Ryokan

After spending one night in Hiroshima, our guide took us to the train we boarded for our trip to Hakone. Hakone is the mountainous resort area surrounding Mt. Fuji. This area is home to many Ryokan, or Japanese style Inns. A Ryokan is very unique and usually features an Onsen, which is a hot spring water bath. Staying in a Ryokan is a spa like experience that the japanese people do to relax and get away from the fast pace of the city life.

A bus picked us up from the train station and we took a winding hour long ride up in the mountains. We had to move from the bus to a van to take the last few curves up to the Ryokan. We stayed at the Musashino Bekkan which was absolutely beautiful and perfect in every way!! Our family had the entire 5th floor of the Inn which included 5 rooms. They were traditional japanese rooms with rice paper doors and tatami floors. I'm sure the people working there thought we were nuts as we all kept running from room to room admiring the furnishing and the views. They really just wanted us to pick a room so they could serve us tea.

Here are pictures of some of the beautiful and spacious rooms.





When you arrive at the Ryokan you are given a garment to wear called a Yukata. They also give you Tabi which are socks with the big toe separated from the rest of the toes



A stay at a Ryokan usually includes breakfast and dinner. The menu is decided for you and we were served at my count, 16 different dishes for dinner. Some of the fish was raw or sashimi and some was cooked. One of the most interesting dishes was a live abalone under the heavy cover that was cooked right at our tables.



Our hostess worked very hard clearing, cooking and bringing us dishes. She was so cute and nice.


We did soak in the Onsen where the water was very, very hot. The outdoor tubs were in very beautiful settings. Of course you must go in your birthday suit but at this ryokan you have the choice of using the large communal area (one for women, one for men) or reserving a private onsen. As you might have guessed, no pictures were taken.