With convention connections to Tokyo, famed for its high-quality onsen hot springs and gorgeous views of Mount Fuji across the waters of Lake Ashinoko, Hakone has long been a favorite getaway among those looking for a relaxing break from Japan’s largest city. The Miyanoshita region of Hakone is particularly attractive to visitors, home to many hot springs and fine dining restaurants as well as top quality accommodation like Fujiya Hotel, all amidst the natural beauty of the area.

Opened in 1878, Fujiya Hotel was the first large-scale resort hotel to be constructed in Japan. Founder Yamaguchi Sennosuke was said to have been inspired to open Fujiya Hotel by a conversation with the great Japanese educator Fukuzawa Yukichi, who emphasized the importance of attracting international visitors to Japan. Nearly a century and a half has passed since then, but Fujiya Hotel is still welcoming visitors from around Japan and all over the world. For this history and its unique combination of Western and Japanese aesthetics, the hotel has been recognized as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property.

Staying at Fujiya Hotel is almost akin to visiting a museum of modern Japanese architecture, with different buildings constructed at various times throughout the hotel’s history. THE MAIN was built in 1891, while the COMFY LODGE & RESTFUL COTTAGE was added in 1906 and the FLOWER PALACE in 1936, as well as many other additions and renovations since. As a masterpiece combining the best of Japanese and Western design, Fujiya has attracted its share of famous visitors over the years, including John Lennon and Charlie Chaplin.

Upon your arrival, be sure to head to THE MAIN where you will find the hotel’s front desk. Completed in 1891, this is the oldest existing building on the property. Among THE MAIN’s many distinctive features are its roof of traditional kawara tiles and the curved karahafu gables of its entrance hall, both reminiscent of traditional temples or shrines. To learn more about the history of the hotel, visit the HOTEL MUSEUM or speak with a member of staff.

Guest rooms within the FLOWER PALACE are tastefully decorated in classic style, with each room named after a particular flower. Affixed to the door of your guest room will be a traditional Nihonga painting of your particular flower, be it cherry, plum, peach, or any other. All rooms are fitted with bathtubs that you can fill with natural hot spring water drawn straight from the famous underground Miyanoshita hot springs. You can also visit the large public baths in the men’s and women’s spas on the top floor of the FOREST WING to relax as you gaze out on the natural beauty of the Hakone Caldera.

Dining at Fujiya Hotel is also a memorably charming experience. This classic restaurant, MAIN DINING ROOM "THE FUJIYA" possesses an ornate decorative interior that includes elaborate wooden carvings as well as a high coffered ceiling with 636 paintings of alpine plants from the Japanese Alps. This elegant dining room is where you can enjoy the sophisticated French cuisine that has been served here since the hotel first opened in the 19th century.

Should you prefer Japanese cuisine for dinner, you can choose to dine in the KIKKA-SO building, former Miyanoshita villa of the Imperial Family. This graceful traditional Japanese-style villa, built in 1895, is well known for the beauty of its Japanese garden throughout the seasons. Enjoy an authentic Japanese meal made with seasonal ingredients in complete tranquility as you gaze out on the garden from the interior of this historic building.

Born and raised in Hakone, Shin Kaneko spent time abroad in France and the United States before returning to his hometown, where he founded Explore Hakone. Noticing that many international travelers seemed to move quickly through the region on established tourist routes, Kaneko’s goal was to provide visitors with more opportunities to form deeper connections to Hakone’s history, culture, and nature through genuine interactions with local people.

Alongside Kaneko or one of his fellow certified local guides, you will hike one of the best preserved sections of the Old Tokaido Road up to the Hakone Pass. This was the same route that travelers followed for hundreds of years as they made their way between Kyoto and Edo (now Tokyo). “It’s one thing to read about the Tokaido Road in a history book,” explains Kaneko. “It’s quite another to be out there in the elements, feeling what those people once felt.” En route, you will even encounter sections of cobblestones (ishidatami) laid in the late 17th century.

To get a sense of local culture on the way, you will stop off at three interesting spots along the way. At Hatajuku Yosegi Kaikan Hall, you will learn about the local woodwork tradition Yosegi Zaiku, which involves combining segments of wood from different trees into elaborate patchwork patterns. Lunch will take place at Kikyoya, a local restaurant that specializes in soba and udon* noodle dishes, all served with a bracing broth. You will also visit Amasake Chaya, the last remaining traditional Edo-period teahouse along this stretch of the Old Tokaido Road.

*Please be advised that because the only lunch options are soba or udon, Wabunka cannot make arrangements for allergies or preferences for lunch during this experience.

Throughout the centuries, the climb up to the Hakone Pass was considered the most challenging section of the two-week trek from Kyoto to Edo on Old Tokaido Road. As you feel the ground start to level out beneath your feet and catch your first glimpse of Lake Ashinoko’s azure waters, think of all those men and women who have experienced this moment too, enraptured by equal measures of reverence and relief.

Your hike will continue lakeside, pausing to admire the spectacular views across Lake Ashinoko with Mount Fuji rising in the distance on days with clear skies. One of the best preserved sections of the Old Tokaido Road follows the eastern shore of the lake. The gravel path is flanked by rows of towering cedar trees planted over 300 years ago under the Tokugawa shogunate, providing shade to travelers then as they still do to this day.

As you traverse this evocative stretch of the Old Tokaido Road, you will approach the former Hakone Checkpoint, which once exercised strict control over entry and exit into the Kanto region where the Tokugawa shoguns lived. For travelers in the Edo period, this could be a time to feel a little bit nervous, but for you, it is the culmination of a day of discovery, exercise, and connection in Hakone.

With comprehensive renovations completed in 2020 to preserve historic structures while ensuring safety and comfort for guests, there has never been a better time to stay at the storied Fujiya Hotel. In this exclusive Wabunka two-day plan, you will experience true comfort and relaxation in a hotel that has welcomed guests for nearly 150 years, followed by an active day of hiking the Old Tokaido Road to better appreciate the region’s history and natural beauty.