【Hakone】Hatsuhana – Healing hot spring baths accommodation that will delight your senses and smile your face off

Feel your mind. Time spent in leisure.

We stayed at Hatsuhana, an accommodation in Okuyumoto, Hakone, which tickles all five senses and offers a time that satisfies the soul with its lush green landscape of Yusaka Mountain, the sound of wind and birds, the scent of plants and trees, cuisine that makes the most of local ingredients, and warm hot springs.

“Hatsuhana” means the first cherry blossoms of the year. This was named with the desire to “welcome guests with the feeling of waiting for the cherry blossoms to bloom.” Opened in 1993, it was rebranded and reopened in September 2020 as a more refined, modern Japanese-style hot spring hotel where guests can enjoy a more private and luxurious atmosphere.

It is located in front of the exit of the Sukumogawa Interchange on the Hakone New Road when visiting by car, or a 10-minute cab ride from Hakone Tozan Railway Hakone-Yumoto Station when using the train, making it one of the most accessible locations in Hakone from central Tokyo.

Upon arrival, the first thing to do is to check in with a welcome drink in the luxurious and warm lounge. If I heard that I could choose a draft beer as the welcome drink, how could I miss it… yes, beer is great to drink while the sun is still bright!

Now that I’ve had a break in the lounge, let’s move on to my room.

Guest Room

There are 35 rooms in total. Each room is divided into five categories, from comfort to luxury, and is decorated with the concept of “cherry blossom,” which is the meaning of “Hatsuhana”. The interior is decorated in three image colors: pink-gold “space,” ivory “white,” and earth-toned “earth.

Another nice feature is that all guest rooms have an open-air bath! From any room, you can enjoy the seasonal scenery from the open-air bath on the terrace facing Mount Yusaka.

The room I stayed was “Premium C-type” which is a particularly recommended room type in Hatsuhana. It consists of a living room with stylish Ryukyu tatami mats, a washroom with double sinks, a terrace with an open-air bath, a bedroom, and a Japanese-style room. This time we had a reservation for four guests including children (one child sleeps with us), so we had a futon laid out in the Japanese-style room.

Hatsuhana is also very environmentally conscious, using “wadding” processed from recovered marine plastic for the pillows, duvets, and bed pads in the bedrooms. In addition, to reduce plastic waste, amenities such as toothbrushes and hairbrushes are not provided in the rooms. However, if you ask for them when you make a reservation or tell them what you need when you check in, they will provide them for you, so I did not feel inconvenienced at all. (I brought my own toothbrush, so only a hairbrush was provided.)

The amenity is the “Ibuki” fragrance, which is inspired by forest bathing, from the OSAJI cosmetic brand. This fragrance, which is reminiscent of forest bathing, matches the scenery seen from the terrace.

In the open-air bath on the terrace, one can enjoy the view of the lush greenery of Mt. Yusaka, feel the breeze, and listen to the sounds of birds and insects. This moment, when I could think about nothing but the nature in front of me, seemed to me a precious time for a spontaneous digital detox.

If you feel the water is too hot, press the switch attached to the bathtub and add water to the bathtub to bring the temperature to your liking. The source of the spring water stops around 10:00 p.m., but because of its heat-retaining effect, the bathtub remains warm even if you take a bath in the middle of the night.

In one corner of the living room there is a mini-bar, and the contents of the refrigerator are free to drink. It contained mandarin orange juice, which is unique to this area, and Hatsuhana’s original beers. Sakura Ale beer is a refreshing beer made with the extract of cherry blossoms grown in Kanagawa Prefecture, which gives it a cherry blossom aroma.

Meal

Meals are served at the “Hanaemi” restaurant inside the hotel. All tables are private rooms (31 rooms, 114 seats), so even those of us with small children were able to spend time without hesitation.

Dinner

Dinner was modern kaiseki based on kaiseki cuisine with a Western essence. For aperitif, we were served Hatsuhana’s original craft liqueur “Sakura-shu”. It was delicious with a hint of cherry blossom flavor. The ingredients used at the restaurant include hydroponically grown Hadano vegetables, Odawara rice “Harumi,” and other local ingredients. Although it is kaiseki, the dishes are interesting because they are not restricted to any genre.

Breakfast

There was a choice of Japanese or Western breakfast, so I chose the Western breakfast. For Western breakfast, you can enjoy omelets, sausages and bacon produced in Kanagawa Prefecture. For Japanese breakfast, you can enjoy Odawara Kagosei fish cakes and Odawara rice “Harumi”.

Facilities

Onsen (Public Bath / Private Bath)

Hatsuhana has two large public baths and four private baths. The baths are interchangeable between men and women, so you can enjoy both baths even if you stay for one night or two days.

The water is a clear alkaline simple hot spring that is popularly known as “beauty water” because it makes the skin smooth. The marks on my insect bites seem to have faded…

The large baths and private baths are located in the Onsen building, which is connected to the guest room building by a connecting passageway on the third floor. There were small beers and popsicles in the connecting passageway, which were nice to have after taking a bath!

Observation Terrace

The “Observation Terrace” is located past the entrance lobby on the 6th floor. The semi-outdoor terrace offers a spectacular view of the Hakone mountains and Suruga Bay beyond.

Lounge

A warm and inviting lounge with a central fireplace is at your disposal throughout your stay, and from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., you can relax and enjoy the drink service, complete with several organic detox teas, draft beer, sparkling wine, and a wide variety of other drinks. While the night lounge time (from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.), a wider variety of alcohol is available, as well as original small Japanese sweets such as green tea Yokan, Warabimochi, Sake Kasu Cheesecake. Trays are also available so you can enjoy your favorite snacks and drinks in your room.

Gallery Shop

The gallery shop on the 6th floor sells a carefully selected local gems that are rarely found in other stores. The craftsmanship of the artisans’ handiwork is enchanting and beautiful to behold.

Children who normally want video games, tablets, televisions, toys, and other items to relieve boredom made no such requests during the two days we stayed at Hatsuhana. They seemed to find ways to enjoy themselves with what was available, such as soaking in the open-air guest room bath and enjoying the feel of the water or lying on the tatami mats. Thinking back on these children’s activities reminds me of the concept of Hatsuhana as “Feel your mind. Time spent in leisure.”, and I realize that this was truly a stay that stimulated the five senses and fulfilled the heart.

Hatsuhana is a place where you can feel the great nature, be healed both mentally and physically by the hot springs, and experience the heartfelt hospitality that makes the ultimate staycation a reality. Why don’t you come to Hatsuhana and spend a healing time that will satisfy your mind and five senses?