A Look at Kabutoya Ryokan

This is part of my ongoing series where I slowly research campgrounds, day-trip hot springs, and inns from my own point of view. This time I picked an inn that's a bit different from the usual.

Today I looked into Kabutoya Ryokan. I got curious about it because of the photos of its thatched-roof main building, and I thought it could be a good option for those days when I'd rather say, “Forget camping today, let's relax at an inn.” As a homebody, a space with an irori hearth really appealed to me.

The Short Version

It seems to be a ryokan in the Kazuma area of Hinohara Village that has a thatched-roof main building, irori hearths, a hot spring overlooking a mountain stream, and meals featuring mountain ingredients.
As for Rakuten Mobile, the official tool gave it a rating of “C.” If you absolutely need a signal, I'd recommend checking ahead of time.

I've put the details below.

A Ryokan in Kazuma, Hinohara, Known for Its Thatched-Roof Main Building: What Is It Like?

This ryokan is in the Kazuma area of Hinohara Village, in Nishitama District, Tokyo. The main building is a thatched-roof gassho-zukuri house, and the official website seems to describe it as “Fuji-style gassho-zukuri.” Apparently it's also called “kabuto-zukuri” because the shape of the roof resembles a samurai helmet, and the top page introduces the main building as being 250 years old.

Going by the official website, here is the basic information.

Check-in / check-out: Check-in is at 15:00 and check-out is at 10:00.
Regular closing day: Every Thursday, apparently, except during peak seasons and on public holidays.
Reservations: It seems they accept bookings from two guests or more. You can reserve starting on the same date three months before your stay, and it looks like you can apply by phone, email, or the reservation form on the official website.
Parking: The accommodation page lists space for 50 cars.

The prices listed are weekday rates per person, including two meals, revised on April 1, 2025. On the day before a holiday or during peak season, it looks like each room type goes up by roughly 1,000 to 3,000 yen.

Main building, fusuma-partitioned room (D): from 18,000 yen
Main building, room without an irori hearth (C): 20,000 yen
New building, room with an irori hearth (B): 22,600 yen
New building, room with an irori hearth (A): 28,100 yen
Room with a private bath (SD): 28,700 yen
Room with a private bath and an irori hearth (DX): 38,200 yen

You can find more details on the official website of Kabutoya Ryokan.

Komorin

Just the idea of a 250-year-old thatched-roof main building made me feel calmer, even through a screen. The prices vary quite a bit by room type, so it looks like you can pick one that fits your budget.

Irori Hearths, a Hot Spring by the Stream, and Mountain Cuisine: Checking the Facilities as a Homebody

The rooms seem to break down like this: one room with a private bath and irori hearth, one with a private bath, five with an irori hearth, two in the main building without a hearth, and seven fusuma-partitioned rooms. Apparently there are also two 30-tatami-mat banquet halls and one lounge with an irori hearth. For someone like me who wants to spend time relaxing in the room, the rooms with an irori hearth are the ones that caught my eye.

As for the hot spring, the top page says they have prepared a hot spring where you can look out over a mountain stream, and there seem to be two large baths, separated by gender. There was also a note saying the bath becomes a private bath when only one or two groups are staying. However, I couldn't find details about the water quality or the spring source on the official website.

Meals apparently feature seasonal dishes made with mountain ingredients such as wild vegetables, river fish, and wild boar. It sounds like the new building has room types where you can choose charcoal grilling or wild boar hot pot at the irori hearth. They also mention a lineup of 20 kinds of premium sake from around the country.

Here are some other facilities and services that were introduced.

Amenities: It seems yukata robes, face towels, and bath towels are provided.
Large screen: Apparently there is a 150-inch screen and a projector.
Relaxation treatments: Available in your room, at 6,000 yen for 30 minutes or 10,000 yen for 60 minutes (reservation required).
Lunch: 10:00 to 15:00, with wild vegetable dishes from 4,000 yen (reservation required).
Dinner: 18:00 to 22:00, with wild boar hot pot and charcoal-grill courses from 9,500 yen (reservation required, service charge and consumption tax included).

Access from a Paper Driver's Perspective, and Nearby Spots of Interest

I have a license but don't actually drive, so I checked the public transportation route first. According to the official access guide, you take a Nishi Tokyo Bus from Bus Stop 1 in front of JR Musashi-Itsukaichi Station, heading for either Kazuma or Tomin-no-Mori. The ride takes about 1 hour 10 minutes, and from the last stop at Kazuma it's a 10-minute walk. Express buses run depending on the season, so it seems like you'd need to check the timetable. I couldn't find any mention of a pickup service on the access page.

If you're driving, it's apparently about 50 minutes from the Akiruno IC on the Ken-O Expressway. The Okutama Shuyu Road seems to be closed at night, so you'd need to be careful when choosing your route.

As for nearby attractions, the official sightseeing page introduces the following spots.

Hossawa Falls
Kandoiwa Rock
Tomin-no-Mori Forest
Lake Okutama
Kazuma no Yu hot spring center: introduced as offering day-trip baths and light meals.

The official website doesn't list the travel time or distance from the ryokan, so I couldn't tell. I also couldn't confirm on the official website whether Kabutoya Ryokan itself accepts day-trip bathing, or how much it costs. If you want to enjoy a hot spring as a day trip, a separate facility like Kazuma no Yu might be an option.

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

I entered the location of this ryokan in Kazuma, Hinohara Village, into the official “my Area Connectivity Simulation,” and the overall rating came up as “C.”

It seems like the connection could vary depending on the exact spot and building conditions. If you need to stay reachable for work or use mobile data, it might be reassuring to check ahead of time.

If you're curious, please enter the ryokan's location into the official Rakuten Mobile tool and check for yourself.

Komorin

A “C” signal is a little worrying, but if I think of it as an inn for spending time by the irori hearth away from my screen, maybe that's not so bad after all.

See Rakuten Mobile Details

Wrapping Up

To sum it up, my impression of Kabutoya Ryokan is that it's a ryokan in Hinohara Village with a thatched-roof main building, where you can seemingly enjoy irori hearths, a hot spring overlooking a mountain stream, and meals made with mountain ingredients.

You can choose rooms ranging from ones with an irori hearth to fusuma-partitioned ones, so it looks easy to match your budget and how you want to spend your time. It seems you can get there by bus, but the ride takes about 1 hour 10 minutes, so checking the timetable looks necessary. For things I couldn't confirm on the official website, like day-trip bathing and water quality, it might be reassuring to ask when you make a reservation.

As for Rakuten Mobile, the official tool gave it a rating of “C.” If you're concerned about the signal, it's probably a good idea to check ahead of time with the official Rakuten Mobile tool.

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