Hakone, Here We Come!

There are numerous onsen or hot springs in Japan. For those of us living in and around Tokyo, Hakone is probably the most popular onsen resort. Hakone may not be as spectacular as Nasu or Nikko, but Hakone is full of charm. You can go fancy at a high-end hotel or ryokan–or you can choose from reasonable accommodations.

My friend who had been a long-time resident  wanted to do Hakone before going back to the US, so I did some research on my own. (To tell you the truth, it was my first time to stay at a traditional ryokan in Hakone.) A local travel agent came up with Mikawaya Ryokan in the Kowakidani area of Hakone. Mikawaya Ryokan with its long history of over 100 years also owns a vast Japanese garden across the street from its main building. The cherry blossoms and colorful azaleas will start to bloom in a few weeks!

My friend and I invited a mutual friend, and we all got there in great excitement. We booked a room with a terrace with a sunken bathtub. Our mutual friend was being a bit shy at first, but it turned out that she kept going back to the sunken onsen while we were fast asleep! She really liked it. This has been a quick report, but I hope to be able to write more on this popular resort in the coming months!   Just for your information, this logo ♨means onsen or hot springs.