Japan include Kusatsu near Tokyo, and Beppu or Yufuin on the island of Kyushu.
For more inspiration, check out this post: 10 Onsen Towns In Japan Totally Worth The Detour
What is the difference between a public and private onsen?
Public onsens are typically gender-segregated and open to the public, while private onsens are reserved for individuals or groups and offer a more exclusive and private experience.
Public onsens are often located within ryokans / onsen resorts, while private onsens can be found in various locations, including hotels, ryokans, and even vacation rentals.
If you’d like to enjoy a soak with your significant other (of the opposite gender), a private onsen may suit you better.
What is the difference between onsen and sento?
Onsen and sento are both types of Japanese public baths, but they differ in key ways.
Onsen are natural hot springs heated by geothermal activity and containing mineral-rich water. These hot springs are typically located in mountainous areas or near active volcanoes, and people believe the water has healing properties because of its mineral content. Onsen are often located outdoors and offer scenic views of the surrounding landscape.
Sento, on the other hand, are public bathhouses that are heated by artificial means, such as gas or electricity. The water in sento is typically not mineral-rich, and the bathhouses are often located in urban areas.
Another key difference between onsen and sento is the bathing attire. In onsen, it is customary to bathe naked, while in sento, bathers are usually required to wear a small towel or bathing suit.
Can I use an onsen if I am not staying at a ryokan or onsen resort?
Yes, you can use an onsen even if you are not staying at a ryokan or onsen resort. Many public onsens are open to the public and do not require reservations. Some onsen resorts also offer day-use hot spring baths that you can book for individual use, even if you are not staying overnight.
I recommend stopping by the visitor’s center and asking which ones offer day-use baths.
Looking for more Japan travel tips? You may also like:
10 Effortless Day Trips From Tokyo For Your Japan Itinerary
The Perfect 3 Days In Kawaguchiko + Fuji Five Lakes
10 Amazing Onsen Towns In Japan To Visit On Your Next Trip
The Perfect Kyoto Itinerary: 5 Days In Kyoto, Japan (+ Nara and Osaka)
Best Of Tokyo: The Perfect 5 Days In Tokyo, Japan
Osaka Day Trip From Kyoto: Best Things To Do In Osaka, Japan
Japan On A Budget: 50+ Ultimate Tips On Saving Money While Traveling
Other Posts You’ll Love:
Beppu, Japan: 7 Magical Ryokans With Private Onsens
Beppu is one of those places that looks deceptively simple on paper: hot springs, lots…
Japan in Spring or Fall? Here’s How We Ranked The Two Seasons
At this point, I’ve been to Japan more times than I can count on two…
2 Days In Tokyo, Japan: Best Things To Do
From Tokyo’s neon lights, arcades, and futuristic atmosphere, to the majestic temples and lush outdoor…
Pocket WiFi or eSIM For Japan? Here’s What’s Better For You
When I first started traveling to Japan in 2016, one of the best (and most…
Sensuikyo Gorge: A Must-Visit In Japan’s Aso Area During The Spring
Sensuikyo Gorge, nestled in the mountains of Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture, is one of Kyushu’s…
Fukuoka 101: 15 Things That Make Japan’s Coolest City Worth Visiting
Before I even knew much about Fukuoka, I knew I wanted to explore Kyushu’s green,…
