Kanagawa Hakone Town, Ashigarashimo District
A lakeside inn where the star is an open-air bath facing Lake Ashi
Hakone Ashinoko Hanaori is an onsen inn in Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Prefecture. It stands on the shore of Lake Ashi, and the main bathhouse has two open-air baths: one looking out over the lake close at hand, and one facing a garden that changes with the seasons. The men’s and women’s baths switch over, so during your stay you can soak while taking in both views. The water is piped from Motohakone Onsen, a calcium-magnesium-sodium-sulfate-bicarbonate spring. There are also semi-open-air private baths you can reserve and rooms with their own open-air bath, giving you plenty of ways to bathe away from other people’s eyes. Meals are served as a buffet, relaxation treatments are available for after your bath, and you can give yourself over to the quiet of the lakeshore.

The main bathhouse opens wide toward Lake Ashi and the forests of Hakone. Settle into the water and the surface of the lake fills your view, with only the sound of the wind reaching your ears. The other bath looks out on a garden that reflects the turning seasons, where you can warm up quietly while gazing at fresh spring green or snowy scenery. The water, piped from Motohakone Onsen, feels soft on the skin, and as you soak with the clear air brushing your cheeks, you slowly loosen up right to your core. The men’s and women’s baths switch over, so getting to enjoy different scenery in the morning and evening is another of the pleasures here.

Two semi-open-air private baths are available by reservation. Close the door and the bathhouse is yours alone, letting you soak with the outside air on your skin and no one else to worry about. They are filled with the same Motohakone Onsen water as the main bathhouse, and the soft water slowly eases the tension from your shoulders. They suit families with small children as well as couples who want to spend quiet time away from other people, and the time stays private right through to the afterglow once you step out. *The private baths can be used by reservation for an additional fee.

Rooms with their own open-air bath come with a tub that is yours alone. With no need to watch the clock, you can sink into the water whenever the mood takes you, whether first thing in the morning or late at night. Breathing in Hakone’s clear air with the outdoors on your skin is a special moment, and the fatigue of travel quietly melts away. It is not onsen water, but there is real luxury in carrying the comfort of your room straight into the bath, making an anniversary stay or time for two all the more special.
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