Gora Kadan is a ryokan in Gora, Hakone, on the grounds of a former summer villa of a member of the Imperial Family. It is a different property from Gora Kadan Fuji, which shares the brand. Before you book, five rules matter. Every room has its own bath, and a 40-minute private open-air bath is free. Large tattoos are refused in the main baths and pool. Check-in is from 3 pm, and dinner starts no later than 7 pm. Diet requests close at 6 pm the day before. And under the English terms, cancellation fees can start 20 days out.
This page reads the ryokan’s English and Japanese pages, its FAQ and terms of stay in both languages, its facilities guide and its booking pages. Where two of these disagree, we name the page and follow the stricter one. Where they are silent, we say so.
Gora Kadan (Hakone) at a glance
| Item | What the official pages say |
|---|---|
| Location | 1300 Gora, Hakone-machi; a 3-minute walk from Gora Station |
| Check-in / out | From 3:00 pm / by 11:00 am; booking page lists check-in 15:00 to 19:00 |
| Dinner | Kaiseki at 6:00 or 7:00 pm; diet requests by 6 pm the day before |
| Room baths | Every room has its own bath |
| Private open-air bath | 40 minutes, free, fed from the source |
| Tattoos | Large: not allowed in main baths or pool. Small: covered with tape |
| Children | No age limit; 13 and over book as adults |
| Cancellation | Fees can start 20 days before (English terms); check your plan |
| Station pickup | Call on arrival at Gora Station |
From Gora Kadan’s official pages, FAQ, terms of stay and booking pages, read September 30, 2026.
What is Gora Kadan, and how is it different from Gora Kadan Fuji?
What is the history of the site?
The English page says Gora Kadan “is located on the grounds of Kan’in-no-miya Villa, the former summer villa of a member of the Imperial Family in the town of Gora in Hakone.” The Japanese booking page says the villa was built in 1930 as a summer residence. The address is 1300 Gora, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa. For where Gora sits on the Hakone loop, see our Hakone map.
Is this the same as Gora Kadan Fuji?
No. The brand site lists two properties: Gora Kadan Hakone and Gora Kadan Fuji. Everything on this page is about the Hakone ryokan. When you search or book, check that the property name says Hakone.
Is Gora Kadan non-smoking?
Yes. The room and facilities pages mark the ryokan as non-smoking, and the Japanese site says the whole building is non-smoking.
Where should I book?
The FAQ points guests to the official website for its most favorable rate. The English footer gives the email reservation@gorakadan.com and a direct line, +81-460-82-3331. The English and Japanese pages list different numbers for the reservation center, so email is the simplest route.
Getting to Gora Kadan from Tokyo, the airports and Kyoto
How do I get there by train from Tokyo?
The official route map shows two ways. From Shinjuku, take the Odakyu Romancecar to Hakone-Yumoto. From Shinagawa (27 minutes) or Tokyo Station (35 minutes), take the Kodama or Hikari shinkansen to Odawara, then the Hakone Tozan mountain railway to Hakone-Yumoto (15 minutes). From Hakone-Yumoto, the mountain railway climbs to Gora Station, and the ryokan is a 3-minute walk. The route map and the booking page give different ride times for the Romancecar and for the climb to Gora, so check the live timetable. Our Romancecar guide covers seats and booking.
Will the ryokan pick me up at Gora Station?
Yes, if you call. The access page says: “If you call us when you arrive at Gora Station, we will pick you up in a Mercedes-Benz car.”
Is there a taxi or limousine option?
The access page lists a taxi plan in a sedan from 6,000 yen from Odawara Station (about 40 minutes) and from 4,360 yen from Hakone-Yumoto Station (about 20 minutes), as of September 30, 2026. Its limousine service takes about 120 minutes from Tokyo in a sedan or a one-box car such as a Toyota Alphard; a Mercedes-Benz, BMW or Toyota HiAce costs extra.
How long from Haneda and Narita airports?
| From | By train | Limousine service |
|---|---|---|
| Haneda | Keikyu line to Shinagawa, 15 min, then shinkansen | From 55,000 yen, about 120 min |
| Narita | Narita Express to Shinagawa (70 min) or Tokyo (60 min), then shinkansen | From 69,000 yen, about 140 min |
Official airport route maps, prices as of September 30, 2026.
Can I come from Kyoto?
Yes. The route map shows the Hikari shinkansen to Odawara in 123 minutes, then the same mountain railway. The access page lists Kyoto departures at 8:32 am, 10:32 am, 12:32 pm, 2:32 pm and 4:32 pm that need no transfer; check the current timetable before you travel.
Can I drive, and is there parking?
The English access page routes drivers along the Tomei Expressway toward the Atsugi interchange, then the Odawara-Atsugi Road toward Odawara-Nishi, then Route 1 and prefectural road 723. The Japanese FAQ says parking is valet, with 30 spaces: staff take your car at the entrance, and you can leave it on checkout day while you sightsee if you hand the key to the front desk. It lists one Tesla charger, free for staying guests; other electric cars need their own portable cable. The pages give no parking fee, and the terms say the ryokan only lends the space and is not responsible for the car.
Check-in, checkout and late arrival at Gora Kadan
What time are check-in and checkout?
The terms of stay, the room pages and the FAQ agree on check-in from 3:00 pm and checkout by 11:00 am. The ryokan’s booking page adds an end time and lists check-in from 15:00 to 19:00. That fits the meals: dinner starts at 6:00 or 7:00 pm, and the room pages say the last dinner time is 7 pm.
What if I arrive late?
Tell the ryokan. The room pages ask you to let it know in advance if you will arrive after 7 pm, and the English FAQ warns you “might not have full dinner experience” if you do. The terms of stay go further: if you have not arrived by 8:00 pm on the day, or two hours after the arrival time you gave, and you have not been in touch, the booking may be treated as canceled by you.
Can I check out late?
The terms of stay set the charge as a share of the room rate: one tenth per hour for up to three hours, one half for up to six hours, and the full rate beyond six hours. The pages do not say when late checkout is available, so ask ahead.
What do I need at check-in?
Your passport. The terms ask foreign guests to register their nationality, passport number, port of entry and date of entry.
Rooms at Gora Kadan: every room has its own bath
What room types are there?
The rooms page groups them as Bettei (villas), Annex, the Kadan Suite, rooms with an open-air bath and Standard rooms. Each room has its own page with its size, bath and guest count:
| Room | Room area | In-room bath | Guests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard A / D | 71 sqm | Indoor wooden bath with shower | 1 to 4 |
| Standard B / C | 48 sqm | Indoor wooden bath with shower | 1 to 2 |
| Matsu | 71 sqm | Open-air stone bath on the terrace, indoor wooden bath | 1 to 4 |
| Tsubaki | 63 sqm | Open-air big stone bath in the garden, steam sauna | 1 to 3 |
| Big Stone Bath | 58 sqm | Open-air big stone bath in the garden, steam sauna | 1 to 2 |
| Suzukake | 47 sqm | Open-air stone bath on the terrace, steam sauna | 1 to 2 |
| Kadan Suite Aoi | 89 sqm | Open-air rock bath in the garden | 1 to 5 |
| Fuji / Ume | 72 sqm | Open-air stone bath, steam sauna | 1 to 4 |
| Jacuzzi & Steam Sauna | 89 sqm | Indoor wooden Jacuzzi bath, steam sauna | 1 to 5 |
| Balcony | 71 sqm | Half-panoramic wooden bath | 1 to 4 |
| Yamabuki / Suzuran / Yuri | 89 to 91 sqm | Panoramic round wooden bath | 1 to 4 |
| Yugao | 91 sqm | Square wooden bath | 1 to 4 |
| Ajisai / Rindo | 91 sqm | Panoramic oval wooden bath, indoor wooden bath | 1 to 5 |
| Annex Kakou | 94 sqm | Open-air big stone bath, wooden bath, steam sauna | 1 to 6 |
| Annex Zangetsu / Meigetsu / Senshin | 48 to 64 sqm | Open-air stone bath | 1 to 2 |
| Bettei Akatsuki | 127 sqm | Open-air big stone bath, wooden bath, steam sauna | 1 to 6 |
| Bettei Akebono | 70 sqm | Open-air big stone bath, steam sauna | 1 to 2 |
| Bettei Shinonome | 254 sqm total | Scenic stone bath, dry sauna | Up to 6 |
Official English room pages, read September 30, 2026.
Is the bath in my room a hot spring?
The pages do not say, with one exception. Every room page names its bath, but only the Bettei Shinonome page lists hot spring water, a mildly alkaline spring. For the other rooms, treat it as a private in-room bath and ask the ryokan if hot spring water in the room matters to you. The ryokan says it owns three mildly alkaline hot spring sources, two of them rising in its garden, and the private open-air bath below is fed directly from the source.
What is Bettei Shinonome?
The newest villa, listed as opening in August 2025. Its page gives a total area of 254 square meters for up to six guests, with a chef’s kitchen, a private sauna, a tea room and a scenic stone bath.
What is in a Standard room?
The Standard Type B page lists one toilet, a 4K smart TV, a Bluetooth speaker and free Wi-Fi.
Is there an accessible room?
No. The English FAQ says, “We do not have an accessible room.” It lists a handrail, a wheelchair, a bath chair, a bath step and a rollaway bed, and asks you to inquire in advance.
Hot springs, pool and spa at Gora Kadan
What kind of hot spring water is it?
The FAQ calls it a mildly alkaline hot spring. The Japanese facilities page says the ryokan owns three sources of this water, and two of them rise inside its garden. For how a ryokan stay works, see our ryokan guide.
How do the main baths work?
The baths are separate for men and women, and the ryokan swaps them at night so you can try both. The facilities guide gives the hours as 15:00 to 11:00 the next morning, with the swap at 3:00 am, and says towels are provided in the bath. The Japanese FAQ says one side has a dry sauna and the other a steam sauna.
How does the free private open-air bath work?
The facilities page says you can reserve an open-air bath “flowing directly from the source with a steam sauna attached for 40 minutes at no additional charge.” The facilities guide gives its hours as 6:15 to 22:00, and the booking pages give a capacity of 2 to 3 people. The pages do not say whether you book it before arrival or at check-in, so ask when you book.
Can children use the pool?
Toilet-trained children can. The facilities page gives pool hours of 8:00 am to 6:30 pm daily, with junior high school students and younger allowed from 10:00 am, and says children who are not yet toilet-trained, including those in swim diapers, cannot use it. The facilities guide PDF adds that reservations are required, that children aged 4 to 12 need a guardian, and sets a lower age limit for toddlers that differs between its English and Japanese text. Ask before you plan a swim with a small child.
What about the spa?
Kadan Spa’s hours differ between the facilities guide and the booking pages, so we do not repeat them. If you are pregnant, ask first: the English FAQ asks pregnant guests to refrain from the spa for safety, while the treatment page mentions care for pregnant guests.
What else is open, and when?
| Facility | Hours |
|---|---|
| Bedrock bath | 6:30 to 22:40 |
| Gym | 24 hours |
| Lounge Hanakage | 8:00 to 23:00 (last order 22:30) |
| Salon Seiran | 6:00 to 24:00; tea service 15:00 to 19:00 |
| Shop | 8:00 to 19:00 |
Official facilities guide, read September 30, 2026.
The ryokan closes for maintenance from time to time, so check its news page before you book.
Tattoos at Gora Kadan: the main baths and pool
Can I use the main baths or pool with a tattoo?
It depends on size. The Japanese FAQ, in our translation, says guests with large tattoos cannot use the main baths or the heated pool, and small fashion tattoos are allowed only if covered, for example with the tape handed out at the front desk. It does not define “large.”
Why do the English and Japanese FAQs differ?
The English FAQ only says exposed tattoos are not allowed and asks you to cover them with a bandage; it sets no size limit. Because the Japanese text is stricter, plan on the Japanese rule. The English FAQ adds that swimsuits and rash guard shirts are not allowed in the baths, so a rash guard is not a way around it.
What are the alternatives?
Every room has its own bath, and many have an open-air stone bath on the terrace or in the garden. The free 40-minute private open-air bath is another option, but the FAQ rule covers only the main baths and pool, and the pages say nothing about tattoos in the private bath; ask when you book. Our tattoos and onsen guide covers the wider picture.
Dinner and breakfast at Gora Kadan
What is dinner like?
A kaiseki course, and the room pages say the menu changes every month. The Japanese room pages say guests staying two nights or more can have shabu-shabu, sukiyaki or a wagyu kaiseki course instead; the English pages mention these without the two-night condition, so ask if you are staying one night. Dinner starts at 6:00 or 7:00 pm.
Where is dinner served?
The room pages say guests in the Annex Senshin and Meigetsu rooms eat in the Kaiseki Kadan restaurant; the Japanese version says this is instead of being served in the room. The pages do not state the rule for every other room in one line, so confirm where you will eat when you book.
When do I need to send diet or allergy requests?
By 6 pm the day before you arrive. The room pages say the menu cannot be changed on the day, and name allergies, vegetarian, gluten-free and seafood preferences as examples. The FAQ says the kitchen can take special requests from pregnant guests if told in advance. The pages do not say whether vegan or halal dinners are possible for staying guests, so write before you book.
Is there a seasonal menu in autumn 2026?
What is Sushi Kadan?
An eight-seat sushi counter at the ryokan. Its page lists it as closed on Mondays and Wednesdays, with a single 6:00 pm seating. Guests who booked through the official website use the link in their confirmation; guests who booked elsewhere contact the reservation center.
What is breakfast?
You choose a Japanese or Western breakfast, at 8:00, 8:30 or 9:00 am.
Children at Gora Kadan: ages, rates and baths
Is there an age limit?
No. The FAQ says, “We do not have any age limitation including small kids.” The booking page sorts guests like this:
| Age | Book as | What is included |
|---|---|---|
| 13 and over | Adult | Adult rate |
| 4 to 12 | Child | Bedding and children’s meals |
| 1 to 3 | Toddler | With or without bedding; children’s dinner set 3,300 yen |
| 0 | Infant | Not stated |
Official booking page, price as of September 30, 2026.
Can children use the main baths?
Toilet-trained children can, per the FAQ. The Japanese FAQ asks children from age 7 to use the bath for their own gender; the English FAQ words it as older than 7, so plan on age 7.
What is provided for babies and kids?
The FAQs list children’s yukata, sandals and toothbrushes, and an adjustable electric kettle, a diaper bin, a baby chair, baby soap, a child toilet seat and a baby bed. The Japanese FAQ says stocks are limited, so ask early. The Japanese terms say minors cannot stay on their own without a parent’s permission.
Cancellation, payment and taxes at Gora Kadan
When do cancellation fees start?
Possibly 20 days before arrival. The English terms of stay start charging from 20 days out. The Japanese terms use a different table and say special periods such as Golden Week, Obon and New Year, and special plans, set their own fees. The fee window on the booking pages did not load for us. We do not repeat either table: read the fee shown on your plan before you pay, and keep a copy. Our hotel cancellation guide compares policies across Japan.
What if my train is late?
The English terms say no fee is charged for a no-show if you can prove it was not your fault, including when trains or planes did not run or were delayed. If you cut a stay short, the terms charge the fee for the first day only, however many nights you drop.
Will I pay a deposit?
The terms allow the ryokan to ask for one, up to the full rate for the stay, or three days’ rate for longer stays. The plans we saw on the booking pages were marked pay online, with Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Diners and American Express logos.
How can I pay at the ryokan?
The terms list cash in Japanese yen, traveler’s checks, coupons and credit cards. The pages we read do not show a pay-at-the-ryokan plan, so check your plan’s payment line.
Is there a service charge or bathing tax?
Both appear in the terms of stay, as a service charge plus consumption tax and a bathing tax, but the English and Japanese terms give different service charge rates, and no amount is given for the bathing tax. The booking pages mark prices as including tax and service charge. Ask the ryokan what your total covers.
Who Gora Kadan (Hakone) is for
Travelers who want a quiet ryokan on a former Imperial villa site, a private bath in every room, a free private open-air bath, and a monthly kaiseki dinner. It suits guests who can arrive by 7 pm, send diet requests by 6 pm the day before, and are happy with a short call from Gora Station for the pickup. It is a harder fit if you have a large tattoo and want the main baths, need an accessible room, or want a flexible cancellation window; read your plan’s terms first. To plan the rest of your trip, see our things to do in Hakone guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can I stay at Gora Kadan with a tattoo?
Does every room at Gora Kadan have a private bath?
What time is check-in at Gora Kadan?
What is the cancellation policy at Gora Kadan?
How do I get to Gora Kadan without a car?
Is Gora Kadan good for children?
When do I need to tell Gora Kadan about allergies or diets?
Is Gora Kadan in Hakone the same as Gora Kadan Fuji?
Bottom line (2026): Gora Kadan in Hakone checks in from 3 pm and out by 11 am, with dinner no later than 7 pm. Every room has its own bath, and a 40-minute private open-air bath is free. Large tattoos are refused in the main baths and pool. Cancellation fees can start 20 days before under the English terms, so read your plan.
Sources
Every rule and figure on this page is from Gora Kadan’s own pages: the English site and Japanese site, the brand site, the rooms page and room pages such as Standard Type B and Bettei Shinonome, the facilities page and facilities guide, the access page, the reservation page, the Sushi Kadan page, the day-trip page, the matsutake kaiseki notice, the FAQ in English and Japanese, the terms of stay in English and Japanese, and the ryokan’s booking pages, all read on September 30, 2026. Where two pages differ, we say so. Confirm on the official site before you book.
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