I Looked Into Hakone Kowakien Mikawaya Ryokan

There's a recurring pattern on this blog where I start researching for a camping trip, and before I know it, I'm just gathering info on hot spring inns instead. This time was no exception, and I've continued looking into inns in the Hakone area.

This time, the place that caught my eye was Hakone Kowakien Mikawaya Ryokan. Since the name includes "Kowakien," I initially assumed it was part of some larger complex, but as it turns out, it's actually an independent, historic inn that was apparently founded back in the Meiji era. That made me want to dig in properly, so I did my own research on it.

Mikawaya Ryokan: The Inn Where Kowakidani Onsen Began

This is a hot spring inn located in Kowakidani, Hakone, apparently run by the Fujita Kanko Resort Group. It was founded in 1883, and it's introduced as the inn where Kowakidani Onsen originally began, with roughly 140 years of history. Between the main building, annex, and detached cottages, there are 25 rooms in total, which gave me the impression of a calm, modestly sized inn rather than a large hotel.

The entrance of the main building has a karahafu curved gable roof in the irimoya style, and it's apparently registered as a National Tangible Cultural Property. Even just from photos, it looks like a building carrying real historical weight, and it made me want to see it in person.

• Check-in: from 15:00 / Check-out: until 10:00 (this may vary depending on the plan)
• Room rates: from 23,100 yen per person for one night with two meals (based on double occupancy, tax included; the price apparently varies depending on the kaiseki course)
• Booking: available through the external reservation system on the official website, as well as various OTAs and by phone
• Parking: 15 spaces, apparently free for guests

Komorin

Being able to actually stay in a building that's been standing for 140 years struck me as pretty romantic while I was researching this. Since I don't drive, I was also glad to find that train-plus-bus access is well documented.

As an Indoor Person, the Hot Springs and Baths Caught My Attention

There are apparently separate large communal baths for men and women (both indoor and open-air), fed by the inn's own private spring source, Kowakidani Onsen, which is drawn from the hill behind the property. It's said to be beneficial for joint pain, neuralgia, and poor circulation, and the outdoor bath reportedly uses the spring water on a continuous flow-through basis. Bathing hours are apparently 5:00 to 10:00 and 15:00 to 24:00.

What personally caught my attention was that the semi-outdoor private bath isn't reservation-based—you can apparently use it freely and for free whenever it's available. Each session seems to be roughly 60 minutes, and as someone who prefers staying indoors, I liked that you don't have to book a time slot in advance. There are also 10 rooms across the main building, annex, and detached cottages that come with their own open-air bath, and the cottage rooms apparently feature a bath using 100% pure spring water on a continuous flow-through basis.

On top of that, there's an outside bathhouse about a 5-minute walk away (or accessible by shuttle bus) called Hakone Kowakien Motoyu Mori no Yu, which guests staying at Mikawaya Ryokan can apparently use for free. It's open from 11:00 to 20:00 (last entry 17:30), and it seems to also have a reclining bath, a jacuzzi, and a garden open-air bath.

• Wi-Fi: apparently free in all rooms
• Lounge: free self-service coffee and tea in the main building lounge (during limited hours). During the day, it also seems to operate as a café called Mikawaya cafe.
• Meals: both dinner and breakfast are served at the restaurant on the first floor of the main building, and the signature dish is apparently a hot pot called Mikawaya Nabe, made with a rice-malt amazake base.
• Payment: cash, VISA, and JCB all seem to be accepted.

History and Gardens—Even Sun Yat-sen Reportedly Stayed Here

There's apparently a story passed down at this inn that the painter Takehisa Yumeji, the poet couple Yosano Tekkan and Yosano Akiko, and Sun Yat-sen—known as the father of the Chinese revolution—all stayed here at various points. The room where Sun Yat-sen reportedly stayed still exists today, and above the door lintel hangs a piece of calligraphy said to be written by Sun Yat-sen himself, reading something like "tranquil mountains and clear waters." Apparently the phrase refers to being pure and peaceful, away from worldly affairs, and it's said to have been a gift to the inn's owner at the time.

The garden adjoining the inn, called Horaien, also seems to be one of the highlights. It's a Japanese garden of roughly 16,000 square meters, apparently opened by the founder in the early Taisho era, and from late April to mid-May it's said to bloom with around 30,000 azalea plants across about 40 varieties. It's also described as a spot worth visiting during cherry blossom and autumn leaf season. Nearby, within walking distance, are the hot spring theme park Hakone Kowakien Yunessun and Sengen Falls, a well-known waterfall spot.

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

I checked using the official My Area Connectivity Simulation tool by entering this facility's location (the Kowakidani area of Hakone), and the overall rating came back as C.

Maybe it's due to the mountainous terrain of Hakone, but it struck me as a fairly modest rating. Since it's a historic building, the construction of the walls or the surrounding terrain could also be a factor, but that's just my own guess. If you're planning to do any work that requires a connection during your stay, it might be worth preparing with this result in mind.

Komorin

I wanted to be upfront about the C rating. That said, since Wi-Fi is apparently free throughout the whole inn, relying on that instead seems like a reasonable option if you're worried about mobile signal.

I Also Looked Into Access

Coming from the Tokyo area, you'd apparently take the Odakyu Romancecar from Shinjuku Station about 90 minutes to Hakone-Yumoto Station, then a local bus for about 20 minutes, getting off right at the Horaien bus stop. Another option is to take the Hakone Tozan Railway from Hakone-Yumoto Station to Gora Station, then a loop shuttle bus for about 10 minutes.

For those driving, the route described takes about 40 minutes from the Atsugi interchange on the Tomei Expressway via the Odawara-Atsugi Road to the Hakoneguchi interchange, then about 20 more minutes along National Route 1. Since I don't really drive, I'm not planning on visiting by car myself, but I'll note it here for reference anyway. There's also apparently a loop shuttle bus running between Gora Station and the inn, though the official website didn't specify exact departure and arrival times, so it's probably worth checking in advance if you plan to use it.

Wrapping Up

To sum it all up, Hakone Kowakien Mikawaya Ryokan struck me as an inn founded back in the Meiji era, with a room that still holds Sun Yat-sen's calligraphy, a continuous flow-through bath fed by its own private spring, and even a free private bath—altogether an inn where both its heritage and its baths leave a real impression. With its main building registered as a National Tangible Cultural Property and the adjoining Horaien garden, it also seems well suited to a stay focused on simply enjoying the architecture and scenery themselves.

On the other hand, the Rakuten Mobile signal came back with a C rating. I'll just share that as is. If you're concerned about it, I'd recommend checking the actual address yourself using Rakuten Mobile's official tool.

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Related Links

• Official Site