THE STORY
This pretty ryokan in the mountains near the onsen hot spring town of Hakone has been a local institution for over 50 years. With a rustic atmosphere and a friendly, family-style vibe, Yama No Chaya features baths filled with water drawn from its own spring on the property, as well as some outstanding cuisine.
Yama No Chaya takes its name from "mountain teahouse," a friendly place where people can easily drop in for tea and comfort. Its beautiful mountain location in Hakone is a cool respite from Tokyo's summer heat, and in the fall, it becomes a popular destination for people who love to watch the koyo, the leaves turning their autumn colors.
"We’re not trying to make a traditional ryokan here," said Mamoru Tamura, the owner of Yama No Chaya. "Rather, we’re trying to create a place of fun and discovery. We hope to create a ryokan where we ourselves would want to stay and encourage guests to come back and find their fun side."
And an appreciation of the simple things - friends, family, pretty sounds of water from the Hayakawa River and the swish of bamboo in the mountain breezes.
Yama No Chaya takes its name from "mountain teahouse," a friendly place where people can easily drop in for tea and comfort. Its beautiful mountain location in Hakone is a cool respite from Tokyo's summer heat, and in the fall, it becomes a popular destination for people who love to watch the koyo, the leaves turning their autumn colors.
"We’re not trying to make a traditional ryokan here," said Mamoru Tamura, the owner of Yama No Chaya. "Rather, we’re trying to create a place of fun and discovery. We hope to create a ryokan where we ourselves would want to stay and encourage guests to come back and find their fun side."
And an appreciation of the simple things - friends, family, pretty sounds of water from the Hayakawa River and the swish of bamboo in the mountain breezes.
Copyright © 2009 THE RYOKAN COLLECTION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.