Hakone Kowakien Mikawaya Ryokan

Wonderful stay in an authentic ryokan with a long history. Property is visibly aged but generally extremely well kept and provides a top-quality yet very traditional ryokan experience. Food was excellent, staff mostly spoke very good English and were extremely friendly and helpful. Property is a little out of the way but has a bus stop right outside for going in both directions. It is also a short walk to catch a different bus to Gora.

The onsen was not functioning during our stay which was disappointing but otherwise Service was good.

21：00から22：00のドリンク(酒類含)飲み放題があり大変お世話になりました。宿泊施設によってはあまりない企画でしたので楽しく飲ませて頂きました。ありがとうございました。

Leider wurde an dem Haus gebaut, worüber wir nicht informiert worden sind. Renovierung ist aber auch dringend nötig, da das Hotel doch schon sehr in die Jahre gekommen ist. Allerdings lernt man in dem Hotel auch das ursprüngliche Japan kennen und hoffentlich bleibt das mit der Renovierung erhalten. Das Essen und der Onsen sind sehr gut. Auch das Personal ist sehr freundlich und immer bemüht, einem den Aufenthalt so angenehm und schön wie möglich zu machen.

Staff were the best in service and attention to detail. Main building had some construction ongoing as of 7/2025, but stayed in villa separate from main building. Villa was traditional in all aspects including tatami floors and sliding doors. Breakfast and set dinner meals were excellent providing variety of Japanese flavors and multiple courses of meals. Villa has indoor and outdoor private onsen. Public onsen was excellent clean and location was only 45 taking local bus from Odawara station to Ryokan.

Everything was very nice, food, onseng, clean and large room. The hotel was being refurbished, only reason why I didn’t give the highest rate.

The food is absolutely amazing, the staff are very friendly, a local bus conveniently passes right buy it, they have a free shuttle to take to Gora which is the rope way station is. Their bath was slightly underwhelming but they have an option to use another public bath for free (5 minutes away). The room was clean and comfortable. It’s in a calmer and quieter area if that’s what you are looking for. Not much to do after dinner but very peaceful.

First time at an onsen. We live near Banff,AB so have hot springs too but from the time we arrived, the service was amazing! A doorman carried our luggage up 2 flights of stone steps from the road where our shuttle dropped us off. We were asked to remove shoes and given tea and a mochi. Due to my milk allergy and my hubby not eating raw meat such as sushi, they went over our meals line by line and took such great care of us! The room was huge, our luggage was delivered to our room within 15 minutes and we had a gorgeous view of the cherry blossoms and mountains! Waking up to the sound of birds chirping and the air is so fresh! I love the tranquility and our stay included breakfast and dinner which were served with utmost hospitality and quality. I dropped a chopstick on the floor and had a new one within 20 seconds. I didn’t flag anyone down. They also arranged for our luggage transport to the next hotel and the outdoor onsen was lovely. I didn’t want to leave after the insanity of Tokyo city! Thank you to all the staff and those who manage this facility for making our stay fantastic! For a building that’s 140yo, you have struck the balance of preserving the old with the new! We love you and hope to see you again!

Excellent location and views. Property was under construction which was unfortunate as that was a big draw to staying at the ryokan. There was a miscommunication or misunderstanding that resulted in an approximately $25 late check out time after we removed our bags from the room 30 minutes after the apparent check out time which after a only a one night stay left a bad last impression.

We had the superior room with private onsen. While we did not have the beautiful patio view of our friends on the upper floors, the first floor offered private decks with the onsen we used 5 times in one day. It has fencing around for privacy but the stars shone bright at night from the onsen. Outdoor shower as well. Loved the traditional floors, Japanese attire provided for us to use indoors, at all meals, and in the huge extensive gorgeous garden. Indoor ryokan common area shoes and bathroom shoes as well were provided. I thought the kaiseki meals might leave us hungry and be too small like artistic French food. Not at all! While it was gorgeously presented in several rounds, by the end we were absolutely completely and utterly stuffed at both our breakfast and dinner meals both days. All 4 of us were blown away by the quality and amount of food. When breakfast rolled around, we were not yet hungry as we ate so much in the private Ryokan dinner. Yet we finished our breakfasts anyway to honor the chef and fully enjoy this kaiseki presentation. On a different note, there was certainly some street noise as the Ryokan is close to the road, but not a big deal. Easy access to the bus outside the Ryokan was helpful, plus they had a free shuttle from the Gora station. Photos on their website showing the shuttle stop and directions to is from the station were spot on. Staff was super helpful while not all spoke English or very well. Google translate is great.

We were excited to reserve two nights at this ryokan, as we were truly impressed by the beautiful photos posted on Expedia. Unfortunately, some of the photos turned out to be quite misleading. While the listing did mention that the property is over 100 years old—a detail we admittedly overlooked—it became clear upon arrival that the property is a little dated. Some areas of the carpet showed noticeable wear and tear, and we even spotted spider webs on the ceiling and in corners of the hallways, which was disappointing. One particularly surprising moment was when we returned from a day trip, carrying two handfuls of trash from our journey. Since it had been a rainy day and we’d been picking up drinks and snacks while driving, we hadn’t found a place to dispose of the trash earlier. I approached the front desk for assistance, only to be told to discard everything in the small bin inside our room. This response felt dismissive, especially considering the standard of hospitality typically expected at a ryokan. Dinner is usually something I look forward to at traditional inns like this, but I have to say the meals were just average—definitely not something I’d rave about. If you’re driving up the mountain, you might find better dining options elsewhere. That said, the mountain view from our room was absolutely stunning and definitely a highlight of the stay. Overall, I’m sorry to say that the experience didn’t quite live up to expectations, especially given the price we paid.

I’ve been to several different onsen in Japan and this is THE WORST one. Atmosphere was good from outside but as soon as I try to walk in into to my room which was located on 1st fl it started to smell in the hallway like a sewer. I can see they were trying to cover ip with somekind of aroma. Once I walked in to my checked room #100 It stinked like pee all over the room. They had air purifiers that made worst so we turned it off. Went to dinner and came back but still had the stinkyness in the bathroom. Not to mention Broken hanksink faucet too. Went to front desk and complaint to change room but they refused to because they were booked completely, only taking about aroma aroma… Spent well enough $550 / night fir the worst ever onsen and got treated this way. DO NOT RECOMMEND to this onsen. I say again DO NOT RECOMMEND.

毕竟旅店已经上年头了。有点旧。不过卫生各方面都保持的非常好。露天浴室地板有点翘起来了。卫生间有点异味。谢谢

Fue mi primera experiencia en un ryokan, si bien el personal fue amable, falta mucho mantenimiento a las instalaciones de zonas comunes, además de que tuvimos una experiencia no ta agradable al encontrar un a cucaracha en el comedor, creo que por el precio podría encontrar lugar más adecuados.

felt old and dusty.

We loved our stay. It was very clean and very peaceful with gorgeous Mountain View’s and spacious rooms

직원은 친절하고 객실은 깨끗하였습니다.

We booked this ryokan for one night of our honeymoon, based on Expedia's images and positive reviews. The room was generous in size, and it was special to have a private onsen. However, the annex building had a noticeable damp or mold smell, and the hallways had damaged finishes and spiderwebs. The kaiseki dinner was served in a windowless hall, rather than a room with views. Overall, the hospitality in terms of cleanliness and staff attentiveness felt below the standard we experienced at other accommodations in Japan. The property's images and reviews suggested a higher level of quality and atmosphere than what we encountered, and it did not meet our expectations given the price paid.

Staff friendly and the rooms are clean , convenient location

It was not very clean but it was ok. The welcome was not very good but the food was very good

The villa was too old. out door onsen was great. The food was ok. It was over price.

Very comfortable and spacious accommodations with traditional Japanese decor and a spa bathroom. It was a relaxing stay with welcoming staff. The onsen and meals make it worth choosing Mikawaya.

The hotel is beautiful and the in room onsen shower area is just so zen!

Beautiful stay in a beautiful ryokan with traditional but comfortable decor and furnishings. The staff, the service, the food, the onsen were all superb and we especially loved our spacious suite with amazing views of the countryside!

We loved our stay. It was very clean and very peaceful with gorgeous Mountain View’s and spacious rooms

Location was nice and isolated. Private onsen deck was nice and quiet. Our only close neighbours were the giant spiders and other small hakone residents

It was a relaxing area especially having your own villa. Wish i stayed longer to explore the area but def would have booked for 2 or more nights instead of 1. I did enjoy the peace n quite and the food served.

We did not know that our room would have only an outside shower, and it was about 40°, so we could not use the shower at all! Room was not genuine ryokan, as we had beds rather than futon and we had to go to a dining area for our meals. It might be better to stay in a room with a shared bathroom because those are in the older part of the hotel. Stinked odor of mold everywhere in the hotel Samiel were OK, but everything else was substandard. We were very excited about this day, which was our last evening in Japan, and it was a huge disappointment. The glowing reviews I read online must be from people who don't know what to expect at a traditional Japanese in

We had the superior room with private onsen. While we did not have the beautiful patio view of our friends on the upper floors, the first floor offered private decks with the onsen we used 5 times in one day. It has fencing around for privacy but the stars shone bright at night from the onsen. Outdoor shower as well. Loved the traditional floors, Japanese attire provided for us to use indoors, at all meals, and in the huge extensive gorgeous garden. Indoor ryokan common area shoes and bathroom shoes as well were provided. I thought the kaiseki meals might leave us hungry and be too small like artistic French food. Not at all! While it was gorgeously presented in several rounds, by the end we were absolutely completely and utterly stuffed at both our breakfast and dinner meals both days. All 4 of us were blown away by the quality and amount of food. When breakfast rolled around, we were not yet hungry as we ate so much in the private Ryokan dinner. Yet we finished our breakfasts anyway to honor the chef and fully enjoy this kaiseki presentation. On a different note, there was certainly some street noise as the Ryokan is close to the road, but not a big deal. Easy access to the bus outside the Ryokan was helpful, plus they had a free shuttle from the Gora station. Photos on their website showing the shuttle stop and directions to is from the station were spot on. Staff was super helpful while not all spoke English or very well. Google translate is great.

3-Star hotel but you pay closer to a 5-star price. Be mindful that despite the price point, this is still 3-star hotel. The pros are the gorgeous rooms (we stayed in the Traditional Japanese corner room in the main building), the friendly staff, and the high quality menu ingredients. The hotel does feel a bit dated, but depending on your expectations from a Ryokan from the late 19th century, this is not a major concern. It is also currently undergoing renovations, which seem to be done intentionally to retain as much of the old charm as possible. The staff were very kind and genuine. Limited English and some confusion during check-in (given the wrong room) but overall we were very pleased with the staff. Unclear if Expedia is the reason we were originally given the wrong room or of this was the fault of the property, but the staff made it right promptly, which was a huge relief for us. Maybe call ahead to confirm you’re getting the room pictured? The private onsen was pleasant.

This was one of my highlights of my Japan trip, the kaiseki dinner was delicious and the room had such a great view. The onsen was also very relaxing. Staff was very helpful and had transportation to Gora station so that we could continue on our Hakone Loop.

We were excited to reserve two nights at this ryokan, as we were truly impressed by the beautiful photos posted on Expedia. Unfortunately, some of the photos turned out to be quite misleading. While the listing did mention that the property is over 100 years old—a detail we admittedly overlooked—it became clear upon arrival that the property is a little dated. Some areas of the carpet showed noticeable wear and tear, and we even spotted spider webs on the ceiling and in corners of the hallways, which was disappointing. One particularly surprising moment was when we returned from a day trip, carrying two handfuls of trash from our journey. Since it had been a rainy day and we’d been picking up drinks and snacks while driving, we hadn’t found a place to dispose of the trash earlier. I approached the front desk for assistance, only to be told to discard everything in the small bin inside our room. This response felt dismissive, especially considering the standard of hospitality typically expected at a ryokan. Dinner is usually something I look forward to at traditional inns like this, but I have to say the meals were just average—definitely not something I’d rave about. If you’re driving up the mountain, you might find better dining options elsewhere. That said, the mountain view from our room was absolutely stunning and definitely a highlight of the stay. Overall, I’m sorry to say that the experience didn’t quite live up to expectations, especially given the price we paid.

Staff was soooo attentive and nice The Private Onsen in the room was the best experience i’ve ever had wish i could go back very soon

The stay was lovely made special by the meal on 1st night , but had a terrible experience. Despite agreeing the price through hotels.com the hotel inisisted I pay another persons worth of costs on arrival or leave (not poss with a smal child after 10 hours travelling and nothing locally available). Their website is also misleading

One of the best hotels ive ever stayed. The hotel has the most wonderful staff and beautiful interior and baths.especially the manager was very nice and she gracefully welcomed us.

This ryokan is so beautiful, so luxurious, so simple and hospitable. The rooms are gorgeous and the views are better. The onsen is so inviting and clean. The staff! The staff is incredible. I wish we could have stayed her more than one night. And the food! There are no words! The food! I am so glad we found this place. We visited for one night in

Staff service was outstanding. Room was immaculate and well appointed with amenities. Food was incredible.

Great staff and service! Everyone is very helpful and friendly. If you are looking to attention to detail this is the place to stay and relax on holidays.

First time at an onsen. We live near Banff,AB so have hot springs too but from the time we arrived, the service was amazing! A doorman carried our luggage up 2 flights of stone steps from the road where our shuttle dropped us off. We were asked to remove shoes and given tea and a mochi. Due to my milk allergy and my hubby not eating raw meat such as sushi, they went over our meals line by line and took such great care of us! The room was huge, our luggage was delivered to our room within 15 minutes and we had a gorgeous view of the cherry blossoms and mountains! Waking up to the sound of birds chirping and the air is so fresh! I love the tranquility and our stay included breakfast and dinner which were served with utmost hospitality and quality. I dropped a chopstick on the floor and had a new one within 20 seconds. I didn’t flag anyone down. They also arranged for our luggage transport to the next hotel and the outdoor onsen was lovely. I didn’t want to leave after the insanity of Tokyo city! Thank you to all the staff and those who manage this facility for making our stay fantastic! For a building that’s 140yo, you have struck the balance of preserving the old with the new! We love you and hope to see you again!

3-Star hotel but you pay closer to a 5-star price. Be mindful that despite the price point, this is still 3-star hotel. The pros are the gorgeous rooms (we stayed in the Traditional Japanese corner room in the main building), the friendly staff, and the high quality menu ingredients. The hotel does feel a bit dated, but depending on your expectations from a Ryokan from the late 19th century, this is not a major concern. It is also currently undergoing renovations, which seem to be done intentionally to retain as much of the old charm as possible. The staff were very kind and genuine. Limited English and some confusion during check-in (given the wrong room) but overall we were very pleased with the staff. Unclear if Expedia is the reason we were originally given the wrong room or of this was the fault of the property, but the staff made it right promptly, which was a huge relief for us. Maybe call ahead to confirm you’re getting the room pictured? The private onsen was pleasant.

This was one of my highlights of my Japan trip, the kaiseki dinner was delicious and the room had such a great view. The onsen was also very relaxing. Staff was very helpful and had transportation to Gora station so that we could continue on our Hakone Loop.

I loved the traditional stay. Lovely staff. I do think the accommodations were overpriced. The food was good but both mornings my hot breakfast was cold. Just make sure you don’t mind being far from other places.

Stayed in the main building of this Ryokan from the 19th century. Large room, beautiful view and surroundings. Very charming and conveniently close to a bus stop. There is also a free shuttle. Food was wonderful and plentiful, and the staff was able to accommodate for my shellfish allergies. There are some minor downsides, the bathroom I had, with a bath that has a hot spa faucet (not a full private onsen which some rooms/villas on the property have) did have some dark spots. Similarly the self-serve coffee room while nice feels lower end in quality for the price. Drinks at dinner cost extra (no big deal, just weird it is a separate cost), there is a self-serve free happy hour at 9pm but at that point I was in a food coma with no desire for more drink, so it felt like a wasted perk. Overall, a unique experience but one's expectations should align with the age of the property.

Wonderful stay in an authentic ryokan with a long history. Property is visibly aged but generally extremely well kept and provides a top-quality yet very traditional ryokan experience. Food was excellent, staff mostly spoke very good English and were extremely friendly and helpful. Property is a little out of the way but has a bus stop right outside for going in both directions. It is also a short walk to catch a different bus to Gora.

Great location. Close to the Hakone loop and all the staff were polite!

We loved our stay. It was very clean and very peaceful with gorgeous Mountain View’s and spacious rooms

Location was nice and isolated. Private onsen deck was nice and quiet. Our only close neighbours were the giant spiders and other small hakone residents

across bus stop

The food is absolutely amazing, the staff are very friendly, a local bus conveniently passes right buy it, they have a free shuttle to take to Gora which is the rope way station is. Their bath was slightly underwhelming but they have an option to use another public bath for free (5 minutes away). The room was clean and comfortable. It’s in a calmer and quieter area if that’s what you are looking for. Not much to do after dinner but very peaceful.

We had the superior room with private onsen. While we did not have the beautiful patio view of our friends on the upper floors, the first floor offered private decks with the onsen we used 5 times in one day. It has fencing around for privacy but the stars shone bright at night from the onsen. Outdoor shower as well. Loved the traditional floors, Japanese attire provided for us to use indoors, at all meals, and in the huge extensive gorgeous garden. Indoor ryokan common area shoes and bathroom shoes as well were provided. I thought the kaiseki meals might leave us hungry and be too small like artistic French food. Not at all! While it was gorgeously presented in several rounds, by the end we were absolutely completely and utterly stuffed at both our breakfast and dinner meals both days. All 4 of us were blown away by the quality and amount of food. When breakfast rolled around, we were not yet hungry as we ate so much in the private Ryokan dinner. Yet we finished our breakfasts anyway to honor the chef and fully enjoy this kaiseki presentation. On a different note, there was certainly some street noise as the Ryokan is close to the road, but not a big deal. Easy access to the bus outside the Ryokan was helpful, plus they had a free shuttle from the Gora station. Photos on their website showing the shuttle stop and directions to is from the station were spot on. Staff was super helpful while not all spoke English or very well. Google translate is great.

This was one of my highlights of my Japan trip, the kaiseki dinner was delicious and the room had such a great view. The onsen was also very relaxing. Staff was very helpful and had transportation to Gora station so that we could continue on our Hakone Loop.

This was a lovely and traditional Ryokan. The staff were lovely. Some aspects of the food were amazing and other didn’t quite hit the spot. For example you couldn’t get a coffee with breakfast (even if you chose Western style). The property was a bit “tired” and could do with a facelift especially for the price they charge.

Authentic Japanese living room and bedroom, excellent Kaiseki dinner and Western & Japanese breakfast, private Onsen bath, excellent service…

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 – A Truly Unforgettable Ryokan Experience Our stay at Hakone Kowakien Mikawaya Ryokan was absolutely wonderful from start to finish. The atmosphere perfectly captured the charm of a traditional Japanese inn — peaceful, elegant, and deeply relaxing. The kaiseki dinner and Japanese breakfast were both incredible — beautifully presented, full of flavor, and a true highlight of our trip. Each dish felt thoughtfully prepared with seasonal ingredients and artistic presentation. We enjoyed both the private onsen and the public baths, which were immaculate and soothing with the surrounding nature views. The private bath experience was especially special — serene, quiet, and rejuvenating after a long day of exploring Hakone. The staff were kind, attentive, and made us feel truly welcome. Every detail, from the check-in to the evening yukata service, reflected genuine hospitality and care. If you’re looking for an authentic ryokan stay that combines comfort, tradition, and incredible cuisine, Hakone Kowakien Mikawaya Ryokan is perfect. We can’t recommend it enough — it’s an experience we’ll always remember.

I loved the traditional stay. Lovely staff. I do think the accommodations were overpriced. The food was good but both mornings my hot breakfast was cold. Just make sure you don’t mind being far from other places.

Beautiful property. Hot springs were very nice and meals were out of this world.

Staff service was outstanding. Room was immaculate and well appointed with amenities. Food was incredible.

Loved the private onsen. The dinner provided was outstanding

食事が美味しくなくてがっかりでした。

Beautiful property. Fantastic dinner experience