What kind of traditional onsen ryokan is Gyokutei?
We wanted to see the cherry blossoms in Hakone and decided to stay at Gyokutei, which is famous for its cherry blossoms, on a weekend in early April. Cherry blossoms in Hakone bloom at different times in different places because of the difference in elevation from the area around Hakone-Yumoto Station to the area around Lake Ashi. Therefore, visitors can enjoy cherry blossoms somewhere in Hakone for about a month after the cherry blossoms bloom.
For this trip, our family in Tokyo and our relative’s family in Nagoya met at Odawara station. We first took the Shinkansen from Tokyo Station and got off at Odawara Station. From Tokyo Station, it took about 30 minutes. From Nagoya Station, it is about 70 minutes by Shinkansen. We met at Odawara Station and from there, took Hakone Tozan Railway to Hakone-Yumoto Station together. The train was crowded because it was cherry blossom season and the weather was fine. An orange shuttle bus from Hakone-Yumoto Station was also full, but we managed to arrive at the ryokan around 2:00pm.
Gyokutei where we were staying tonight was a ryokan built on a hill about 10 minutes by cab from Hakone-Yumoto station. With three small children, we planned to take a cab from the station, but there was a long line at a cab stand, so we gave up and decided to take an orange shuttle bus from in front of Hakone Total Tourist Information Center. The shuttle service is operated jointly by accommodations in the Hakone-Yumoto Station area. When boarding an orange shuttle bus, be sure to tell a bus driver the name of the hotel or ryokan where you will be staying. The bus fare is JPY100 per adult, and complimentary for children in primary school and younger.
When we got off the orange shuttle bus in front of the ryokan, we were greeted by a beautiful peach-colored weeping cherry tree. Hakone-Yumoto station was overflowing with tourists, but once we arrived at the ryokan, we were surprised at how tranquil it really was. As I listened carefully, I could hear the chirping of a Japanese bush warbler.
As we entered through the entrance with the large lantern that reads “Gyokutei,” a staff member rushed up to us and helped us carry our luggage. With small children, they were very helpful. Perhaps normally, we would have been taken to the main house to complete check-in procedures, but since we were during the coronavirus pandemic, we were taken directly to a separate room.
The eight rooms on the grounds are Japanese-style villas, each with its own private hot spring indoor bath. It was a perfect place for families with children. Upon entering the spacious grounds, we found ourselves in a wonderful garden. It was right around cherry blossom season, so the cherry trees in the garden were also in full bloom with pretty blossoms. We could hear the water flowing from the stream in the garden. Looking up a little, we could see the mountains of Hakone under the blue sky. There was a pond in the center of the garden with magnificent Nishikikoi swimming in it. We stayed in a room called Miwa, just across a small bridge. The sliding shoji-like door opened into an entrance hallway, all covered with tatami mats. After taking off our shoes, we went up to find three Japanese-style rooms, a large veranda, and a private onsen with bathtub made of hinoki cypress. We then asked the staff to put away the pretty cherry blossom ikebana arrangement, a hanging scroll, and ornaments displayed in the alcove of the Japanese-style room, because if small children knocked over the vase or tore the hanging scroll, it would be a disaster. We stayed in a group of 4 adults and 3 children, and it was just the right size. Once in the villa, the kids were running around.
We sat in the magnificent wicker furniture chairs on the spacious veranda called engawa and enjoyed green tea and Japanese sweets prepared by the staff. The view of the garden from here was serene and dignified. Looking at the quaint garden from the traditional Japanese-style room, I even felt as if I had time-traveled back more than 100 years. In recent years, Hakone has seen many refined and modern ryokans, but Gyokutei was an authentic ryokan. We finished our check-in procedures here and spent some time relaxing.
We then went to communal indoor hot spring baths on the grounds. Although there is no outdoor hot spring bath, the large windows looked out onto a garden made of stone and moss, with lanterns placed here and there, which cast a soft glow in the evening. Afterward, we returned to our room and sat on wicker chairs on the engawa, listening to birds chirping and looking out over the well-kept garden while sipping freshly brewed local beer bought at a souvenir shop in front of Hakone-Yumoto Station. The beer after the bath was really great.
After the children finished taking the private hot spring bath in the villa, they took a nap for a while, but when they woke up from their nap, they started playing hide-and-seek again. The children were tireless.
Since we had some time before dinner, we went for a walk to Sounji Temple near the ryokan, and found that the cherry trees around the temple were in full bloom. The gate of the temple and the cherry trees in full bloom were in perfect harmony. When a gentle breeze blew, the cherry petals danced inside and slowly fell to the ground, like snow falling silently. Under the cherry trees, the children were very happy and excited, and were trying their best to grab the pink petals that were slowly dancing down with their little hands.
When we returned to our villa, the staff came and started preparing dinner. All meals were served in the room. Dinner was kaiseki cuisine, all elaborate and delicately seasoned. Each dish was brought freshly prepared from the kitchen through the large garden. The portions were small. We also ordered children’s meals. Delicious fried shrimp, homemade hamburgers, and croquettes were served.
After dinner, we decided to visit the row of more than 150 cherry trees along Hayakawa River, which were illuminated at night. Since the cherry blossoms were just in full bloom, the street with the food stalls was crowded with tourists, and the atmosphere was not very comfortable. However, there were food stalls selling yakitori, takoyaki, okonomiyaki, etc., and the children were excited. When we returned to the villa, the Japanese-style mattresses called futons were laid out on tatami mats in our rooms. It was already past 9:30PM and the kids seemed exhausted and soon fell asleep.
Then the next morning I woke up at about 5:00 a.m. to noisy birds outside. Hakone is home to many different types of birds, but this was the first time I woke up to noisy birds. The staff said it was very noisy early in the morning, but it was really noisy. Even the children seemed to be awakened by the sound of birds singing. I had no choice but to take the private indoor hot spring bath with the children.
The sun was about to rise, so we decided to take a walk in the garden before breakfast. I felt quite elegant as I walked around the vast grounds, admiring the lush bamboo forest and gardens. The children happily fed the large carp in the pond.
When we returned from our walk, the staff had put away the bedding. Then, they started to prepare breakfast. The Japanese breakfast, served in the morning with a view of the garden, was exceptional. Before checking out, we took another bath in the communal hot spring baths, completed check-out procedures in our room before 11:00, and left the ryokan. We then returned to Odawara Station, saw the cherry blossoms at Odawara Castle, and headed home.
If I had to pick a fault, it would be that the birds were noisy in the morning. This was unavoidable since there is a forest nearby, but I did not notice it at all when I stayed alone on Hakone Airu in the neighborhood. Perhaps the building has no soundproofing system. The ryokan was a place where the good old Japan remains, where the things that are there now are carefully repaired and used for a long time, although some parts of the ryokan certainly feel aged and deteriorated. The well-maintained and neatly cleaned rooms showed a spirit of hospitality to guests. Next time, I would like to view this wonderful Japanese garden in the fall when the leaves are beautifully changing colors.
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Is the location easy to access?
If you are going from Tokyo Station, take the Shinkansen bullet train to JR Odawara Station. Then, transfer to Hakone Tozan Railway or Odakyu Romancecar to Hakone-Yumoto Station. Alternatively, take Odakyu Romancecar from Shinjuku Station to Hakone-Yumoto Station.
The location is a 15min walk from Hakone-Yumoto Station, but there is a long slope on the way to the property. You may want to get a shuttle bus called Orange Bus from the station. The small buses are easily recognizable because of their orange and white bodies. Get on a bus of B course from the front of Hakone Tourist Information Center, and then get off at Gyokutei. It takes less than 10min. When you get on a bus, you need to tell a bus driver where you are staying. The bus fare is JPY100 per adult, and complimentary for children in primary school and younger. Refer to the timetable.
Alternatively, you can get a taxi from Hakone-Yumoto Station. It costs less than JPY1,000 and takes 5min. Then if you stay here on weekends, you might want to check in earlier. Because traffic would be heavy around the Station. It would be sometimes faster to walk than drive.
Then, if you are taking the Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to JR Odawara Station, you need to pay attention to your luggage. Please check here for details. When boarding the Shinkansen, luggage whose total of three sides exceeds 160 cm requires advance reservation of a seat with an oversized luggage space. Baby strollers, musical instruments, bicycles, surfboards, etc. are excluded. Items may be brought in as long as they are placed in a special bag and can stand up.
Passengers bringing oversized baggage without an advance reservation will be charged a carry-on fee of 1,000 JPY. In such cases, the baggage needs to be placed in an area designated by the crew. Also, large luggage is not allowed in unreserved seats on the Shinkansen. Then, children under 6 years old usually do not need a ticket, but if a preschooler uses the Shinkansen, a reserved seat ticket for preschoolers is required to be purchased.
On Odakyu Romancecars, the size of luggage is limited to a total of no more than 250 centimeters on three sides and no longer than 2 meters in length. The weight is limited to 30 kg, and up to two pieces may be carried on board as long as they do not interfere with the operation of the train or inconvenience other passengers. Exercise equipment such as ski boards, snowboards, bicycles, etc. may be brought in as long as they are placed in a special bag and can stand up. Strollers are folded and placed in front of the seats. Then normally, children under 6 years of age do not need a ticket, but when using a seat on an Odakyu Romancecar, a child’s express ticket and a ticket for children are required. However, if you hold a child on your lap, a limited express ticket and a boarding pass are not required. Please refer to the info.
Rooms I would recommend?
If you are going to stay here, you may want to request a villa with a nice view of the garden. Then if you don’t want to sleep on Japanese-style mattresses in tatami rooms, you may want to find other ryokans. There is no room with western beds.
How about toiletries & in-room amenities?
All of the amenities are taken care of including minimum toiletries, yukatas, and a Japanese tea set, etc. The free Wi-Fi reception was good. Room service is not available. There is no convenience store nearby. You may want to buy your necessities before coming here.
Also, this is child-friednly. The staff was very helpful in providing body soap for children, a trash can for diapers, yukatas, getas, and futons. We appreciated the staff carrying our strollers and luggage when we moved around.
How about In-house Facilities?
This is not a universal design, but there are few steps. A wheelchair is available for borrowing. If you bring people with weak legs, you may want to inform the staff in advance as they can arrange a villa near the entrance.
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Then there are the indoor communal hot spring baths. They are open from 5:00-11:00, 15:00-24:00. There is no outdoor hot spring bath. *Please note that if you have tattoos, you may not be permitted to use the communal bathing area.
How about meals?
Kyoto-style kaiseki food for dinner was good. The food was not visually spectacular, but when I put it in my mouth, it had a very deep flavor. The portion was small. Dinner starts at 18:00 or 18:30. Breakfast starts at 8:00 or 8:30. All meals are served in your room. If you have any food allergies, please write them in the comment box when you book a room with meals. They probably wouldn’t be able to prepare alternative food if you request on that day.
Alternatively, you can go out for dinner as there are some local restaurants near Hakone-Yumoto Station. Most of the papa-mama shops in Hakone are closing early. You may want to book a table in advance. Many of the restaurants in the Hakone area are not great, so it is best to do some research beforehand.
My impressions
All staff was professional. We arrived at the property before 3:00 PM, but the staff welcomed us with warmth and we were escorted to our room immediately. During our stay, we did not see any other guests at all, even though all villas were fully occupied. It was like a private Japanese-style villa in Hakone. Although inferior in some ways to the newly built luxury ryokans, nothing can compare to the time spent looking out over the well-kept Japanese garden.
Have a nice trip! Welcome to receive any questions about Gyokutei from the below space. Check Availability and Pricing for the onsen ryokan on agoda
Info about Gyokutei
| Style | Authentic Onsen Ryokan |
|---|---|
| Check-in and out times |
15:00/11:00 |
| Estimated Price | 65,000 JPY for 2 adults per room |
| Contact E-mail |
hakone1@gyokutei.com |
| Internet Connection | Free wifi in the lobby only |
| Facility Information | Wheelchairs are available Pets are not allowed The free parking lot is available |
| Location | Gyokutei’s MAP |
| Access | 15min walk from Hakone-Yumoto station |
| Address and TEL | Tel +81 |
| Official Homepage | Gyokutei’s HP |
All information above is as of the date that I posted on my blog.
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