Kinokuniya Ryokan (Hakone Bihada no Yu Kinokuniya Ryokan) opened in 1715 as an inn for travelers in Ashinoyu, a small hot-spring area high in Hakone. It was honored as a place where Emperor Meiji stopped, and it describes itself as an inn loved by writers, artists and people who moved Japan. Before you book, three things matter: the sulfur spring rises on the inn’s own grounds; the large baths are open from arrival until 10:00 the next morning; and the official website is in Japanese only, so key rules such as check-in and cancellation need to be confirmed with the inn.
Kinokuniya Ryokan at a glance
| Item | Official information |
|---|---|
| Address | 8 Ashinoyu, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa |
| Phone | +81-460-83-7045 |
| Founded | 1715 |
| Hot springs | Sulfur spring from the grounds + bicarbonate spring from Yunohanazawa |
| Large baths | Men’s and women’s, indoor and outdoor; arrival to 10:00 |
| Private baths | 2,000 yen per 30 minutes; book at check-in; last slot 22:30 |
| Buildings | Main building (Shunkanro, Kisshotei) and annex (Yusenkan), linked by a corridor |
| Starting prices | From 12,000 yen (Kisshotei) and 14,000 yen (Shunkanro), two guests, dinner and breakfast |
| English | No English pages; an English contact form |
From the official website, read October 20, 2026.
The hot springs at Kinokuniya Ryokan
The inn calls its water Bihada no Yu, the “bath for beautiful skin.” Two kinds of spring are used in turn: a sulfur spring that rises on the grounds, which the inn notes is weakly alkaline, and a bicarbonate spring from Yunohanazawa. The bath page also lists the metasilicic acid content from analyses of the Ashinoyu sources. The inn is also linked to composer Rentaro Taki and his song “Hakone Hachiri.”
When are the large baths open?
The indoor and open-air large baths, called Yukaden, are separate for men and women and open from your arrival until 10:00 the next morning, at any hour.
How do the private baths work?
There are two private baths: Shotoku-no-yu, an Edo-style bath, and a semi-open-air private bath that the inn has recently reopened. Each costs 2,000 yen for 30 minutes. You reserve a time at check-in, and the last slot is at 22:30. The Edo-style bath is for overnight guests only, and some plans include a private bath for free. Our private bath fees guide shows how other inns price theirs.
Can I bathe with a tattoo?
The official pages do not mention tattoos. Ask the inn before you book; our tattoo and onsen guide explains what to ask.
Can I come only for a day bath?
The home page lists day bathing at 1,500 yen per person for the large bath, and 2,000 yen for 30 minutes in a private bath, with overnight guests taking priority. Hours are 12:00 to 17:00 on weekdays except Tuesday and Wednesday, and 12:00 to 14:00 on holidays, and may change. Bath towels can be rented. The inn also runs a 24-hour hot-spring stand, Hozo, where 20 liters cost 500 yen.
Rooms and starting prices at Kinokuniya Ryokan
The main building and the annex are joined by a corridor. Room counts and sizes are not given, and the floor plans on the room pages are images.
| Building | What the official page says | From |
|---|---|---|
| Shunkanro (main) | Three-story concrete building; Japanese room with bath and toilet | 14,000 yen |
| Kisshotei (main) | Two-story wooden building from the early Showa era; Japanese room with toilet | 12,000 yen |
| Yusenkan (annex) | Rooms with a roomy layout | Not listed |
| Yusenkan detached rooms | Only two, each with an open-air bath of spring water | Not listed |
Prices are for two guests with dinner and breakfast, as shown on the room pages, read October 20, 2026.
Are the prices per person?
The room pages show the starting prices “for two guests, one night with two meals” but do not say whether the figure is per person or per room, or whether tax is included. The home page also lists a direct-only plan with two meals from 17,820 yen for two guests in one room, and the room pages mention web-only early-booking discounts and plans with a free private bath. Confirm the full price on the booking screen.
Is there a bathing tax in Hakone?
Yes. Hakone Town charges a bathing tax of 150 yen per person per night for overnight guests, and children under 12 are exempt. The inn’s pages do not say whether it is included in the price. See our onsen bathing tax guide.
Meals at Kinokuniya Ryokan
What are dinner and breakfast like?
Dinner is a seasonal kaiseki meal. On main-building plans, both dinner and breakfast are served in the dining room, Hozo-no-ma; groups get a banquet hall. If you want meals in your room, choose a Yusenkan plan, though the inn notes that in-room plans are not sold in some periods. Meal times are not listed.
Can the inn handle allergies or a special diet?
The official pages do not mention allergies, vegetarian food or other diets. Ask the inn before you book.
Getting to Kinokuniya Ryokan in Ashinoyu, Hakone
The access page lists three stations: get off at Odawara, Hakone-Yumoto or Kowakudani, then take a bus or taxi. Take a bus bound for Hakone-machi or Moto-Hakone; the bus from Odawara Station to Ashinoyu takes about 60 minutes. Lake Ashi is about 10 minutes away by car. Drivers from Tokyo can use the Odawara-Atsugi Road and the Hakone Shindo to the Ashinoko Taikan interchange, then go via Moto-Hakone. Pickup and parking are not mentioned. For the rest of the area, see our things to do in Hakone guide.
What foreign guests should know before staying at Kinokuniya Ryokan
- The official website is in Japanese only. For questions in English, use the English contact form (name, email, question); the Japanese contact page asks guests to phone for anything urgent.
- Check-in, checkout, cancellation, payment and child rates are not on the pages we could read, so ask before you book.
- Book a private bath at check-in; the last slot is 22:30.
- Kisshotei rooms list a toilet but no bath, while Shunkanro rooms list both.
- Keep 150 yen per adult per night for the Hakone bathing tax in case it is charged separately.
Frequently asked questions
When can I use the large baths at Kinokuniya Ryokan?
How much are the private baths at Kinokuniya Ryokan?
Can I visit Kinokuniya Ryokan just for the bath?
What time is check-in at Kinokuniya Ryokan?
How do I get to Kinokuniya Ryokan?
Bottom line (2026): Kinokuniya Ryokan is a hot-spring inn founded in 1715 in Ashinoyu, with a sulfur spring on its grounds, large baths open from arrival to 10:00 and two private baths at 2,000 yen per 30 minutes. Rooms start from 12,000 yen in the official listing. The site is in Japanese only, so confirm check-in and cancellation with the inn before you book.
Sources
Every fact on this page is from Kinokuniya Ryokan’s official pages: home (Japanese), history, hot springs, rooms, Shunkanro, Kisshotei, meals, access and the English contact form, and Hakone Town’s bathing tax page. All were read on October 20, 2026. Prices and rules change; check the official site before you book.
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