Last Updated on April 23, 2023
Rest and relaxation in a traditional Japanese hotel
Ichi, ni, san, yon (one, two, three, four) intoned the breathing instructor as we exhaled during a workshop at Hoshino Resorts KAI Hakone, a luxury boutique hotel set in a national park 90 minutes from Tokyo. After half an hour of guided breathing, I was deeply relaxed and had learned to count to ten in Japanese. KAI Hakone, set in an area of great natural beauty and boasting fine Japanese cuisine plus a hot spring bath open to the forest, is the kind of resort that lulls you into such a state of repose that it is painful to leave.
We arrived at Hoshino Resorts KAI Hakone after four days in the megatropolis of Tokyo, a city of 39 million people that is fast-paced and over-stimulating. I was ready for a day of pampering set amongst magnificent scenery. The tranquil environment in which KAI Hakone is set will relax even the most stressed traveller. Hakone is a vast mountainous area that is very popular with Tokyoites who come to relax on day trips or weekend getaways. It not only boasts outstanding museums and natural beauty in equal measure, but it is also famous for its natural hot springs called onsen. These communal baths, separated by gender – some hotels have private ones available – have a long and deep history in Japanese culture. Once you have shed your clothes and inhibitions, sinking into the hot mineral water is as therapeutic as it sounds and leaves the skin soft and the mind refreshed.
KAI Hakone is a ryokan which is a traditional Japanese accommodation with a hot spring bath and that serves traditional Japanese meals. It combines these traditional features with all that a visitor might expect from a contemporary hotel. As we strolled down the hill to KAI Hakone, fresh from train travel and a local bus – there is a bus stop nearby – the cherry blossom was just bursting into bloom and we were enveloped in the warmest welcome while we settled into the comfortable lounge overlooking the Yusaka mountain forest and the Sukomo river. Here one can enjoy complimentary tea and coffee while perusing some of the 100 books in the hotel library or soaking up the view. Within the hour I had cast off my jeans and jumper, was enrobed in my yukata (a Japanese gown) and was making my way to the onsen (the natural hot spring bath). I had enjoyed a daily soak in these hot spring baths in our hotel in Tokyo but nothing had prepared me for KAI Hakone. Here the onsen was very large – imagine a sunken cedar wood pool the size of a living room. Then picture how it opens on the far side to the elements, like an infinity pool. As I rested my elbows on the wooden edge of the onsen with its bubbling water from the hot spring, I could hear the gentle sound of the river flowing below while I gazed up at the forest that rose high up into the sky, cherry and plum blossoms adding bursts of colour amidst the trees. As one must enter the onsen perfectly clean, there is always an ante chamber – a communal area equipped with wooden stools on which to sit for a thorough scrubbing and washing of one’s body and hair with hand showers. KAI Hakone’s wash area was beautifully appointed with delicious hair and body products.
After the most relaxing soak – the water is hot and can make one dizzy so I stayed no longer than 15 minutes – I returned to my room which overlooked the same view as the onsen, albeit a few stories up. I was mesmerised by the forest while reposing on a cushion on a tatami mat at a low wooden table set against the floor-to-ceiling glass. I opened the window to let the sounds of the river flow in. As night fell, the river was illuminated, and the atmosphere became magical. I sipped a sweet ginger tea from an oval cup, Japanese style. I wanted to slow time down so as to enjoy all that KAI Hakone had to offer.
The 32 guest rooms (available both in Japanese or Western style) at KAI Hakone are located in a separate building linked to the main building via a small bamboo garden. There is also a traditional Japanese garden in the Kyoto style and an abundance of mature trees. The bedroom at KAI Hakone was beautiful. It had a large living area overlooking the forest with a capacious L-shaped sofa facing a large flat-screen TV. A contemporary wooden coffee table centred the room which was covered in tatami mats. Alongside a kitchen area equipped with a stylish kettle, a coffee machine and covetable Japanese teacups – was a long wooden set of shelves housing a Yosegi (parquetry) gallery on which rested an assortment of stunning parquetry – trays, plates and games. The Jenga set was unlike any I’ve seen before. Each piece was a miniature artwork. Parquetry is a handicraft traditionally practised in the Hakone area and the colourful patterns make use of the diverse variety of trees that grow there. The hotel hosts an after-dinner lecture on the subject. There is a small shop on-site, where parquetry items, local ceramics, and foods can be bought.
The bedroom area was large with two well-sized single beds and duvets so fluffy I could not wait for bedtime. The mattresses were positioned on a large, dark wooden platform with a Japanese lantern on each side. It was perfectly zen-like. Dark wooden wardrobes had plenty of hanging space for those who prefer not to travel light. The bathroom had a spacious walk-in rain shower and an oversized basin on which were perched an array of lotions and potions. Fluffy gowns, pyjamas, and indoor slippers were provided as well as all toiletries which are standard in Japanese hotels. To aid further relaxation there was a file with illustrations for stretching exercises and one could join a class at 6.45 am. I skipped the class and headed instead for an early morning soak in the onsen before breakfast which was served at 7.30. I felt refreshed with my skin as soft as a baby from the minerals in the hot spring.
We went to breakfast – as we did for the kaiseki dinner the night before – wearing traditional Japanese pyjamas and the yukata gown. It sounds unusual but as all the guests do so too we felt very comfortable as this is standard practice in a ryokan. Some smaller ryokans serve dinner in your room. At KAI Hakone the meals were served in the hotel restaurant which was a large area divided into separate seating cabins so that each party had a private room divided by wooden screens. This was my first experience of a full, traditional Japanese breakfast and I was full of anticipation. We arrived to find wooden baskets steaming on small braziers positioned on the table. A long menu of breakfast items was presented – as far from the full English as you could wish to get. Tiny bowls of sauces were offered to accompany the steamed food – a ginger soy sauce and a plum miso paste to enjoy with the homemade tofu. Pickles were served in a flower-shaped ceramic dish. There was a Japanese omelette along with roasted flatfish marinated with white miso.
A tray was then presented with an array of beautiful items. The homemade tofu was akin to eating silk and was a revelation eaten with the slightly spicy plum paste. Yoghurt was served with a citrussy jam which I discovered is called Shonan Gold, a hybrid fruit that is grown locally. Once the steaming was completed, we lifted the lids to find three fishcakes and an assortment of Japanese mushrooms and spring onions. A rectangular ceramic tray had five small apertures each filled with a delicious item. There was steamed chicken with dried strips of radish; dried gourd strips with sesame which was chewy and nutty; seaweed and simmered konjac was colourful and gentle on the palate; soybean pulp and dried shrimp was soft and yielding with a slight crunch; a steamed cake of shiitake was worth waking up early for. It had a deep umami flavour, a square of deliciousness. Each bowl was different and visually appealing. As is always the case for breakfast in Japan, hot rice was served – I have fallen for the rice and pickle combination – as well as miso soup. There was plenty of roasted tea on offer. Although there was a lot of variety, in Japan food is served in small quantities so that one does not feel over-full.
Service at KAI Hakone was polite and helpful in a way that exceeded expectations. When we reluctantly checked out a few hours after breakfast, the manager presented us with parquetry keyrings and a box of local biscuits for our onward journey. She stood outside and waved until we were out of sight. I knew that before returning indoors, she would perform a final bow, bringing to an end our engagement with the hotel. It was a fitting closure to a remarkable stay at KAI Hakone.
KAI Hakone is part of Hoshino Resorts, an award-winning hotel group with four brands of hotels across Japan that provide a wide range of accommodation options for discerning travellers. The hotels are located in over 50 destinations and have garnered the group no less than 42 awards. Some of the resorts boast 5 stars while others are contemporary hot spring ryokans (traditional Japanese-style accommodation). There is also urban accommodation for casual travellers in cities from Tokyo to Okinawa or ski resorts in Hokkaido. Hoshino Resorts has a luxury brand, Hoshinoya; KAI resorts are found in classic hot spring areas and provide Japanese auberge style accommodation; Risonare are countryside resort hotels with food culture tied to the terroir of the area, while the OMO hotels are city-based tourist hotels.
The Hakone area is best visited over a number of days as there is a great deal to see and do from world-class museums and galleries to mountain hikes, a ropeway gondola that takes visitors to the top of a volcanic mountain from which there are wonderful views of Mount Fuji. You can read more about Hakone here.
230 Yumotochaya, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun 250-0312 Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
