Hanafubuki

“A lovely stop between Kyoto and Toyko”

We stopped at this ryokan for one night between Kyoto and Tokyo. It's set in a suburban-ish feeling area and the grounds of the ryokan are beautiful and green. We went to the onsen (all private) three separate times and never had trouble finding an available one. The onsen are a mix of indoors and … more

We stopped at this ryokan for one night between Kyoto and Tokyo. It's set in a suburban-ish feeling area and the grounds of the ryokan are beautiful and green. We went to the onsen (all private) three separate times and never had trouble finding an available one. The onsen are a mix of indoors and outdoors. The food was delicious and beautifully presented. We could barely finish the breakfast, it was so much food! In terms of logistics, in case this helps other travelers: It is not really that out of the way to go to the Izu Peninsula in between Kyoto and Tokyo. On the way from Kyoto, we transferred trains once in Atami, and on our way out to Tokyo there was a direct train. We walked from the local Izu-Kogen train station to the ryokan (10-15 min), but it's not flat, so if you have a lot of luggage or mobility issues, you may wish to take a taxi. (Speaking of luggage, we had our luggage sent from our Kyoto hotel to our Tokyo hotel with "takkyubin" service so we only had to bring small daypacks for our one-night stay at the ryokan. HIGHLY recommend doing this.)

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“The Literal Best Hotel Experience Of My Life”

I am not exaggerating when I say this is the greatest place I have ever been in my life. A friend recommended Hanafubuki to me, and I have made a point to tell everyone I know about it. The below is long, but worth reading I promise! It's located a ways outside of Tokyo on the Ito Peninsula, and t… more

I am not exaggerating when I say this is the greatest place I have ever been in my life. A friend recommended Hanafubuki to me, and I have made a point to tell everyone I know about it. The below is long, but worth reading I promise! It's located a ways outside of Tokyo on the Ito Peninsula, and there were almost no other tourists there. Half of the guests staying there were themselves Japanese. It was very nice as a reprieve from the bustle of Tokyo. The grounds themselves are gorgeous, like out of a storybook, the onsen hotsprings are amazing (but very hot!) and there is no time limit to use them. They each have a light outside that will be on if they are in use, so it's very easy to tell which are available. They are also private, so if you are with the other gender or have tattoos you can still use them, unlike some of the public onsens in Japan. We chose to stay in a traditional Japanese-style room, which involves sleeping on tatami mats on the ground. This was much more comfortable than I expected! The food was amazing, I still cannot believe that much food was included in the nightly price. The price included a delicious and very hearty breakfast (we chose the European-style, but there is also Japanese-style with fish) and a Kaiseki dinner, which is a traditional Japanese meal with around 10 courses. It was a tremendous amount of food but also the presentation was stunning and it tasted like we'd paid $200 for the meal. We still can't get over how wonderful it was. I also got a massage, which was one of the best massages I've ever had. The staff in general was incredibly kind and hospitable. Since this is located outside of Tokyo, be prepared that not everyone speaks English but it wasn't an issue at all and they were all lovely. You can stay here all day without leaving and be perfectly happy, but there is also a nice hike to a suspension bridge by the ocean nearby, as well as a teddy bear museum! We live in California but would come back here as soon as we are physically able to. 10/10.

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“Lots of private baths (onsen)”

I always try to find Ryokan (Japanese traditional Inn) with many private baths options, that you can use without reservations as much as you can, and this is one of these Ryokan. I have been there twice with family, and recommended another friend, who also liked it. It has large isolated accommod… more

I always try to find Ryokan (Japanese traditional Inn) with many private baths options, that you can use without reservations as much as you can, and this is one of these Ryokan. I have been there twice with family, and recommended another friend, who also liked it. It has large isolated accommodations (hanare), and even good size for three generations. There are nice walking paths nearby, good for the morning walk. Their garden is full of green, and very picturesque. If meal at the room is provided, that would have been even better. You can probably ask for it ti fully enjoy the place.

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“Slip out of the city stress and bare it all on a journey to the landscapes of the Izu Peninsula”

Nestled in a lush forest beside black, volcanic cliffs this isolated luxury inn radiates serenity. We were led over a little bridge to the outskirts of the sprawling woodland - far away from tetchy twilighters. The individual private hot spring spas scattered throughout the leafy grounds were a wel… more

Nestled in a lush forest beside black, volcanic cliffs this isolated luxury inn radiates serenity. We were led over a little bridge to the outskirts of the sprawling woodland - far away from tetchy twilighters. The individual private hot spring spas scattered throughout the leafy grounds were a welcome relief as we are prude nude bathers. After a tranquilizing, hot soak we sat down for a kaiseki (multi-course) dinner with the nostalgic 77-year old creator of Hanafubuki, Shingo Ichikawa, a wholehearted environmentalist. His son and Hanafabuki’s head chef, Daigo Ichikawa prepared a plethora of impeccable culinary delights. Daigo’s haute cuisine is a work of art highlighting seasonal and local specialties, with many ingredients foraged from the forest floor. From the starter of silky Mineoka tofu, a dish from the Edo period of 1603 to the cherry leaf flavored sea bream sashimi and pheasant and leek skewers our tastebuds were singing like the Japanese robins perched outside the window. As the sun rose the following day, we took a slow amble down a mossy pathway beside a brook, which opened up to the spectacular Jogasaki coastline. Waves crashed onto the dark, jagged cliffs and the beauty of nature was truly laid bare. Following the invigorating hike, my companion and I submerged into our last hot spring bath. As the forest owls hooted that the day was over, wistfully we knew it was time to get fully-clothed and back on life’s fast train.

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