Yoshimatsu
by the TopOfHotel team
Yoshimatsu is the best ryokan in this list — top-tier onsen, service, and food, with the highest score at 9.6.
Yoshimatsu is the best ryokan in this list — top-tier onsen, service, and food, with the highest score at 9.6.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Yoshimatsu is a 5-star onsen ryokan on the Motohakone shore of Lake Ashi, and it earns the top spot in this list with confidence. Rooms are Japanese-style with tatami floors, and many come with a private open-air onsen facing the lake. On a clear morning, reviews say you can watch Mount Fuji sit above Lake Ashi like a postcard while you soak in the hot spring. That goes a long way to explaining why the rooms and onsen categories both score 9.6 — this is a ryokan that gets every element right.
Food and amenities
The heart of a ryokan is the food and the service, and Yoshimatsu nails both. Dinner is a multi-course kaiseki brought to your table in-room, built on seasonal ingredients — tuna sashimi from Sagami Bay, beef grilled on a hot stone, and a matcha dessert. Staff remember guests by name from the first day and lay out the futon while you eat. This is the kind of omotenashi that earns the service category 9.7 — the highest in the list, tied with cleanliness.
Location and getting there
Yoshimatsu sits right on the Motohakone shore of Lake Ashi. Hakone Shrine is 1.5 km away, about a 4-minute drive, and the Lake Ashi cruise pier is 1.8 km, roughly 5 minutes. Owakudani — the sulphur valley up the mountain — is 8 km out, around a 20-minute drive. There is a lakeside Fuji viewpoint near the resort, and parking is free for guests who drive in.
Things to know before booking
This is the highest-priced hotel in the list, running from around $257 up to about $571 a night. It is a small ryokan with a limited number of rooms, so peak season and autumn foliage dates book out months ahead — reserve early. English service is limited, so a translation app helps if you have detailed requests. The upside on price: the rate is around ¥38,000 and includes kaiseki and breakfast, where some rival luxury ryokan chains run to roughly $400, so this still makes sense for the quality.
Our take
Yoshimatsu is for couples marking an anniversary or honeymoon, for anyone who wants the best Japanese ryokan in Hakone, and for travelers who don't mind paying for an experience that covers every angle. Guests tend to come back. Book early in the week to skip weekend rates. This is the list opening at its strongest — the standard the other nine have to measure against.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- A luxe onsen ryokan with genuinely excellent hot-spring baths — the onsen category scores 9.6.
- Many tatami rooms have a private open-air onsen looking straight out over Lake Ashi; on a clear morning, guests report Mount Fuji rising above the water while they soak.
- The kaiseki dinner is meticulous and seasonal — tuna sashimi from Sagami Bay, beef grilled on a hot stone, and a matcha dessert — and it is included in the room rate along with breakfast.
- Omotenashi service that catches every detail: kimono-clad staff remember guests by name from the first day and lay out the futon while you eat. The service category scores 9.7, the highest in the list.
- The highest real-guest score of all 10 hotels here at 9.6, with Agoda 9.5, Booking 9.4, and Trip 9.6 all lining up.
- The highest price of any hotel in this list — rates run from around $257 up to about $571 a night.
- It is a small ryokan with a limited number of rooms, so peak season and autumn foliage dates book out far ahead. Reserve early.
- English service is limited, so a translation app helps for detailed requests.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Hakone
Day tours, attraction tickets and experiences around Hakone — book ahead on Klook with mobile e-tickets.
See activities in HakoneAffiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Insider Tips
- Book well ahead — it is a small, in-demand ryokan, especially during autumn foliage.
- The rate includes the kaiseki dinner and breakfast, so it is better value than the headline price suggests.
- Ask for a room with a private onsen — it is the best version of the experience.