There were quite a few things on my must-do list for Japan. One of them was staying at an onsen ryokan. Ryokans are traditional Japanese inns with public and/or private hot springs. Many of them include dinner and breakfast. As a getaway from Tokyo, I decided on taking a trip to Hakone, a mountainous town known for the hot springs resorts there. Doing research and picking one was rather difficult. There are, of course, many beautiful modern ryokans with Western bedding, but I wanted a more traditional experience, and that included sleeping on futons. I ended up picking Yama no Chaya. The price for a night was reasonable considering that they had ensuite private open-air onsens for some rooms, which I wanted since my bathroom had a tattoo that couldn’t be simply covered up. Most onsens enforce a rule of no visible tattoos while bathing in public onsens.
Yama no Chaya literally means Mountain Teahouse. It’s accessed by a bridge that crosses over the Hayakawa River, and it’s surrounded and tucked in a forest of bamboo and trees. That and the fact that we were completely surrounded by a view of the mountains, made me feel truly immersed in nature. Upon entering the ryokan, the perfume of the tatami mat flooring was fragrant throughout the whole establishment. This was my most favorite part about our stay here. When we entered our room, we were given chilled roasted green tea and sweets. The furnishings in our room was very traditional and I loved how intimate it felt for two people.
Dinner was a two-hour long affair of eight courses. It began with the ryokan’s special sweet plum sake, and our attendant had us say “kanpai!” (cheers!) to start off the dinner. I liked the dinner a lot, especially the first course with its assortment of bites and appetizers. I especially loved the castella made with green peas. After dinner, the dining table and chairs were put aside, and futon beds were prepared on the floor for us to sleep in.
Dinner Menu (Changes Monthly)
- Sakihassun, 1st Course: Tofu made of okra, Japanese potato, and Chinese yam topped with wolfberry and wasabi; sweet potato simmered in lemon and bonito soup; Jew’s mallow soaked in bonito soup and soy sauce topped with fish roe; broiled sea trout sushi wrapped in bamboo grass; deep fried croquette of sakura shrimp and lily bulb; castella made of green peas and fish paste; sillago fish simmered in sake and soy sauce, grilled with sea urchin
- Wanmori, 2nd Course: Clear bonito soup served with bonito fish and lotus stem and leaf bud; dumpling made of seaweed, taro, and fish paste
- Tsukuri, 3rd Course: Sashimi of medium fatty tuna and splendid alfonsino
- Onmono, 4th Course: Steamed sea bass, Japanese potato, wheat gluten, and canola flower in dried tofu sauce, topped with seaweed and wasabi
- Kumizakana, 5th Course: Broiled Japanese beef in soy sauce-based tomato sauce, fried eggplant, broad beans, and cheese; broiled scallop, shrimp, and vegetables tasted in four ways: sesame, plum, salt, and lemon
- Sunomono, 6th Course: Scallop and water shield seasoned with grated daikon, vinegar, and soy sauce, topped with melon, cucumber, kelp, and radish
- Shokuji, 7th Course: Bamboo shoot rice with fried bean curd and trefoil; tsukemono; miso soup
- Mizugashi, 8th Course: Banana coconut mousse, red bean paste, cherry, mint
While I liked dinner a lot, I enjoyed breakfast the next day even more, which was traditional. They also have a western option if that’s your preference. Brekkie was a wide spread. There was a basket filled with assorted bites of egg, sashimi, vegetables, and meats. There was dried grilled fish, miso soup, tsukemono (pickles), rice, porridge with umeboshi (pickled plum), a simmered vegetable dish, and dessert consisting the sweetest pineapple. One of the reasons why I love traditional Japanese food so much is because of the presentation and balance of flavors, seasonal ingredients, textures, colors, cooking techniques, and nutrition.
It rained heavily overnight, and the bath the next morning had some fallen leaves, so we had to pick them out before using it, but the smell of fresh rain and wet earth just made bathing in a steaming hot bath so much more.
I really enjoyed our stay here. The service here was probably the best I’ve experienced. Our attendant was so sweet, kind, and courteous. When we went into our taxi to leave the next day, our attendant even kept followed the car for a little bit and bowed as we drove away! I was really touched.
Yama no Chaya
www.yamanochaya.com/en
171 Tonosawa, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa Prefecture 250-0315, Japan
