Was pondering what to rate Yoshiike. For foreign visitors who are new to ryokan culture, want to enjoy it with locals speaking minimal English and having western understanding to help balance the experience, yes, it shall be 'Excellent'. For visitors who have been visiting ryokan and onsen, enjoying the famous and most respectable Jap service, then Yoshiike is just 'Good or Very Good'. Booking process : We booked a Mountain View Tatami Room directly from Yoshiike's Jap site. The other languages were directed to JAPANiCAN, but we found that the prices in Jap site were cheaper, about 12% less for our room. The site also includes many more packages (eg. seasonal package, day-only onsen+meal) and other detail information like room price for different day of the week and clear walking directions with pictures (www.yoshiike.org/access/). Can be difficult booking directly from Jap site if you don't know Jap characters or Kanji, or even after translation using Google or Bing. It is a 3 step booking process with the 2nd step sent via an auto generated email (also in Jap). You then need to click on the link in the email to generate a reservation code and wait patiently for final email confirmation. If you click the link twice, it will generate 2 reservation codes and you are expected to pay for it! If you don't click the link, booking is not completed and you may arrive without a room reserved. In...Was pondering what to rate Yoshiike. For foreign visitors who are new to ryokan culture, want to enjoy it with locals speaking minimal English and having western understanding to help balance the experience, yes, it shall be 'Excellent'. For visitors who have been visiting ryokan and onsen, enjoying the famous and most respectable Jap service, then Yoshiike is just 'Good or Very Good'.

Booking process : We booked a Mountain View Tatami Room directly from Yoshiike's Jap site. The other languages were directed to JAPANiCAN, but we found that the prices in Jap site were cheaper, about 12% less for our room. The site also includes many more packages (eg. seasonal package, day-only onsen+meal) and other detail information like room price for different day of the week and clear walking directions with pictures (www.yoshiike.org/access/). Can be difficult booking directly from Jap site if you don't know Jap characters or Kanji, or even after translation using Google or Bing. It is a 3 step booking process with the 2nd step sent via an auto generated email (also in Jap). You then need to click on the link in the email to generate a reservation code and wait patiently for final email confirmation. If you click the link twice, it will generate 2 reservation codes and you are expected to pay for it! If you don't click the link, booking is not completed and you may arrive without a room reserved. In our case, no payment needed until we check-out, but some packages may need advance payment with more online steps. We emailed Yoshiike some questions and they replied well in English the next working day.

Room : We booked for 1 night in Jan. Figured all leaves were gone and all buds still waiting to bloom in winter, so no point looking at a bare garden. We were given the highest 6th floor with a not-too-bad mountain view room. Spacious and clean with large windows. Lighting is '60-70s style and does make the room look tired. We usually just convince ourselves it is part of the rustic and traditional experience. Their 2 big fabric arm chairs near the windows are the most comfortable chair we had ever sat on! It felt like a day bed made of futon and hugged you comfortably. Had nice nap on it after our onsen visits. There is a safe, big enough to keep 11" notebook and SLR camera. The fridge filled with drinks and beer (chargeable). Hot water and tea are complimentary. We had a good stroll in the beautifully maintained garden while waiting for our checkin at 2pm. No doubt, one MUST book the Garden View room during spring and autumn, but we are happy with Mountain View room in winter.

Onsen : The most valuable asset of Yoshiike is their 5 onsen - 1indoor+1outdoor for men; 1indoor+1outdoor for women; 1 private indoor onsen. With 2 outdoor onsen available separately for men and women, it means everyone in your company can go fully enjoy their respective onsen at the same time. Some ryokan rotates 1 outdoor onsen beween men and women on different day or time. For women, the outdoor onsen is directly linked to the indoor onsen. Unfortunately for men, the outdoor and indoor onsen are separate. That means you need to go to the indoor onsen first to bath and go to the outdoor later. We visited onsen 3 times during our 1 night stay : after checkin, after dinner, and after breakfast before checkout. We never use the bath in our room (yes, no shades or curtains in the bath but it's really just facing the mountain). In the indoor onsen, there is always a bathing area with all the amenities (shampoo, conditional, shower gel, facial cleanser, shaving cream, shaver, etc) where everyone is supposed to clean themselves before stepping into the onsen. After onsen when you return to the dressing area, there are facial cream, body lotion, hair dryer and other amenities to beautify yourself. For couples or family, it's nice to try out the private indoor onsen together, or use it if you are shy. There are English instructions in Yoshiike if you want to know what to do. At the exit (also the entrance) of all the 5 onsen, there is a common area where you can sit, drink tea (complimentary) and wait for your company. This is also where the small lockers are so you can store valuables (eg. room key, phone) before proceeding into the onsen. Unlike most of other ryokans we visited, you need to bring the big and small towels from your room to the onsen, and then return to the room again. If you plan to use onsen often, ask for a room in the block nearest to the onsen, else it could be a long walk (in Yukata and slippers with towels on hand!). On the other hand, it will also be the furthest from lobby. Take note that checkout time is 10am. After that it cost 5000yen for 1 hr! Plan the time properly if you want breakfast and onsen in a short morning, or you can always add a day-only onsen+meal package which cost 4000-6000yen pp depending on the meal you select.

Meals : Many have been said about the wonderful Kaiseki cuisine in TA. Just want to add that the meal will come on-time. That means, if you change the timing last minute, whether later or earlier, it will cause some trouble to their process but they will try their best. The nice lady tried to name the ingredients and always gave us heads-up what is next step, eg. what is serving next, how to get the plates cleared, when to sent someone to lay the futon or store the futon in the morning.

Location : We actually chose to stay in Hakone-Yumoto first before we choose Yoshiike, since it is the shortest time (and cheaper route) from Tokyo for a proper ryokan and onsen visit. Took 8.43am Express train from Shinjuku Odakyu Rail and reached around 10.30am, total 1150yen pp. Take Odawara Line to Odawara station, then change to Hakone-Tozan Line to Hakone-Yumoto station. There is a Tourist Information Centre opposite the station next to the bus stops incase you need help on directions and map. Did a little shopping and walk around for 1.5hr, mostly local food and specialties, had lunch then went to checkin at 1:30pm. Yoshiike is just at the end of the shopping street. Can reach in 7 min without shopping, though the interesting shops will temp you to stop. There is a convenience store 7-11 near the end of the street. The street actually continues for cars, just no more shops to visit anymore. Turn left into a side charming street that leads to a short red color bridge. You will see Yoshiike almost immediately a few steps after crossing the bridge. There is an authentic looking restaurant on the left side after the short bridge, popular among locals and good to try lunch there. If you have time, exlpore further up along the road after Yoshiike. The river is marvellous and the charming scenery is worth the up-hill walk.

Service : Everyone is professional, helpful when approached and always smiling - from the man who check us in, the lady who led us to the room, explained the layout of the ryokan and onsen, suggested different sizes of Yukata to us, another lady who laid our tables during dinner and breakfast, the man who expertly laid and stored our futons, the onsen care takers who offered us a glass of cold o-cha, to the young man who ran out of the door on his own will to take a picture for us when we left (nice touch at the end!).

Due to limited time, we can't go further up into Hakone for better ryokan and onsen. Still, no regrets choosing Yoshiike. A fabulous time enjoying the sumptuous dinner and relaxing in the beautiful outdoor onsen. What Yoshiike short of is the unique passion and missing that extra mile which is commonly found in top ryokans. Those looking for fresh and modern room will be disappointed too though you can also consider their western style room (might not include in-room dinning experience). The garden will be the WOW factor when in season. Strongly recommend Yoshiike for foreign visitors who want to try ryokan and onsen. Pls do read up on ryokan culture and onsen etiquette first. It is not easy to find English speaking traditional ryokan and Yoshiike offers good balance experience overall in easy-reached Hakone-Yumoto.More