What kind of luxury ryokan is Takanawa Hanakohro?
In late March, when the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, we visited this ryokan located just a few minutes walk from Shinagawa Station. The ryokan is located on the fourth and fifth floors of Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa. To get straight to the point, it was a great place for Japanese garden lovers, ryokan lovers, and sake lovers like us. We especially enjoyed the free access to the Ryokan’s lounge as well as the lounges located on the ground floor of Sakura Tower and Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa. We were also very lucky to be able to visit when the cherry blossoms were in full bloom.
We arrived at Shinagawa Station around 3:00 p.m., exited through the Takanawa Exit, and boarded a free Prince Hotel shuttle bus. The shuttle bus stops at Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo, Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa, Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa, and Shinagawa Prince Hotel in that order. It is only a few minutes walk from Shinagawa Station, but we would recommend taking the shuttle bus or a cab. There is a long uphill on the way to the hotel, so it may be a bit difficult if you have luggage. Refer to the Shuttle Bus Information.
After a few minutes on the shuttle bus, we headed up a beautiful hill lined with cherry blossom trees. As we climbed the hill, we first saw the Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo. Further up the hill, we saw the State Guest House, which was built in the Meiji era. Next to the building was the Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa, where we stayed this time.
After getting off the shuttle bus, we entered the spacious lobby and informed the staff that we were staying at the Takanawa Hanakouji, and they directed us to the ryokan’s private entrance. We then took the ryokan’s private elevator up to the fourth floor, where a staff member dressed in a kimono guided us to a lounge. The lounge was decorated in Japanese style with modern furniture and dynamic paintings of pine trees. This lounge was a little cramped with no windows, but since the ryokan has only 16 rooms, it was never crowded. Also, this lounge in the ryokan is only available to guests staying at the ryokan.
We sat down on the sofas to check in and were offered sakura hot water and sakura rice cakes. When we opened the lids of the sakura hot water with sakura petals floating in them, we could smell the subtle aroma of cherry blossoms in the air. Sakurayu tasted even better during the cherry blossom season. After a while, a staff member showed us to our room. This time we stayed in a room called “Yamabuki” on the 4th floor. I put my card key on the card reader near the door and entered the room, where I found a large entrance decorated with cherry blossoms and chrysanthemums. We took off our shoes and put on slippers. On the left side of the room, there was twin beds on the wooden floor, and tatami mats were placed on the window ledge separated by shoji paper sliding doors. Then, there were lamps that looked like lanterns, and modern sofas and a table. On the table was a Japanese tea set and Japanese sweets. The room window overlooked a Japanese garden with light pink cherry blossoms in full bloom.
After this we headed to the lounge of the ryokan, again on the fourth floor. We sat on the sofas and relaxed with a glass of champagne and some crackers. It was a very relaxing place. There were some guests working in the lounge with their computers open. The wi-fi speed was fast. I think it is a great place for workation.
During tea time, red wine, white wine, champagne, Coca-Cola, tea, hojicha, coffee, café au lait, black tea, orange juice, apple juice, vegetable juice, cranberry juice, Asahi beer, shochu, etc. are available for free. In addition, bonbon chocolates, raspberry macaroons, sponge cakes, Japanese sweets, butter cookies, okaki, vegetable chips, etc. were prepared by the staff on a case-by-case basis. In addition, if you request it, they will make you matcha green tea to go with the Japanese sweets. The only drawback is that the lounge has no windows, so you cannot see the Japanese garden.
Then when we realized that it was already past 5:00 p.m., we decided to continue enjoying “cocktail time” in this lounge. During cocktail hour, Japanese hors d’oeuvres were served to go with the drinks. The hors d’oeuvres included marinated salmon, smoked duck, nigirizushi, deep-fried ball of fish paste called satsuma-age, and roasted scallops. The hors d’oeuvres were refillable. Sake, wine, whiskey, shochu, plum wine, Coca-Cola, cranberry juice, etc. were available.
After this we decided to visit Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa’s Club Lounge on the 1st floor. This lounge was very spacious and had a completely different ambience than the lounge at the ryokan. It was very open and we could see the cherry blossoms in full bloom from the windows. We decided to sit in the chairs by the window and drink sparkling wine, white wine, and sake. The buffet counter was also lined with red wine, spirits, liqueurs, vodka, gin, plum wine and shochu. The dishes included beef rolls, duck, flounder with starchy sauce, white fish, and more. Overall, it was a Japanese hors d’oeuvre that went well with sake. We had been drinking since around 4:00 p.m., so our stomachs were already full at this point, but those who do not drink alcohol may not be satisfied.
After this, we decided to visit the Club Lounge on the ground floor of Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo, which stands across the street. We arrived around 6:30 p.m., so it was still cocktail hour. The buffet counter was filled with hors d’oeuvres such as pain perdu salle, white fish with chowder sauce, marinated octopus with basil, and tomato and mozzarella cheese. The alcoholic beverages were similar to those found in the Club Lounge at Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa on 1F.
Overall, the variety of drinks and food offered at the ryokan lounge was not large, but it was a grade higher than the two hotel lounges mentioned above.
Afterwards, we decided to take a walk in the beautiful Japanese garden, admiring the illuminated nighttime cherry blossoms. Despite its location in the big city of Tokyo, the Takanawa area, with its 20,000-square-meter Japanese garden, always makes us feel peaceful whenever we visit. Surrounded by the three hotels, the Japanese garden is always a sight to behold, with seasonal flowers and plants, a pond with Nishiki-koi carp, and historical spots such as the Kannon-do Hall, the bell tower, and the temple gate. It is one of our favorite places to visit in Tokyo. Admission to the Takanawa area is always free, even if you are not staying at a nearby hotel. We hope you will stop by when you visit Tokyo. The cherry blossoms, especially in spring, are fleetingly beautiful and well worth a visit.
We strolled through the Japanese garden and then decided to enjoy “Nightcap” in the lounge at the ryokan on 4F. The menu included whiskey, wine, shochu, orange juice, macaroons, bonbon chocolate, vanilla ice cream, vegetable chips, mixed nuts, and Japanese sweets. We relaxed while enjoying our Yamazaki whiskey and bonbon chocolates and returned to our room before 9:00 pm. We had planned to order pizza from room service for our midnight snack, but we ended up not ordering it because we were kind of tired. JFYI, check here for the room service menu.
The next morning, we woke up around 6:30 a.m. and decided to take a walk in the Japanese garden before breakfast. The illuminated nighttime cherry blossoms were beautiful, but the fresh blue morning sky and the light pink cherry blossoms were in perfect harmony. In the early morning, there were still no people and the Japanese garden was surrounded by silence.
After this, we decided to return to our room for breakfast. This time, we decided to have it in our room while enjoying the view of the cherry blossoms from the window on the engawa. You can also choose to have breakfast in the lounge of the ryokan. For the ryokan, only Japanese breakfast is served. If you prefer Western breakfast, you can have it at the other lounges. When we checked in, we informed them of our breakfast time in advance. Breakfast hours are between 7:00 and 10:00. Shortly before breakfast time, a staff member came to our room and prepared breakfast for us. The breakfast was carefully prepared and authentic one by one, such as Yuzu Grilled black cod, cooked vegetables, sesame tofu, and Japanese omelette, which made us feel happy from the morning. The quantity of breakfast was smaller than what you would normally get at a ryokan.
After breakfast, we went to the lounge of the ryokan, enjoyed coffee and macaroons, and decided to relax here until check-out at 12:00. If I were to raise a fault, it would be that there is no onsen (hot spring). However, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, the uniquely Japanese and attentive hospitality, the interior design, and the Japanese garden created a relaxing time for both body and soul. Hoping to stay again next year during the cherry blossom season, we boarded the return shuttle bus and headed back to Shinagawa Station.
Check Availability and Pricing for the ryokan on Agoda
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About the club lounge
| Check-in / Check-out | Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa 4F |
|---|---|
| Open Time |
Breakfast 7:00-10:00 |
| Available Lounges | Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa 1F Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa 4F Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo 1F Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa |
| Features | Access to club lounges at nearby hotels. High-class ryokan ambience Alcoholic beverages, sweets, and food are not varied. |
*When we visited in 2022, the club lounge at Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa was closed.
**From 17:00 onwards, all lounges above are for use by those aged 13 and over.
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Is the location easy to access?
It is about a 5-minute walk from Shinagawa Station, but there is a long slope, so it is best to take a free shuttle bus or a cab. Refer to the info. The arrival and departure locations of the shuttle buses seem to change from time to time. Be sure to check before you visit.
Rooms I would recommend?
If you are staying here during the cherry blossom season, a room with a view of the Japanese garden would be a good choice.
How about toiletries & in-room amenities?
All of the amenities are taken care of including enough toiletries, bathrobes, yukatas, a coffee machine with capsules, English tea bags, a Japanese tea set, bottled water, welcome sweets, etc. There wer GROWN ALCHEMIST bath amenities and POLA skincare products in our bathroom. Room service is available for 24H. The Free Wi-Fi reception was excellent. Blu-Ray players was available. There is a convenience store around Shinagawa Station.
How about In-house Facilities?
The Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo has saunas, whirlpool baths, and a gym on B1. They are open between 7:00 and 22:00. Guests staying at the ryokan can use them free of charge. Running shoes and sportswear can be rented. If you have tattoos, you may not be permitted to use the public bathing area.
Then there is a spa treatment store on the fifth floor of the ryokan. You need to make an appointment in advance if you have a spa treatment service.
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Check Availability and Pricing for the ryokan on Agoda
Info about Takanawa Hanakohro
| Style | Luxury Ryokan |
|---|---|
| Check-in and out times |
15:00/12:00 |
| Estimated Price | 80,000 JPY for 2 adults per room |
| Contact |
Prince Hotels Central Reservations TEL +81-3-6741-9155 |
| Internet Connection | Free Wifi in the hotel |
| Facility Information | Wheelchairs are available Pets are not allowed The parking lot is available JPY1,500 per day |
| Location | Takanawa Hanakohro’s MAP |
| Access | Refer to the above |
| Address and TEL | |
| Official Homepage | Takanawa Hanakohro’s HP |
*All information the above is as of the date that I posted on my blog.
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