WOW! My first trip to Japan and spent a night in true Japanese hospitality. Took the Shinkansen Bullet Train from Tokyo. Barely a 30min ride and another 10mins in the taxi and we were transported to a world away from Sydney, my home. Enjoyed the onsen (bath) in the evening. I was with six Japanese hosts and boy did I shed my inhibitions immediately! Being starkers with many other men was a first for me. Lovely rooms, amazing toilets....seat lifted when you opened the door and was my first heated toilet seat. Great showers. Lovely twin beds with a nice view over the Japanese Gardens and stream. A delightful dinner & breakfast in true Japanese style with waitresses dressed in traditional kimonos serving us. One night was not enough and am determined to go back with my wife for a longer stay at this Ryokan and to Japan in general.

I stayed for two nights in May 2011 before going on to Kyoto. My lasting impressions of the Yoshiike are the great onsen - particularly the outdoor one - the wonderful food and most of all the helpful staff, who made an effort to speak English and were very tolerant of the clumsy foreigner in their midst!

On checking it I was shown to the traditional tatami room, which also has a more western table-and-chairs earlier where one can eat if kneeling on the tatami is not your thing. I was shown where the onsen were, served Japanese tea and sweets and offered a choice of times to have dinner. After a bath (reading up on onsen etiquette in advance will only enhance the experience) one of the best meals I've ever had was served. This is full-on kaiseikei cuisine, with some elements that are challenging to the western palate; but all was fresh, full of flavour and beautifully presented.

I would definitely recommend the Yoshiike. Parts of the decor are a little faded and translating some of the signage around the hotel into English are very minor improvements that could be made. A ryokan stay is a very pleasant culture shock that should form a part of any Japanese holiday if possible.

This is an excellent ryokan - great food, beautiful garden and onsen, wonderful service. There were five of us and we were given a (by Japanese measures) huge room (two connecting bedrooms, two balconies, one bathroom). It is true the rooms were quite old, but well preserved and clean. Both balconies faced the garden (which is absolutely lovely by the way).

The food was good, traditional kaiseki ryori served in your room. You can choose a time slot for dinner as well as breakfast, and it was served very punctually. The staff did not seem to speak much English, but that was not a problem for us. Everyone we met were very welcoming and professional.
The location is very convenient for travelling to/from Tokyo (~7 minutes walk to the train station in Hakone-Yumoto), but still far enough from the town centre to be perfectly peaceful and quiet.

All in all a wonderful, relaxing stay - the perfect treat after a day of hiking/sightseeing.