Gora Kadan is one of Japan's most celebrated luxury ryokan, set on the wooded slopes of Hakone, the hot-spring mountain resort south-west of Tokyo. It occupies the grounds of a former summer villa of the Kan'in-no-miya, a branch of the Imperial family, and it blends the serenity of a traditional Japanese inn with contemporary elegance, natural hot-spring baths and some of the finest kaiseki cuisine in the country.
Gora Kadan is one of Japan's most celebrated luxury ryokan, set on the wooded slopes of Hakone, the hot-spring mountain resort south-west of Tokyo. It occupies the grounds of a former summer villa of the Kan'in-no-miya, a branch of the Imperial family, and it blends the serenity of a traditional Japanese inn with contemporary elegance, natural hot-spring baths and some of the finest kaiseki cuisine in the country.
Location: Hakone, Japan
The ryokan sits in Gora, a hillside district of Hakone, within the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park in Kanagawa Prefecture, a short walk from Gora Station. From Tokyo, the Odakyu Romancecar express train reaches Hakone-Yumoto in around an hour and a half, and the charming Hakone Tozan mountain railway, which zigzags up the valley through switchbacks, continues to Gora.
Hakone has been a retreat for Tokyo residents for centuries, famous for its volcanic landscapes, hot springs, art museums and, on clear days, views of Mount Fuji across Lake Ashi. From Gora, the Hakone Ropeway climbs over the steaming volcanic vents of Owakudani, where eggs cooked in the hot springs turn black.
Gora itself is a quiet, leafy hillside village, home to the Hakone Gora Park, a formal French-style garden with fountains and a tropical greenhouse, and to several small museums and cafés. Its position at the top of the railway and the bottom of the cable car makes it the perfect starting point for exploring the rest of Hakone.
Rooms and suites at Gora Kadan
Rooms combine traditional Japanese elements, such as tatami floors, sliding paper screens and low tables, with contemporary comfort and Western-style beds in many categories. All rooms have deep bathtubs, and the suites include saunas and granite baths fed by natural hot springs, overlooking private gardens.
The interiors are calm and refined, with natural wood, stone and soft lighting, and the windows frame the surrounding forest, which changes colour through the seasons. Guests are provided with yukata robes, and many spend much of their stay in them.
Rooms range from elegant doubles to spacious suites with private gardens, and the larger suites can accommodate families or small groups. The design balances the formality of a traditional ryokan with the comfort expected by international travellers, and staff are happy to explain customs such as wearing yukata and using the onsen.
Facilities at Gora Kadan
The ryokan's hot-spring baths are a highlight, with indoor and outdoor onsen, rock pools and waterfalls, in a peaceful setting among the trees. Unusually for a ryokan, there is also an indoor swimming pool, along with a spa offering treatments.
Dinner is a long, beautifully presented kaiseki meal of many small courses, built around the freshest seasonal ingredients, and it can be served in your room or in private dining spaces. Breakfast is equally elaborate. Service is attentive and gracious, in the best tradition of Japanese omotenashi, or hospitality.
The mountain moment
The defining moment is an evening soak in a hot-spring bath, steam rising into the cool mountain air and the forest dark around you, followed by an unhurried kaiseki dinner in your yukata. It is the essence of a Japanese mountain retreat.
By day, follow the classic Hakone loop: ride the cable car and ropeway over Owakudani, cruise across Lake Ashi on a replica pirate ship, and look for the snow-capped cone of Mount Fuji rising above the hills. The Hakone Open-Air Museum, with its sculptures set in gardens and a pavilion devoted to Picasso, is a short walk from Gora.
Why Gora Kadan is one of the best mountain hotels
Gora Kadan earns its place because it offers one of the most refined ryokan experiences in Japan, within easy reach of Tokyo, in a beautiful, historic setting. It is very expensive, and the atmosphere is quiet and formal rather than relaxed. But for couples and anyone seeking the very best of Japanese hospitality, cuisine and hot-spring bathing, it is a superb choice.
Its history adds a special dimension: the original villa belonged to a branch of the Imperial family, and the ryokan has kept the sense of seclusion and calm that made this hillside a favourite retreat, while adding contemporary touches that make it feel fresh rather than museum-like.
When to go to Gora Kadan
Hakone is lovely year-round. Autumn, from late October to November, brings spectacular foliage, and spring brings cherry blossom, usually in late March and April. Winter offers the clearest views of Mount Fuji and the most atmospheric onsen bathing, sometimes with snow. Summer is green and cooler than Tokyo but often humid and hazy. Weekends and Japanese holidays, including Golden Week in early May, are busiest, so book well ahead.
Questions, answered
- How do you get to Gora Kadan from Tokyo?
- Take the Odakyu Romancecar to Hakone-Yumoto, around an hour and a half from Shinjuku, then the Hakone Tozan Railway to Gora Station, a short walk from the ryokan.
- Does Gora Kadan have private onsen?
- Suites include granite baths fed by natural hot springs, and all guests can use the ryokan's indoor and outdoor hot-spring baths.
- Can you see Mount Fuji from Hakone?
- Yes, on clear days, especially from Lake Ashi and the Hakone Ropeway. Views are clearest in autumn and winter.
