Hotel Kojoen is a small onsen inn on the shore of Lake Chuzenji in Nikko, Tochigi, built on the site of a former foreign ambassador’s villa. It has 10 rooms, all facing the lake, and is known for its sulfur spring baths and its trout dishes. Before you book, three things matter: the official site is in Japanese only, and its booking page sends overseas residents to an outside booking site; the inn does not handle food allergies; and its current notice says it does not take elementary-age children or infants.
Hotel Kojoen at a glance
| Item | Official information |
|---|---|
| Address | 2478 Chugushi, Nikko, Tochigi 321-1661 |
| Phone | 0288-55-0500 (from abroad: +81-288-55-0500) |
| Rooms | 10 rooms, up to 22 guests; all face Lake Chuzenji |
| Check-in / out | 15:00–18:00 / by 10:00 |
| Dinner | From 18:00 |
| Baths | Indoor and open-air baths for men and women; one free family bath |
| Extra charge | Bathing tax 150 yen per adult, paid at checkout |
| Parking | 13 cars, free, no booking |
| Smoking | Not allowed inside; ashtrays outside |
From the official site and booking page, read October 21, 2026.
Rooms at Hotel Kojoen
What kinds of rooms are there?
The inn lists 10 rooms for up to 22 guests, and every room is on the Lake Chuzenji side. The official facilities page says the rooms keep the character of the old ambassador’s villa. Here is how the room types break down:
| Room type | Number | Bath and toilet |
|---|---|---|
| Western-style | 3 | Bath and toilet |
| Western-style | 3 | Toilet only |
| Japanese-style | 4 | Not stated on the official pages |
From the official facilities page, read October 21, 2026.
Room sizes and the number of guests per room are not on the official pages. If you want your own bath, ask for one of the three Western-style rooms that have one.
The onsen baths at Hotel Kojoen
What baths does the inn have?
There is an indoor bath and an open-air bath for men and for women, plus one family bath. All of them use free-flowing sulfur spring water straight from the source. In daylight, the inn says, you can look out over the whole of Lake Chuzenji from the baths.
How does the private family bath work?
The family bath is free and needs no booking. It can be used from 15:00 to 21:30; if the door is not locked, it is free to use. The official pages give the hours of the other baths in more than one way, so ask the inn at check-in.
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 and how to ask it.
Dinner, breakfast and allergies at Hotel Kojoen
What is dinner like?
Dinner is served in the inn’s restaurant, Grill Masu, from 18:00. The official page describes it as French cuisine you eat with chopsticks, built around trout and local flavors, and notes that the inn has won a JTB quality award in the cooking category three years in a row. A sample menu lists five starters with fresh and simmered Nikko yuba (tofu skin), chawanmushi, fried rainbow trout with the inn’s orange sauce, a Japanese beef steak, rice, soup, pickles and dessert. The menu changes with the season.
The regular plan includes dinner and breakfast, and booking on the official page adds one free drink at dinner: a glass of red or white wine, a small draft beer, Sohomare sake or a soft drink. The official pages do not describe breakfast.
Can the inn handle allergies or a special diet?
No. The booking page says that, to put guest safety first, the inn does not handle food allergies in any case. It does not remove allergens, serve substitute dishes or change how food is cooked, before or on the day, and it may decline to serve meals at all to guests with allergies. It asks guests who cannot accept this not to book. Vegetarian and religious diets are not mentioned.
Getting to Hotel Kojoen on Lake Chuzenji from Nikko Station
How do I get there by bus?
From Nikko Station, take the Tobu bus bound for Lake Chuzenji, about 45 minutes, and get off at Chuzenji Onsen. The access page shows the walk from there on a map, but does not give a time in words, and no pickup service is listed. Kegon Falls, 97 m from cliff to basin, is about 5 minutes on foot from the same bus stop. For more to see around the lake, see our things to do in Nikko guide.
Is there parking?
Yes. The inn has its own parking for 13 cars for staying guests, free, with no booking. The inn also runs Restaurant Nikko in the second Kegon Falls parking lot.
Prices and rules at Hotel Kojoen
How much does a stay cost?
The official booking page shows prices only after you pick a date, so we do not quote them. On top of the room price, the inn charges a bathing tax of 150 yen per adult at checkout. Under Nikko City’s tax ordinance, children under 12 do not pay it; see our onsen bathing tax guide.
What about children?
The booking page currently says the inn does not accept elementary-school-age children or infants; the notice gives the spread of COVID-19 as the reason. No children’s prices are listed. If you travel with children, confirm with the inn before you book.
What is the cancellation policy?
From March 1, 2026, the fee per person is 30 percent from 3 to 2 days before, 50 percent the day before, and 100 percent on the day or for a no-show without notice. The page does not list a fee for 4 days or more before. Online bookings close at 1:00 on the day of the stay. See our hotel cancellation guide.
How do I pay?
The official pages do not say which payment methods the inn takes. Ask the inn if you plan to pay by card.
What foreign guests should know before staying at Hotel Kojoen
- The official website is in Japanese only.
- The plan on the inn’s own booking page is for people living in Japan; the page says overseas residents should book through JAPANiCAN.
- Check in by 18:00; if you arrive later, the inn may set your dinner time.
- Tell the inn about any food allergy before you book, as it cannot adjust meals.
- Keep 150 yen per adult for the bathing tax at checkout.
- Smoking is not allowed inside; use the ashtrays outside.
Frequently asked questions
Can children stay at Hotel Kojoen?
Can Hotel Kojoen cater for food allergies?
Does Hotel Kojoen have a private bath?
How do I book Hotel Kojoen from outside Japan?
How do I get to Hotel Kojoen?
Bottom line (2026): Hotel Kojoen is a 10-room inn on the shore of Lake Chuzenji with free-flowing sulfur baths, a free family bath and a trout-centered dinner. Check in by 18:00, note that it cannot handle food allergies, and confirm with the inn if you travel with children. Overseas residents are directed to book through JAPANiCAN.
Sources
Every fact on this page is from Hotel Kojoen’s official pages: home (Japanese), facilities, dining, access and the official booking page, and from Nikko City’s tax ordinance. All were read on October 21, 2026. Prices and rules change; check the official site before you book.
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