Ryokan and Onsen
One of the unforgettable experiences in Japan is going to an onsen. One can think, what’s a big deal in soaking in a pool of hot water. But for Japanese, just like everything else, there is a ritual like process to enjoy the onsen.
Staying at a Ryokan
We stayed at Kijitei Hoeiso in Hakone-yumoto. It was about 10 minute taxi ride from the railway station. It is beautifully located close to the mountains in a very peaceful surroundings. It is a ryokan (traditional Japanese accommodation) with modern amenities.
Like most traditional accommodations, you remove your footwear at the entrance of the hotel and use the house slippers provided. Once you enter the room, you remove the house slippers at the entrance. And when you use the toilet, you use the toilet slippers. Though not very different from what we do at home, it was fascinating for the kids to do the same at a hotel.
When we arrived, we were escorted to the room by a lady dressed beautifully in a kimono and an English-speaking young man. The lady prepared us delicious Japanese tea and gave us sweet treats while the young man, in his broken english, explained us about the room and onsen.
It is very spacious.. a living room with a small balcony, a room where they lay beds only in the evening, a dining room, a separate toilet, a separate bathroom and a sink area. Place is huge comparing to any Japanese hotels, or even Western ones.
Visiting the Onsen
Visiting the onsen is one of the best experiences in Japan. Our room had a great manual on how to use the onsen. Like most onsens in Japan, Hoiseo has separate onsen for men and women. The lady who helped us during the stay came to our room to show us the wardrobe which had neatly folded yuktas (robes), jackets to wear over yukta, if we felt cold, towels and washcloths. She even gave us trials for our yuktas to make sure that they fit us and we know how to wear it.
At Hoiseo, they have an indoor as well as an outdoor onsen. Their outdoor onsen is beautifully located. It overlooks a stream and the mountains. Since the weather was pretty cold, the hot water of the pool felt very relaxing and refreshing.
Food at Ryokan
We did one Japanese style breakfast, one Western style breakfast and one Japanese dinner/kaiseki. A time was fixed with us for each meal. A lady would come about 20 minutes before the meal time and clear the dining area and set up the meal while we wait in the lounge. The food is a piece of art. It is presented so beautifully.
Japanese food can be challenging for kids. But from a different perspective, they learn to eat new things and understand the diversity. By now both the kids are liking to eat sticky rice, tempura, sushi rolls and tofu.
In most small towns, it is difficult to find vegetarian food and specially after 8 pm. On our first day at Hakone, we underestimated this. After going to the onsen, we took a taxi and started to look for a place to eat and somehow our taxi driver thought we wanted to eat Indian. A big disaster. he drove us to a tiny Indian joint called ‘Taj Mahal’. It was a restaurant run by a Japanese with an Indian cook. I would not describe the food we ate as I fail to understand what it really was.
Onsen with kids
Going to an onsen with kids was very special. We were able to spend good quality time with them. We were talking to kids about going to onsen few days before we reached Hakone to help them understand the code of conduct. And once we reached Hakone, all the private attention made them feel very special.
