Hakone is a famous hot springs district about an hour south of Tokyo Station, easily accessible via the Tokaido Shinkansen. Surrounded by natural scenery, Yutorelo-an is a ryokan near Tokyo that's located about an hour and 20 minutes away from Odawara Station in Kanagawa Prefecture.

While taking the Hakone Tozan Railway and cable car to reach Naka-Gora Station (a short walk from Yutorelo-an), you'll love the breathtaking autumn scenery along the way. Yutorelo-an is situated in the quiet inner sanctuary of Gora, Hakone, and exudes natural beauty and charm.

About a five-minute walk away is the Hakone Museum of Art, which exhibits mainly Japanese pottery from 13,000 to 250 years ago, and offers a wonderful view of the area.

One of the highlights of the museum is its two traditional Japanese gardens on its grounds. Shinsenkyo is referred to as the moss garden; the second is a Japanese landscape garden called Sekirakuen Garden. The 200 maple trees planted in the moss garden are a sight to behold.

Yutorelo-an boasts a private open-air (chloride mineral) hot spring, from which you can view the autumn leaves while bathing in the hot spring. There are four types of private open-air hot springs, all with different designs. You can relax and enjoy the hot spring and autumn leaves in your own personal space.

There is also a footbath terrace where you can enjoy the spring water and the nature of Gora, and it is free of charge.

All rooms at Yutorelo-an are non-smoking. There are eight different types of guest rooms, including Japanese-style rooms, Western-style rooms, and special rooms. King-size bedrooms with open-air baths and Japanese-style rooms with open-air baths that can accommodate up to six people are also popular.

There are also several types of yukata to choose from, so you can relax at the ryokan while wearing something suited to your style. The massage chairs and original coffee are also available for free.

Dishes made with seasonal ingredients offer the unique beauty of Japanese cuisine that delights both the eyes and the palate. There are many amenities as well as staff who can speak English. Here you will be able to experience Japanese hospitality to the fullest.

*The menu and staff are currently only available in English and Japanese.

Yugawara is a town that sits between the Sagami Sea and Mount Hakone. Beyond the town, in the Oku-Yugawara hot springs, you'll find Yugawara Yui, a sophisticated ryokan near Tokyo. Set in a tranquil and secluded area, you can enjoy getting away from the buzz of Tokyo while enjoying the graceful autumn foliage.

Yugawara Yui is reachable in under two hours from Tokyo, where you can take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Odawara Station in Kanagawa Prefecture, and then transfer by JR and bus to Oku-Yugawara Station, the inn being but a seven-minute walk away.

Okuyugawara Yui offers different kinds of accommodations, each with its own unique style, for ensuring a most memorable stay.

Spend time in a Japanese-style room in a hidden detached house limited to two groups per day, enjoying the open-air bath and garden surrounded by nature. At Hanare Homura, you can enjoy privacy in a calm and secluded setting.

In addition, the four villa-type buildings of the Hanare Shiyo exude a sophisticated Japanese atmosphere ensuring a comfortable, luxurious, and exquisite experience.

With an emphasis on private space, the environment is designed to minimize the chance of contact with other guests, making for a relaxing stay for both body and soul.

Oku-Yugawara's famous hot spring water is mentioned in the Man'yoshu, Japan's oldest anthology of waka poems, which is said to have been written between the late 7th and late 8th centuries. The water is soft and moist like lotion, and is said to be effective in healing wounds and relieving fatigue.

There is an open-air bath and an indoor bath in Hanare Homura, and in Hanare Shiyo, there is a bath in each room that can be turned into an open-air bath by sliding open a glass door that lets you enjoy the air outside.

There is a Japanese Kaiseki course for dinner, and for breakfast, you can choose either a Japanese-style set or a Western one. The chef has a keen eye for seasonal ingredients and prepares them with care, making them a feast for the eyes and the palate.

Only a maximum of three groups is allowed in the dining area at one time, thus ensuring sufficient social distance for peace of mind.

English is available from the time of booking throughout your stay.

*The menu and staff are currently only available in English and Japanese.

In addition to the official website in English, an original information magazine for foreign tourists is also being prepared.

Information magazines are available in guest rooms and dining rooms, and can be taken home freely. There is also a mailing service available upon request.

Oku-Nikko in Tochigi Prefecture is dotted with lakes and marshes, large and small waterfalls, rivers, and wetlands at altitudes between 900 and 2,500 meters. The area is full of natural attractions, and during the Meiji era (1868-1912), it was a bustling international summer resort.

The autumn colors of Oku-Nikko are often featured in the Japanese media, and the mystical scenery of red-colored trees reflected on the surfaces of Lake Yuno, Lake Chuzenji, and Lake Saino is heartwarming and beautiful.

The Oku-Nikko Hotel Shikisai is a healing resort ryokan in Nikko, located on the shores of Lake Chuzenji, the highest lake in Japan. It is a place where you can enjoy the beauty of Japan and heal your body and soul.

Access from Tokyo Station is straightforward: take the Tohoku Shinkansen to Utsunomiya Station, then take the JR Nikko Line to Nikko Station, where a free bus will take you to the hotel. Travel time is slightly less than three hours.

The rooms all face Lake Chuzenji, so you can enjoy the beautiful autumn leaves in the area from your room.

There are rooms with open-air baths that make you feel as if you are surrounded by a forest, half open-air baths with full glass walls, and rooms with baths with a view where you can look out the window and see the autumn leaves.

Nomatter which you choose, you can spend a blissful time soaking in the bath at your leisure, while enjoying the scenery. You can enjoy a relaxing time with a view in front of you of the colorful autumn leaves.

In the large bathhouse, you can enjoy natural sulfur hot spring water drawn from the source. The hot springs of Oku-Nikko are called Yakushi-no-yu, and have been popular as a place for "hot-spring cures," where illnesses and wounds are cured in the hot springs.

The hot spring water at Oku-Nikko Hotel Shikisai is said to have the effect of emulsifying when the source is exposed to air, making the skin smooth and beautiful.

The open-air bath, surrounded by red-leafed trees, is lit up at night creating a mystical atmosphere. It will warm your heart and body through and through.

For meals, you can enjoy unique Japanese kaiseki cuisine using yuba, a specialty of Nikko, and marbled highland beef for the main course. Experience the beauty of tasteful Japanese cuisine that makes the most of the local ingredients of Nikko, a place rich in nature.

The shores of Lake Chuzenji are a place where embassies and diplomatic residences once stood side by side. Even today, remnants of some of them remain as a memorial park, and Oku-Nikko is also a popular tourist spot for foreign tourists.

The ryokan introduced here are easily accessible from Tokyo and are recommended for enjoying the autumn leaves in Japan. Along with the autumn foliage, enjoy some of the finest the season has to offer, from hot springs to Japanese cuisine.

Written by: Yoko Okumura, Dali Corporation
Mom writer raising three children, one in elementary school and one in junior high school. She loves to talk and eat, and to have her intellectual curiosity tickled. She tries to write articles that make people want to see, know, and visit places.