Hello all!
We’re in the early stages of planning a 2-week vacation for autumn 2021 (tentative). The current plan is to spend roughly one week in Tokyo and one week in the Osaka area. We’d love to have a “relaxation day” in between at an onsen/ryokan.
Kinosaki appeals to us because it looks like a more “all-inclusive” experience with the ryokans offering an included onsen pass for all the hot springs in the town, plus the area itself looks lovely. But Hakone also looks very nice, if a bit more spread out. It’s also less out of the way than Kinosaki and has more to do (although we don’t know how much we’ll be taking advantage, since the plan is to veg out).
What are your experiences with both of these towns? Or is there a dark-horse third choice we should look into? Thanks for your help.
17 comments
As far as logistics go other choices would include:
* Shuzenji (via Mishima)
* Atami or Ito
* Awara Onsen, Kaga Onsen or Unazuki Onsen (if taking Hokuriku route)
In particular Shuzenji and Unazuki Onsen (for Kurobe Gorge) can be very picturesque in autumn.
I visited Kinosaki on my way to Kyoto from Tokyo last October and loved it. It was beautiful and relaxing and the trip there did not feel too far out of the way.
Hi, I have never been to Kinosaki, but Hakone would be a great choice if you drive. The town is surrounded by mountains and lake with a view of Fujisan and local attractions are connected by beautiful drive routes, especially in autumn it should be nice. Without a car, the common transportation would be bus or train, and it can take quite a bit of time to go here and there. So if it is just one day, then I think ideally you can visit up to 3 attractions. There are quite a lot to choose from though, including several art museums, boat rides and of course onsen. There’s also ropeway that has several stations and spans across a wide area.
Sorry I haven’t been to Kinosaki so cannot really compare but I guess it’s all up to your personal preference 😁
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I can’t speak for Kinosaki but I’ve been to Hakone twice (going from Osaka > Tokyo the first time and Tokyo > Osaka the second) and although both times were oddly stressful, I’m glad I went because Hakone is beautiful and such a stark contrast to the big cities.
Hakone is hilly, narrow and remote, so make sure to send your suitcases forward to the next hotel in Osaka before you leave Tokyo, and be aware there’s not a massive amount to do that isn’t a full day experience and nothing at all to do in the evenings… but if your plan is to veg out i would just recommend making sure you have a nice, comfy hotel with an onsen and you’ll be fine! Although most Onsen are split between genders so if you want to bathe together you’ll have to hunt for a hotel with a private onsen or a ryokan with a mixed bath.
As for Kinosaki, having a pass to all the onsen in the area does sound like a bonus and it would probably mean there’s a bit more to do in the very immediate vicinity of your hotel, which might mean more food or drinks on your doorstep or a even nice walk in the dark? Just little things to consider.
Both are out of your way, and it would be easier to just to go straight from one city to the other. We’re planning to go to Japan again and have ruled out any kind of Hakone/Onsen trip in favour of just having more time in Tokyo as there’s still a mountain of stuff we want to do and extra travel for 1 night is more stress than fun, but it’s nice to see a place like Hakone at least once!
You could also spend a few days in Kyoto. It’s beautiful and easily my favorite city in Japan if you’ve never been. They have some amazing ryokans with public and private I send in the northern mountains plus it’s only a 30 min bullet train to Osaka
I’ve heard Gero Onsen is pretty spectacular. Though it is fairly off the beaten track.
Been to Kinosaki myself 3 years ago. Can’t say anything on Hakone. It’s 2+ hours by train iirc, no Shinkansen for there. I stayed at Tsuchiya Ryokan that gave us an Onsen pass to multiple onsen. It also had a private one as well if you’re with an SO, so that was nice for us. Seemed easy to get everywhere by walking. I think there was also a shuttle from the train station that dropped people off at the ryokan/onsen. It was a little less than ¥20000 a night. They also gave us Yukata to wear for our stay and walking around. Was only there for one night. I’d stay 2 nights though if I could do it over. If you’re okay with the train ride time, go for it!
I stayed at this place in Kamakura when I was in Japan
https://www.booking.com/hotel/jp/kamakura-guest-house.en-gb.html?aid=356980;label=gog235jc-1DCAsodUIUa2FtYWt1cmEtZ3Vlc3QtaG91c2VIM1gDaA-IAQKYAQm4AQnIARHYAQPoAQGIAgGoAgO4AqvIo_wFwAIB0gIkZmU2NjVmY2UtZjczZi00MGRmLTg2MjEtYjlkYjFkNzIwMmZm2AIE4AIB;sid=c9446625ae959a1a1ca6a153131c34f3;dist=0&keep_landing=1&sb_price_type=total&type=total&
Totally lovely people that ran the place, they showed me around town we went shopping together and cooked a bunch of meals every night. They took me to an onsen, can’t remember the name of the place but it was really relaxing. Definitely the favourite part of my trip to Japan.
I’ve been to both – Kinosaki in Autumn and Hakone in June (hydrangea season) both for just an overnight. Hakone did have more to do but it was crazy crowded. There is a pretty awesome art museum. All I had time for was the museum and riding the train through the hydrangeas. The resort I went to was pretty huge and so had less of that old-timey feel. The restaurant was more high end but I wasn’t super impressed with the taste. At night you don’t really leave your resort so I assume the experience will depend on the hotel you choose. The nice thing about the big resorts is going to the bath at all hours including the morning and more amenities etc.
Kinosaki was a lot quieter and smaller. It’s a pretty long haul out of the way. If you’re only there for one night you can walk around and see all the shops. If you’re going for longer you might be bored. You walk around to the different baths and you can get stamps so it’s a different kind of experience from Hakone. I do have to say that when we went at the end of November it was crab season and we got the seasonal dinner at the ryokan and it was amazing. I never knew there were so many ways to prepare crab. It also wasn’t as crowded as Hakone so it was a nice change from the craziness of Kyoto tourism during momiji season.
If you’re putting it right in the middle of your trip, I wouldn’t worry about ‘things to do’. Instead, pick a nice Ryokan and take a day to rest and soak up the atmosphere. Maybe take a little time in the morning to check out the environs before checking in.
My personal recommendation would actually be the ryokan Kozantei Ubuya in Fujikawaguchiko, which is very near Hakone. Every room and every bath has a stunning view of Mt Fuji looming tall over a nearby lake. [Here’s a photo I took from my room back in 2018](https://imgur.com/a/LGAs6Pj).
Get the included dinner, hit the baths early and often, and recharge for the second half of your trip.
Hakone is absolutely breathtaking! One of my favorite stops in Japan 🧡
Had an absolutely wonderful stay at Hakone Ginyu and cannot recommend it enough. On the pricier side but I only stayed one night and I’m very happy I did. Includes a full kaiseki dinner and a delicious breakfast in your room with your room rate.
I stayed 2 nights in Kinosaki onsen and did a day trip to Hakone when we were in Japan during the fall. Both were wonderful, but if you’re looking for 1-2 days to relax definitely go for Kinosaki. You just stroll around, enjoy the ryokan experience, have some ice cream/treats from local shops, and go to the onsen. Super peaceful and worth every $ for the experience and food. Highly recommend Nishimurya Honkan which has a great onsen and amazing food.
I have been to both Kinosaki and Hakone. Both are nice and different. However, both onsen town will need at least 1.5 or 2 days to enjoy.
Osaka to Kinosaki is 3 hours train one way. You don’t really have time to visit the other baths in town.
Hakone is closer, but there are a lot of attractions in the area.
If you just plan to spend just one day, then you can consider Arima onsen town near Kobe.
Atami or Ito is easy access from JR.
Ogotoonsen is 45 mins JR ride outside Kyoto.
There’s a gorgeous hostel in Hakone called Hakone Tent with its own onsen – it’s stunning and really well-positioned in the general Hakone area. Also very chill vibes in the restaurant and bar area.
Kinosaki has a more small town feel. Hakone is more spread apart but I’ve beer to both. Both have pros and cons. Feel free to pm