Ochiairo

There are no gimmicks, no novel twists on the classic ryokan tradition at Ochiairo — just a warm, well-executed rendition of this most enduring form of rural Japanese hospitality. Two hours from Tokyo on the Izu Peninsula, the beautifully preserved wooden structure looks like an outgrowth of its verdant mountain-valley setting, as much at home in its geographical surroundings as the ryokan is in its cultural tradition.

Rooms are in the classic style: tatami mats, low-slung furniture, spring-fed baths, views of the beautifully tended gardens. Breakfasts and dinners are both served in the privacy of the guest rooms; the nine-course kaiseki dinners, featuring seasonal menus of local specialties, are an experience unto themselves.

So is soaking in one of the shared baths. A combination of natural woods, cave-like rock walls and boulders scattered about the steamy pools give them the feeling of something you’d stumble upon in a dreamy amble through the woods — or more likely, just in a dream. And that of course is the hotel’s best trick: making it all feel natural, almost effortless, to cultivate a ryokan so perfectly of its place.

How to get there:
Ochiairo is approximately 25 minutes by car from Shuzenji station (Izu-Hakone line) and 50 minutes by car from Mishima JR station. Mishima JR station is one hour from Tokyo station (Shinkansen).