Traditional Ryokan near Shinkansen Line

Hello all, I'm planning a trip but struggling to find the perfect place for the last couple of nights.

Our itinerary is Tokyo - Hakone - Ito - Kyoto - Osaka - ? - Tokyo. We have 2 nights to fill before returning to Tokyo, and I'm looking for a very traditional ryokan experience in a scenic location good for Sakura (it will be early April) that is easily accessible on the Shinkansen line, or as a side trip from Tokyo or Osaka.

My original ideas were Naoshima / Nara / Lake Kawaguchi / Kiso Valley / Nikko...

Any other recommendations? Thank you!

If you havent booked your Hakone room yet, consider Fukumuziro. It is amazing - like a museum - but bear in mind only one room has an internal toilet (and bath). Probably my favorite ryokan experience eve.

For one with cherry blossoms nearby you could try Hikone near Maibara, just off the shinkansen line. I have stayed at a few there, none of which I would call traditional though.

I also really like Tsuruya Ryokan at Karuizawa but that would involve pretty much coming back to Tokyo then heading an hour in the other direction, also Karuizawa is possibly too cold for early April blooms.

Have you thought about somewhere at Kanazawa? I havent been to a traditional ryokan there (stayed at Hakuchoro which is very nice), but it looks as though there are plenty.

Ifm going to be a bit of an anime otaku for a moment. Most anime usually have either a beach or mountain resort episode, for some reason. Ifm going to give you two places near Tokyo:

Atami is a hot springs beach resort town, that has a Shinkansen Station between Tokyo and Nagoya.

Karuizawa is a mountain resort town, that also has a Shinkansen Station between Tokyo and Nagano.

Both towns are relatively close to Tokyo, so much so that transportation to both towns are covered in the Tokyo Wide Area Pass. The Shinkansen from Tokyo to Atami is not covered, but Karuizawa is. By Shinkansen, Atami is 45 minutes, and Karuizawa is 65-70 minutes away.

Both towns have a Japan Guide web page.

Both will have Ryokan. I have stayed in Atami at a resort hotel, and the hotel had a complementary shuttle bus from the station to the hotel. They also have a fireworks display several times each year.

Good Luck, in planning your trip.

Those episodes are usually OVA's and my wife doesnt let me watch them, but I agree. I also thought Atami which is very handy by shinkansen and probably will have sakura but then the OP is already going to Ito down the peninsula. But if you are considering Atami, last year I stayed at Taiseikan at Ajiro, about 5 minutes by local train from Atami (a last minute thing after finding out that our room at Hotel Micuras in Atami had no windows).

I couldnt rave enough about the ryokan - views over the bay (busy street between) huge balcony, big room, great onsen baths, great food, lovely staff. Really cheap, too. The town however has very little in it so for any activity you wander back to the train (2 minute walk) and off along the line, Ito 10 minutes one way and Atami 5 minutes the other.

Another place near Atami that I almost booked was Yugawara. I wanted to go to the Samba Festival in late July. I am not sure why the Ryokan needs to be near a Shinkansen Station, other that to facilitate it as a base for day trips. Both places I suggested work for that. I can see using Atami to do the round course in Hakone, or Karuizawa would work as a base for a day trip to see snow monkeys. Nagano is only 30 minutes away by Shinkansen.

I've not gone, but have you thought about Kaga Onsen near Kanazawa? https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4275.html

It should have sakura since I believe Kanazawa has sakura in early April.

I really like Nagano-gen in general, but I think their sakura isn't until mid April, the same is probably true for Kiso Valley and Kawaguchiko.

Good luck!

Lazy Pious – thank you for your reply! That Ryokan in Hakone looks incredible. Unfortunately wefve already booked Hakone Retreat Fore and Kai Anjin in Ito. Thatfs why I really wanted to add something more traditional later in the trip. Will bookmark it for next time though! Will research the other places. There looks to be some beautiful places to stay in Kanazawa! Have bookmarked Asadaya, Nakayasu and Motoyu Ishiya. Your ryokan in Atami sounds wonderful, will look into it.

Ebaychucky311 – I love this reply! Ifd definitely like both a beach and mountain episode in our trip 😄 Will research both these places, thanks so much. A shuttle bus would be handy too! Yugawara looks like a beautiful place to stay. I didnft consider the snow monkeys but would love to see them! Karuizawa looks ideal for this as a side trip. The reason for wanting to be near Shinkansen is so we donft spend hours and hours travelling. I really wanted to go to Naoshima, but looks like it would take a full day to get there from Osaka, so would lose a day of exploring. Same with Kiso Valley post towns.

Rkold – I am certainly leaning towards Kanazawa now! Kaga Onsen looks perfectly traditional and surroundings look beautiful. Have bookmarked. Thanks for your tip about the blossoms, too – I didnft take into consideration that mountainous areas would bloom later.

Thank you all – I think wefre leaning towards Kanazawa. Now we need to figure out how to fit it all into a 7 day Japan Rail pass! I guess wefll use a Hakone free pass for the first part of the trip, and activate JR when we go to Kyoto.

Thanks again!

If you buy a NEX round trip ticket, and then stay your last night somewhere along the NEX lines, you will not need the 7 day JR rail pass active on your final day. You can use the NEX round trip ticket on you final day.

The some of the NEX goes to Ofuna. Some will only go as far as Yokohama. If that happens, you will be getting on a local train to Ofuna With the local train transfer part of the ticket. You can then just pay the 680 yen to get on the Tokaido Line to Odawara, where you can get the lower cost Hakone free pass. The train you would board at Yokohama will also be the Tokaido Line, be the same train you would board in Ofuna to get to Odawara, so you might just have to pay a conductor to extend your trip. Extending the ticket is 660 yen.

Since the goutside Odawarah adds 1100 yen more to the Hakone free pass, and you will be heading to Kyoto next, just get the lower cost free pass.

Not sure why you have the hotel/city change Kyoto to Osaka - not necessary.
Atami is a town I like, but may not have the "traditional" ryokan you are after, but Kaga Onsen is a good idea. If you have a day in the area the "CanBus" does a good job getting to different attractions in the area - check out Yunokuni-no-mori (traditional hand crafts theme park - often empty, hands on activities).

Ebaychucky311 - this is incredibly helpful, thank you!

JapanCustomTours – Ah a few people have said this to us, but I like the idea of being able to go out for dinner and drinks in Osaka and not have to get the train back to Kyoto later. Plus I love staying in different hotels! Wefve narrowed down our choice to either Kaga Onsen and Kanazawa – or both to try 2 different ryokan...! Yunokuni-no-mori looks absolutely wonderful, we will definitely go there! I love crafts and was hoping to find a calligraphy / pottery / kintsugi workshop while in Japan. Brilliant.

not have to get the train back to Kyoto later
Fair point - but the train is fairly quick between the two - 30 minutes for a lot of places. Although, I don't recommend waiting until the last train of the night if you have a full day the following day after an evening out (I did a loooong day in Osaka a few years back at the sumo and then dinner with guests, made the next day pretty tough). Kyoto has places to go out in the evening too, a different vibe.
I love staying in different hotels!
Staying in nice hotels I can also relate to that. I try to avoid unnecessary changes as it takes time switching around and puts a hole in the day that could be used for something else - again, an opinion and experience taking people around Japan.
Yunokuni-no-mori . . . I love crafts and was hoping to find a calligraphy / pottery / kintsugi workshop
The paper making is easy and I usually do the silk painting (but I still need to work on technique). The people running the experiences are very helpful. I haven't done the pottery, gold leaf or soba noodle making. I always find watching glass blowing interesting.