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A ryokan is one of the coolest hotel experiences you can have in Japan—here’s how to navigate one.

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Just a stone’s throw from Lake Ashi at the foot of Mt. Fuji lies Hakone Jinja, a wonderfully old Shinto shrine nestled among the forests that dot the surrounding hinterlands. The tree-lined approach by foot through the red torii gate lends a mysterious, almost mystical air to the whole visiting experience, especially when shrouded by fog from the lake. Definitely worth checking out as part of any jaunt out to Hakone!

This is the view inside the Symphonic Sculpture by Gabriel Loire at the Hakone Open Air Museum (彫刻の森 in Japanese) in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. The museum opened in 1969 as the first open-air art museum in Japan. The spectacular grounds, set against the backdrop of Mt. Fuji, are the permanent home for hundreds of works by well-known modern and contemporary sculptors and artists, including Picasso, Rodin, Bourdelle, Miro and Moore. There is also a series of installations where children can play, a footbath fed by natural hot springs, and a variety of other facilities including restaurants and shops.

Why we love it: A modern, art-focused take on the ryokan experience

The Highlights:
- Traditional kaiseki dinners crafted from local ingredients
- A private, mineral water–filled outdoor tub in each room
- Art classes and other creative activities

The Review:
About a two-hour drive from Tokyo, some 2,300 feet up in the mountains of the hot springs-rich Hakone region, sits this modern take on the ryokan bathhouse experience. Opened in 2018, Kai Sengokuhara is part of the Kai group of luxury ryokans throughout Japan, each of which has been designed to reflect its location and celebrate local craftsmanship. Here, art is the focus, with the property doubling as an evolving gallery for works by local and international artists. Also on offer is a roster of creativity-stimulating activities, including nightly classes in hand-painting traditional tenugui handkerchiefs.

The two room categories—one for up to two guests, the other for up to three—also feature original artwork inspired by the surrounding region, along with private terraces with outdoor tubs fed by spring water from the valley. Other touches include elegant flax kimonos, custom mattresses, and free Wi-Fi. Rates are typically half-board, so all guests are able to savor traditional Japanese breakfasts (centered around the use of a local yam) and flavorful, multi-course kaiseki dinners, crafted with local proteins (from beef to abalone) and elegantly presented on handpicked tableware. And then there’s the soaking: two bath halls (male and female) are each equipped with indoor and outdoor pools filled with mineral-rich Owakudani volcanic valley waters, in which you can soak away the world while gazing out at the lush green forest.

The variety of geographical features, flora and fauna in this national park is astounding. Unlike many parks, Fuji-Hakone-Izu consists of a number of different sites throughout the region, which is roughly 100 kilometers (60 miles) west of Yokohama. The park includes five lakes, coastal and mountainous areas, its own natural hot springs and eight volcanic islands. A variety of subtropical plants grow in parts of the park, and it’s home to endemic species such as the green tree frog and the Japanese clawed salamander. Above all, it’s beautiful year-round. From many points you can see iconic Mt. Fuji on clear days.