Hoshino Resorts, KAI Hakone

KAI Hakone sits on the old Tokaido road in Hakone Yumoto Onsen, Kanagawa, about seven minutes by car from Hakone Yumoto Station. The ryokan draws its hot spring water from Mt. Yusaka, and the Sukumo River runs alongside the property. It holds 34 rooms, with occupancy from one to five guests.

The baths are lined with ancient hinoki cypress, and large windows frame the surrounding woodland so that only the murmur of the river breaks the quiet. In the courtyard, the ryokan recreates the chaya teahouses that once gave travellers rest before and after crossing the Hakone mountain pass on the Tokaido road, the most difficult stretch of that historic route.

Dinner is a kaiseki course built around a classic Hakone dish of broth-boiled beef and vegetables, which entered local food culture in the 19th century when beef was introduced to cater to the Westerners who came for the hot springs. Breakfast centres on a Japanese set meal built around seiro-mushi, a steamed dish featuring fish paste products such as kamaboko, with a Western-style alternative available except from 1 to 3 January. Children's platters are offered for ages 4 to 6 and 7 to 11, and a vegetarian kaiseki, free of the eight major allergens, can be arranged with five days' notice. Facilities include a restaurant, café and lounge, spa and massage, playroom, pool, onsen and public bath, and a meeting room. Wi-Fi is free throughout, parking is private and free without reservation, and EV charging is available around the clock. Pets are welcome.