Exterior
Check availability

Reviews of Yamagaso

3.5 out of 5
Yamagaso
592 Yumoto, Hakone, Kanagawa-ken

Reviews

9.0

Wonderful

Rating 10 - Excellent. 80 out of 121 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 22 out of 121 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 15 out of 121 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 2 out of 121 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 121 reviews" "

8.8/10

Cleanliness

9.4/10

Staff & service

8.8/10

Amenities

8.6/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.6/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Thorhallur

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Absolutely superb. Food and service was so good!
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jeahnette

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
My experience at Yamagaso was amazing. The service was beyond exceptional, the staff pay attention to every single small and big detail. My family felt they staff really cared for each of us (my teenage boys had so my gratitude for how they showed us around the onsen and explained the traditions). If you are looking to experience a traditional onsen, Yamagaso wil give you that. The property is beautiful, I felt the pictures cannot capture the beauty until you see it for yourself. We were able to use all the baths (actually had them to ourselves most of the time!). The food was amazing. They served traditional set course meals and it was very large portions, you will not be hungry for days afterwards! We are willing to try all foods , so we appreciated eating traditional dishes that are very different. The property is easily accessible from Yumoto station, they staff helped give us directions to take one bus and inform the bus driver where to stop. They had a shuttle service for departing the onsen back to the train station. Overall Yamagaso was an experience of a lifetime and probably the best thing our family experienced in Japan…of all vacations we have ever done. If I could rate this place 100 out of 10 I would! Thank you to the staff for making this so special and making a dream come true!
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Miroslaw

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Bai

Stayed 1 night in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Cody

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This place blew us away! We stayed in the Yamagaso annex in the Chouji room. The area was great, a nice walk or bus ride from the station. Then the room, we were very impressed! Traditional style with the tatami mats. We had the half board which included breakfast and dinner. The amount and variety of food was spectacular! The staff were super friendly too, everyone we met was great! We used the private bath, public bath and the outdoor bath at night which were all very nice and relaxing. I'm not sure how this place could be any better for a relaxing few days in Hakone, would definitely come back every time!
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

Luca

Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Campbell

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Private Japanese Garden
Amazing Japanese style garden and private Onsen!
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice stay!
Very nice property
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2022

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 6 nights in Mar 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Colleen, Denver, colorado

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
What a wonderful experience from the minute we arrived after a hard day of travel. Greeted with a beautiful cottage with private spring bath, a delightful inn keeper who made us feel welcome with tea, treats and origami cranes as well as a genuine traditional experience we will never forget. What a wonderful way to start our stay in japan.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Delightful hostess who was very welcoming. Excellent onsen facilities.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Room comfort
Don't go, find a better deal in surrounding hotels
We went (couple) to this hotel because wanted private spa experience in room as described in room description. No private spa was available, only shared spa area between different rooms . This spa could only be used If no one else was using spa. I don't consider this a private room spa but rather a shared spa (if available). We did not have chance to go. We had to book another private spa in area. The experience was very expensive, disappointing and I felt as a I was deceived (not to say taken) by hotel description and paid way more than other surrounding hotels. The only positive point was that staff was extremely friendly, helpful and our food plan was excellent. however, this could not compensate for not having a private room spa or fireplace. The residence was also very humide and the traditional bed was un sleepable. Wifi and water was only available at lobby (50 meters from room during the rain). All in all, I would not recommend this hotel. Value for money was very low.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We really enjoy the traditional Japanese ryokan experience and wonderful hospitality from the host ladies. Thank you.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Jeff D.

Beautiful
A perfect traditional Japanese experience.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Lovely traditional feel! The couple’s bath was our favorite part.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Kimiko-san, our greeter at Yamagaso was amazing. A wonderful experience, the family onsen seemed to always be open right when we wanted it. The only regret is that we booked with out the meal. From what I've read that is a must and we plan on getting it next time. It was a wonderful experience in a beautiful setting... not sure what the negative reviewers saw that we didn't. Highly recommended.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
I like every thing it’s nice clean very good services friendly people the location great and what more important it’s relaxing place
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2019

10/10 Excellent

Katrina, LA

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beyond amazing hospitality. The ryokan and the staff were definitely one of the highlights of our Japan trip. Highly recommend this place!We will definitely be back!
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2019

10/10 Excellent

John

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2019

8/10 Good

Kathy, New York, NY

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Yamagaso Annex was truly a unique experience. It was a great way to experience traditional Japanese ryokan lodgings. Each "room" is actually a standalone house with its own tub that sources hot spring water. The staff spoke very limited English and it was difficult at times to understand the instructions for using the various onsen the property, although they provided helpful print-out instructions. They were very involved involved throughout the entire stay, which some guests may not enjoy. They came to visit me twice in the morning--once to check if I had used the mini-bar and once to bring me some tea. I would have preferred fewer visits and more privacy. All the large onsen (indoor and outdoor) are shared with guests of the other two Senkei properties. The onsen were the highlight of my trip - they were extremely relaxing and it was easy to get an hour or two all to myself because there were not many guests. I would definitely recommend trying the large public onsen. The in-room tub felt more like a bath.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

Miles, Portland

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Our stay was very relaxing. The women who ran the inn were so friendly, sweet, and accommodating. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone visiting the area.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

Charlotte

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
We really enjoyed our stay. The staff was very friendly and welcoming and the grounds were beautiful. The town closes pretty early so be sure to leave for dinner early.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2018

10/10 Excellent

Sylvia, Singapore

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The traditional style and ambience of the Ryokan was beautiful. We were welcomed at reception then taken to our house for the night. I never expected it to be so spacious with parts opening out to the garden. Our kaiseki dinner and breakfast were so well thought out, exquisitely prepared & served by 2 delightful Japanese ladies. They were our right hand - showing us the different onsen spaces, taking pics & organising the shuttle back to town. The rooftop onsen is a must as it looks out to mountains & the couples onsen too as it’s private & has a unique touch too. All up we feel we have spent a week in Japan after only one night! So highly recommended from 2 novices whose first time visit was made oh so special!
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2018

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service, room comfort
Romantic holiday in Hakone
Has same-gender as well as family bath houses. Coffee shop closed on Thursday. Staff very helpful.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2018

6/10 Okay

Katherine

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness
Family hotel, kind people, a couple bugs
The grounds are gorgeous, and are just an easy 10 minute walk from the station, its close to two different waterfalls. It says 2 minutes, but its 5, but yea, both beautiful. The hotel is nice, offers inside onsen, open air, and family, with some restricted times. Family one was pretty available most of the time, but nothing fancy. Our complaint was the bugs. We walked into the lobby to immediately spot a 3 inch centipede looking thing with one inch legs, we from there called it the alien bug, we also had to take out a few ants, a spider and a roach from our room. So, because the beds are on the floor we couldn't completely relax. The rooms are very beautiful from their traditional feeling, but we found them a bit closed in, even for a Ryokan. I am surprised by the cost of this hotel and was expecting much more based on what we paid for it. Perhaps the superior rooms are better, we thought we were getting that actually but somehow purchased a standard without our knowing. Also, note that all rooms are considered smoking, but we asked to have ours deodorized and it smelled completely neutral.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2018

10/10 Excellent

ashe

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Loved it - Beautiful garden
I really loved this place. It isn’t perfect and designed and new but it feels traditional and authentic. I loved the area, the fact you can easily walk into Hakone, the garden, the family onsen and the kind older Japanese lady who visits and serves tea. Please don’t go there and expect five star hotel service but appreciate the simplicity and the nature. I thought the place was magical and l loved the cracks in the wall and the fact it wasn’t all shiny and new. It was charming and delightful. I was glad not to be up in the mountains but still have them in the doorstep.

8/10 Good

Atty, Bangkok, Thailand

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Two relaxing nights
We decided to spend two nights outside Tokyo and Hakone is only an hour from Tokyo by train. Hakone-Yumoto is a nice little town with restaurants and shops. The walk to the hotel was quite pleasant, going down the main street in town then veered off along the rapid, a bit uphill. We had out backpacks on so it's not a problem. Carrying luggage may not be as easy. The hotel sit in between two modern style hotels, with a few story buildings. Surprisingly while at the hotel, we didn't feel that we were crammed between two buildings. The setting was traditional Japanese with a quaint garden. There was a private family onsen on site, which suited our need just fine. There were also two other onset, one open air in the main Senkei Yamagano building. We did one night half board and one night without meal. It was good to experience Kaiseki as well as other food options in town. The room we had was spacious, with a separate living room and bedroom. Free soda drinks and coffee were a plus. Happy with our stay.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Excellent experiences
We are impressed. The room host for us is very kind and nice, provided excellent services to us, including the dinner, the breakfast, the futon bed making. Cannot expect more.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2017

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
An exclusive hotel with few rooms but......
The hotel was all right but rooms are widely spread in a compound cinnected by stone paved pathway. Walking to the dining hall in Japanese gear provided was quite a challenge
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2017

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Authentic ryokan experience.
This was my second ryokan experience and I was left slightly disappointed. Staff were very sweet but had very limited English so communication was difficult. Dining was in-room which was fun but it also felt slightly uncomfortable, like having servants, and also a bit obtrusive as there were many interruptions with staff coming in and out. Room was fairly old but nice, with great views over the garden. I didn't realise that Yamagaso is the annex of a connected hotel, rather than being an independent ryokan. The public onsen is shared with the hotel, there is also a smaller private onsen. Dishes were really nicely presented but the food was quite challenging. There was more raw fish/seafood than I could enjoy and the cooked parts included a fish head (which was very nice). Breakfast didn't let up with many more slimy textures and raw seafood. I'd been enjoying Japanese food for nearly 2 weeks but this was the tipping point of too much. I don't know whether this was just a more traditional Japanese ryokan dinner, or whether the quality of the cooking was slightly lacking making it more of a challenge. At a previous ryokan dinner everything had been thoroughly enjoyed while still having a large raw/fishy/slimy component. At nearly £400/night I'd hoped for more, but I think Hakone comes with a premium and the true value is a bit less. Location was ok, nice walking up/down the valley but still felt like you were in a tourist hotspot rather than somewhere quiet and peaceful.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2017

10/10 Excellent

Mollie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Magical place
Absolutely lovely ryokan a short walk (with a bit of a hill climb) from Hakone-Yamota station. Magical place with several separate ryokan rooms. Moss covered stones lined the stone paths and steps up to our room. The room was like a little apartment, quite big with a kitchenette large living room and bath/toilet in separate rooms. The outdoor hot springs were up on the top of the hillside and a large tiled traditional hot tub that was private for small groups (fancy system of waiting till there were no flipflops in the front room to know if occupied) on the lower hillside. Kimiki, the older woman brought us tea a few tie and was very grandmotherly concerned about our needs. The little town did fall asleep early so finding dinner after 8:30 was a challenge, but we did find a decent meal and it was a great and memorable experience overall.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2017

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Staff & service
Disappointing start to our Japan journey
We paid a lot of money to stay at this hotel and arrived at about 2pm. Check in is at 3 o'clock. The actual entrance to the annex was closed and we had to find our way to the main hotel where we were allowed to leave our luggage. We had a private cottage which was very spacious, however it was looking tired, the brick walls were marked and need repainting and the paper doors also very marked and needed replacing. The reserved family bath 'onsen' was also looking tired and in need of repainting, there was a lot of mould on the walls and whilst this is like a steam room, I would expect this at least to be cleaned daily. We were asked what time we would like our Kaseki dinner, on the first night we said 6 o'clock as we had had a very long day travelling from the UK. It turned up at 5.30. We let this go but on the second night were given the optional of several times and chose 7pm. There was then a lot of back pedaling as they wanted to serve it earlier. We stuck to 7pm and were served 7 courses within 45 mins. We were still eating the first course of sashimi, the second had been delivered and then the third hot fish dish arrived. The whole meal was rushed and not a great experience. We had to leave by 8am to catch a train the following day and were offered the choice of Japanese or Western breakfast. We requested Western breakfast at 7am but they couldn't provide it that early so we had Japanese. We definitely wouldn't go back.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2017

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A unique experience, very friendly staff .
Great location, although you need to find your way from the train station to hotel - 700 yen by taxi or a 10 min walk uphill

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Did not see many recent reviews which did this hotel a bit of an injustice. Some of the cottage exteriors could use a bit updating (i.e. peeling wood) but overall we had an excellent stay and this was one of the highlights of our trip to Japan. The hotel was very accommodating - an attendant greeted us at check in and took our heavy bags right to our room (and we had a LOT of luggage). Upon arrival, we were immediately given a quick tour of the property with the house staff showing us where the private family bath was located and how to put your slippers outside to indicate if it was occupied (we never had a problem during our stay) and then they took us to our cottage - a fairly large-sized one - and served us hot green tea and a snack (tasted like marzipan). Our main room attendant then outfitted us in the complimentary yukata, showing us how to correctly tie it. The staff spoke great English and they were very nice, allowing us to choose a later dining time to settle in first (we had a choice of 6:30 or 7pm). They even found child-size slippers for our two year old to wear. About 20 minutes prior to dinner the staff began setting up our room, and served us 7 courses spaced apart- salmon, shell crab, sashimi, plum wine, snapper, eggplant, shabu shabu, fresh clam soup, tempura, pickled veggies, tea, rice and dessert. We enjoyed the outside family bath followed by another private bath in our room - there are additional same sex baths next door. Great stay - would go again!
The first course at dinner
Bedroom set up with futons
Living area
Private in room bath

10/10 Excellent

Leeanne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Traditional ryokan with private onsen.
Loved the various options for the onsen. They have a private onsen which was lovely. They also have an outdoor option at the sister hotel next door which has different times for men and women. When I went I had the outdoor onsen to myself at night. Beautiful. Staff were also very friendly and helpful

10/10 Excellent

Sarah, Indonesia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Such a wonderful Ryokan stay experience
This is my 1st experience stay in Ryokan and I never regret to choose Senkei Annex Yamagaso. They have everything to provide your fun Ryokan stay experience! The staff were awesomely helpful and hospitable (just like most Japanese). The Ryokan was pretty big for 3 of us. There's a living room, bedroom with warm futton , terrace, private bath and onsen (yay!), yukata, and the heather under the traditional Japanese table which I kinda miss it now. The receptionist could speak a pretty decent English but some staff couldn't. But don't worry, with their helpful and hospitable attitude they'll surely help you and make you comfy. I've booked with no meal since I decided to explore Hakone till night. But I suggest you to book this hotel with meal to give you more Ryokan stay feel. They'll serve breakfast and dinner to your room. One day seems not enough for us. If i had a chance to visit Hakone again, I will gladly to come back here, and not only a day.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Awesome experience
Would recommend, amazing gardens and staff. We didn't opt for the dinner, but they still brought us green tea twice a day. Plenty of places to eat around

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

2/10 Terrible

HH, S

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Strange policy in YAMAGASO
I stayed in Ryokan Yamagaso of Hakone during 13-14 Aug 2016 with my family. Everything were very good but I could not understand the Ryokan Yamgaso’s policy. I want to know if it is normal. My kid mistook to wet the bed (pee in the bed) during the night. The Ryokan officer asked me to pay JPY 28,000 (apprx. USD 280) because they have to buy new mattress, blanket and bedding. They do not wash or dry-cleaning them due to their policy. Oh my god.. JPY 28,000. The mattress and the others were old and looked not so expensive but they charged me JPY 28,000. I paid but I am very upset. The picture of Yamagaso Ryokan looks to be lacated in the deep mountain but it is surrounded by big hotels, even it has a beautiful garden. If someone wants a quiet and heeling place in the mountain, please consider other Ryokan than Yamagaso. The food was so so..

6/10 Okay

Constance

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

8/10 Good

Winnie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
An excellent relaxing getaway
About as authentic as you can get. Traditionally styled detached "huts", with excellent service and access to a private onsen. I would definitely recommend it to those looking for a getaway to somewhere that's not in an urban environment for some relaxation.

8/10 Good

Sheng

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
traditional japanese house
We spent a night in this hotel with half board service (dinner and breakfast). the food and service were very good, I'd highly recommend the half board option. The room is traditional Japanese style with very low ceiling and floor bed. The hot sprint is shared, which is a bit disappointing. Overall stay is good, but not outstanding.

10/10 Excellent

Kim, Australia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wonderful experience
Amazing stay! Traditional ryokan where they take care of you from the beginning to end. You get your own traditional outfit to wear. They bring you tea on arrival. We had the meal package and it was worth it. At dinner the food just kept coming and it was all traditional Japanese food. They have a private onsen you can use or you can use the public onsen at their sister hotel next door (gender seperated at public onsen). No wifi in room, but you can get it for free at the hotel reception next door or pay 500 yen for a router. Beautiful gardens! All the bells and whistles a ryokan could have. Expensive but I recommend as a one or two night stay.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Private cabin in beautiful Japanese garden
Great for a romantic stay, this would also be great for a family. Your own little cabin has its own small kitchen, main and second tatami rooms, private bath and bathroom. Nestled cliff side, the other side is beautiful garden, with additional privacy provided by strategically placed screens. There is a private family bath if you'd like the onsen experience without getting naked with strangers. If you prefer nakedness with strangers, you can also access the indoor and outdoor public baths at the main hotel, Senkei. You can get room service from there too, or access suitcase delivery service. It's lesser known since it's so few rooms- you'll be better off asking for directions to Senkei if you're looking for help at the train station. We had a hard time understanding the instructions upon arrival, and there's not an English speaker at the desk at all times- but if there's a problem, they'll phone Senkei and someone will interpret for you. A wonderful experience. I'd love to visit again, and even bring the kids.

10/10 Excellent

Renato, Tokyo

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Authentic Japanese atmosphere near Hakone Yumoto
From the moment you enter the garden with the rooms that look like tea ceremony cottages you know you have made a good decision. Excellent service, fabulous food included in the half-board prices and very quiet surroundings. It was a perfect weekend getaway, close enough to Hakone Yumoto that made the trip from Tokyo a lot less stressful than usual. Highly recommended.

10/10 Excellent

Emma

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing getaway in the idyllic setting of Hakone
I live in Japan and have been to a fair few ryokans- this was by far the best one. My friend was visiting from England and she wanted to experience the ryokan culture- she was not disappointed. The staff were incredibly welcoming and pandered to our every need. There are 3 separate baths to choose from, the best being the outdoor one which boasted incredible scenic views. Everything about Yamagaso is fantastic, I can't wait to go back.

6/10 Okay

Sreve, Aukland

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Room comfort
Highly traditional Japanese Ryokan.
This is a highly traditional Japanese ryokan. There are, however, a couple of shortcomings, stemming mainly from its need for a renovation.