Onsen Ryokan Mitake — Hotel in Hakone

Tldr version

Pros -This place is great. -Very traditional feel unlike newer more expensive ryokan. -Food was amazing, seasonal, and fresh but be careful if you're a picky eater or bring someone who will finish/eat things you dont want. It's rude to leave food and astonishingly good food so do your best Private Ryokan open all night but if you're walking around at night try to be quite -Very traditional experience from the moment I stepped in, like stepping back in time to the 60s or 70s it's a good thing. -Cute friendly cat on site, dont worry about pet allergies they keep everything very clean and they cat only stays in 1 area -Staff was great and went above and beyond to help us feel at home -Son speaks english -Hosts both Mother and Father although not knowing much english were very polite, helpful and made the stay very pleasant, Mother especially was always smiling and laughing when we would try to say simple japanese to her or complimenting the food. -Room.has great views of the mountains

Tips -Pack light when coming here -A little hard to find make sure to put it in google and it's the right place before coming here -Limited English but you're the visitor to this quaint small town so maybe learn some japanese ya dork -You'll need to take a local train from the Shinkonsen, and a bus that only takes ticket or coins from the train station. Do not miss your stop or you'll have to pay more and walk back I totally screwed up directions and walked with my luggage about 2 or 3 miles to get back to this place cuzz I was dumb, I also didnt have enough coins for the full fair but the bus driver though a little frustrated accepted my apology and let me get off only paying partial fair. These people are very nice please respect them back and dont be an idiot like me. -Busses drive through windy mountain roads pack light -There is a Family Mart near by if you get there early or need lunch since they only serve breakfast and dinner but this is Bret far out of the main town. Don't expect to go to a restaurant or bar without a long expensive bus ride -Bring plenty of cash and lots of coins card is almost nonexistent here and the busses only take ticket and coins -have a good time relax -awesome for singles and couples, did see a couple families in the sane building but rooms might be a little small for anything more than 2 adults and 1 or 2 kids. -if you're not asain prepare to get some looks from the locals there were some other tourists when we headed back down though

This place was great if not a little hard to find. If you're a non japanese speaking tourist or visitor it might be hard for you to communicate with staff. This is not their fault how ever and I won't criticize them for it. You're the visitor and you should know a conversational amount of Japanese before venturing into small country towns and mom and pop onsens. Despite the language barrier (which we were able to figure out though I do need to learn more japanese before trying something like this again as mentioned) we had an amazing time here.

There are more expensive Ryokan that are more modern with larger rooms and multiple private baths but if you want to really experience a traditional Ryokan with generations of family running it this is the place. They have men's and women's baths seprate but also 1 private bath with a nice little over hang and instructions for the baths in english japanese and I believe chinese and a European language if I remember correctly but definitely english and Japanese of course.

I would highly suggest packing light when coming here/trying to get a room downstairs if you have heavy or large luggage. The older couple and their son running the place are sweet and amazing but they shouldn't have to carry an awkward possibly 50 pound suitcase up stairs. I felt really bad about that and if I returned I'd litterally only come with the essentials in a small suitcase. Unfortunately we were touring the whole south eastern part of the big island essencially so I had a ton of stuff with me for a...

The Mitake Ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) was really lovely. It is an older inn but their baths, food, and atmosphere are really great and give you a sense of an older Japan. The Hakone area is really lovely with many different activities and sight-seeing areas. One of the things we loved about the Mitake Ryokan were their private baths. Most ryokan with attached onsen (hot springs baths) are public/communal bathing only. However, Mitake also has two private baths available. This was very nice since my husband has a tattoo, which can sometimes not be allowed in onsen or make Japanese guests uncomfortable. This way he could experience the hot springs without offending anyone. Also, this would be great if you are traveling with children and all want to bath together, or if you are uncomfortable bathing publicly. The food we had at Mitake was delicious and they serve it in your room, which was fun. One of our party has a strong lactose intolerance and they made sure to let us know if any food had dairy products used in cooking. For any English speakers, Mitake staff have those who can speak English pretty well if you are having trouble. One of the most significant parts of our trip involved a typgoon coming up the western coast of Japan and impacting Hakone with severe weather (wind and rain) during our trip. On the day we were to check out, the local and highway buses that usually go through Hakone were shut down due to the severe weather. The staff at Mitake let us know and offered to drive us to the nearest train station to where we needed to go (about 30 minutes for us, though they offered to go as far as Shinjuku station, which is about 2.5 hours away). This was incredibly generous and helpful. Overall, I would highly recommend staying at Mitake and visiting Hakone, especially if you want a taste of...

A truly unforgettable stay at Ryokan Mitake – highly recommended!

Our stay at Ryokan Mitake in the beautiful Hakone region was incredibly relaxing and truly special. This small, family-run ryokan is filled with warmth, care, and genuine hospitality.

The hotel manager and his two attentive staff members went above and beyond to make us feel welcome and valued. Their attention to detail was exceptional, and it made the entire experience feel personal and meaningful.

Breakfast was served in a traditional Japanese style, and each component was thoughtfully explained by the manager. It wasn’t just delicious – it was an experience in itself, full of care and cultural richness.

Dinner, priced at just 5,000 yen per person, was absolutely outstanding. Some might think it’s a lot, but trust me – it’s worth every single yen. The quality and presentation were on par with high-end dining.

Their in-house onsen (both private and public) were another highlight – incredibly peaceful and rejuvenating, adding to the whole atmosphere of relaxation.

Overall, I want to sincerely thank the Mitake team for making our stay so memorable. It was a wonderful experience, and I will gladly recommend it to friends, family, and anyone looking for a special place to stay in Hakone. Thank you so much – I’ll...