Tsukino Yado Sara is an onsen hotel in the town of Yumoto, at the very gates of Hakone, only ten minutes’ walk from Hakone-Yumoto station. It is a place for those who come from Tokyo for the weekend not for sightseeing but for hot water: the hotel has hot springs, a sauna and bathing halls, and some rooms have a private bath on the balcony. Guests describe a private semi-open pool with hot water, where you can sit without outsiders, and spacious rooms with a spa balcony. Breakfast is served here only in the Japanese style, but it is generous. The hotel has 56 rooms, a station transfer, parking, a restaurant, a lobby bar and room service. For a first trip to Hakone it is a calm and clear choice, where it is pleasant to return after a walk around the town.
Yumoto: the gate to Hakone
Hakone-Yumoto is the first station of mountain Hakone, and trains and buses leave from it deeper into the area. The hotel stands 2,400 feet (about 700 m) from the station, so you can walk with a suitcase or use the transfer. Nearby are the cobbled Sarusawa road, the Tamadare shrine, the Hien waterfall and the Hakone no Yu public bathhouse. There is also a GeSpa salon nearby. If you want to see the rest of Hakone — Lake Ashi, the ropeway, the Owakudani volcanic valley — it is convenient to start from Yumoto and move on by mountain railway.
- Hakone-Yumoto station — ten minutes’ walk, a hotel transfer.
- The Sarusawa road — a cobbled path for a morning walk.
- The Tamadare shrine — a small quiet temple.
- The Hien waterfall — a short walk from town.
Tip for travellers: The best time for Hakone is autumn, when the mountains redden, and winter, when the water is warmer. At weekends and on holidays trains from Tokyo are overcrowded, so book seats in advance. If you are going for a night, leave your large suitcase in the city and take a light bag.
An onsen, a sauna and baths on the balcony
The main thing in the hotel is water: hot springs, a sauna and bathing halls, plus private baths in some rooms. There is a restaurant, a lobby bar, room service, a garden and a mini-market with souvenirs. For those arriving by car parking is provided, and the hotel arranges pick-up at the station. Wi-Fi is available in common areas. Guests describe the service overall as attentive.
- Hot springs and a sauna
- A restaurant and lobby bar
- Room service
- Parking and station pick-up
- A garden and mini-market
A private bath
Room descriptions mention a private semi-open pool, a balcony with a spa and an open bath. It is better to check the details of a specific room when booking.
Quiet
The hotel is small, with only 56 rooms, so the bathing halls are usually calm.
Japanese breakfast and dinner
Breakfast here is only Japanese, and guests rate the choice as generous: rice, miso soup, fish, vegetables and small side dishes. If you are used to coffee with a croissant, check in advance: no other option is provided. But after a hot bath a Japanese breakfast feels especially fitting.
Dinner can be taken in the hotel restaurant, and in the town there are places with soba and tempura. Hakone is famed for black eggs boiled in volcanic waters, and they are worth trying in the Owakudani valley.
Pros and cons of Tsukino Yado Sara
What the hotel is valued for
- Hot springs and a sauna in the hotel.
- Private baths on the balcony in some rooms.
- Hakone-Yumoto station ten minutes’ walk away.
- A Japanese breakfast with a generous choice.
- A transfer from the station and parking.
What to know in advance
- Breakfast is only Japanese, with no European option.
- There are few rooms, and in season they are taken quickly.
- Because of the onsen, some bathing rules are unusual for foreigners, and you need to study the etiquette.
- For distant places in Hakone you need trains and buses.
What guests note
They most often write about the onsen, the quiet, the attentive staff and the Japanese breakfast. Criticism is rare.
How to book Tsukino Yado Sara
Choose a room with a private bath if you want privacy. Then mark your dates in the “Where to book” block — the booking is made in roubles.
