Japanese Hot Spring Diary | Hakone Edition!!

Opened in 1968, this ryokan in Hakone has 20 rooms. I was lucky to find a room available and booked it immediately. The ryokan was a great place to experience Japanese culture, especially on a rainy day, which I love!! Rain + hot spring = excitement before even getting in the water!! The hotel is small and old, but it has a unique Japanese feel. The rooms, corridors, and hot spring facilities are all old, but very clean. We walked barefoot in the corridors, which were covered with mats or carpets. Everything was exquisite. There were two boxes of bell insects in the lobby. At first, I thought they were crickets. It was interesting. This was my first time in Hakone and the ryokan met my expectations for a Japanese hot spring.