※日本語の記事を中心に書くスタンスは変わりませんので、これからもよろしくお願いします。
I am Kazusan, a Tokyo resident who is not very good at English.
When I traveled abroad, I used to refer to word of mouth of people living there.
This is because local information in Japanese is often advertisements or information about facilities that are designed for Japanese people.
I wanted to write an article that would be helpful to travelers coming to Japan, so I used translation software to write this article.
I would be happy if even one of you found it helpful.
Sleeping style on a bed, not Japanese-style futon.
I would like to visit a Japanese hot spring.
However, I feel uneasy about the Japanese style of sleeping on a futon in a Tatami room.
Many tourists may feel this way.
At the Hyogone Kowakuen Hotel, various types of rooms are available, so you can choose the room that best suits your needs.
Western-style room type with bed (Standard Room Type-B)
We had this type of room.
You don't need to take off your shoes when entering the room.
One of us was an elementary school student, so we used 3 beds.
There were 4 people in the room, including the accompanying person.
It may be a little confusing, but the bed on the right is a slightly larger double bed.
It looks like this room was originally laid out with one double-size bed and one single-size bed.
If there are three people in the room, one extra bed can be put in.
For 4 people, it seems to be a style where 2 people sleep on a double-size bed each, so larger people may find it a little cramped.
The bed width is approximately 55 inches (140 cm) for double beds and 38 inches (98 cm) for single beds.
www.hakone-hotelkowakien.jp
There is no bathtub in the room, only a shower.
I have always looked at the bathtubs in the rooms of hotels with hot springs and wondered, "Who would use this?
If I wanted to take a bath, I would go to a hot spring.
In most onsen facilities, even if you turn on the faucet, no hot spring water comes out.
Therefore, the bath in the room is not a hot spring.
Of course, there is a possibility that some people may not be able to get into the onsen for some reason.
But in that case, I don't think they will go into the bathtub in the first place.
So I think a shower would be sufficient.
Western-style room type with bed (Standard Room Type-A)
This is the type of room where you take off your shoes when entering.
This room has two double-sized beds, so if three or more people are staying, two people will sleep in one bed.
There is no bathtub in the room, only a shower.
Japanese-Style Room
This is a Japanese-style room with tatami mats laid out throughout, and guests are required to take their shoes off when using the room.
There are two single beds on top of the tatami mats. If there are 3-4 people using the room, they can also use the Japanese style of laying their own futon on the tatami mats.
This way tourists from abroad can experience sleeping on a futon, or if they're not used to it they can sleep in a bed, so it's safe and secure.
If you're traveling with children, I think sleeping on a futon would be a fun experience.
Universal Design Room
This room has a bathtub in the bathroom.
It has two single beds, so it's a room for two people.
This is the type of room where you take off your shoes when entering.
Deluxe Room
This room has two double-sized beds. If 3-4 people are staying, a sofa bed will be used.
Maximum of 2 sofa beds is allowed. If 5 or more people are staying, 2 people will sleep in one double-sized bed, so a maximum of 6 people can be accommodated.
This is the type of room where you take off your shoes when entering.
A clean, minimalist large bath
Mori no Yu, a large hot spring facility adjacent to the Hakone Kowakien Hotel, is available free of charge to guests staying at the hotel.
www.morino-yu.com
Mori no Yu is a hot spring facility that can be used even if you are not a guest staying at the hotel.
In that case, a general fee of 1,500 yen is required.
In addition to the large open-air bath, there are rock baths and ceramic baths.
For those who do not like hot water, there are also slightly warmer hot springs.
Of course, there is also a sauna, so you can experience various hot spring cultures.
However, those who are not used to bathing naked with strangers may be confused by the large and open space.
Also, the opening hours are short, from 11:00 to 20:00, so you cannot use it after dinner or early in the morning.
For that reason, the hotel also has hot spring facilities, so please make use of them.
- Open-air bath (with a reclining bath space)
- Large indoor bath
- Sauna
I was surprised to see that there is a "reclining bath".
A "reclining bath" is a style where you lie down so that about half of your body is immersed in the water.
A half-body bath is a style where you sit down and your lower body is immersed in the water.
On the other hand, with a "reclining bath", your back (buttocks) is half-immersed in the water from the upper to lower half of your body.
You can stay in this bath for as long as you like without getting hot.
It's a bit cold in winter, so spring might be just the right time.
I stayed in the bath in the morning while waiting for the sunrise, and it felt amazing.
There are instructions in foreign languages so you can feel safe
Tourists from abroad may not be familiar with hot spring culture and may not know what to do.
There are detailed explanatory signs at the baths of Hakone Kowakien Hotel.
I remember being surprised when I went to a hot spring a long time ago and saw a foreign family who I think lived in Japan.
The children were excited and tried to get in the bathtub, but the father said,
Wash your body first!
Don't get in!
Come over here.
Don't just rinse with hot water!
Wash your body properly with soap!!!!
I thought this father must like hot springs.
Even Japanese children try to get in without washing their bodies.
Some people just pour hot water over themselves and get in the bathtub.
I was very moved to see the father, who was probably a foreigner, trying to follow the rules so strictly.
I remembered that when I went to a temple on a trip to Taiwan, I saw the local worshippers following strict rules and thought,
I can't just behave like this!
I think that when you go abroad, you should learn the rules and etiquette of the local people, but it's hard to know what to learn.
I felt that having the rules clearly written down like this was important for both of us.
If you feel embarrassed, use a private bath.
For people who are not used to bathing with others, public baths can be a bit of a challenge.
There are several private baths available for foreign visitors.
The rooms lined up on the left side are private baths.*Opening hours: 15:00 - 24:00 Price: 2,500 yen (tax included) / 60 minutes Notes: After checking in, make a reservation via the TV information in your room. People with tattoos can also use the baths.The attitude towards tattoos is completely different in Japan than it is in other countries.It's clear that the hotel is considerate and wants to make sure that no one is disappointed by not being able to enter the hot springs because of their tattoos.
Just renovated and very clean
I went to the large public bath early in the morning, and sure enough, there was no one there and we had the place to ourselves, so I decided to take some photos.
Please excuse me, but I took my camera out of the bath immediately after taking the photos.
Generally, photography is prohibited in the baths.
The wood is used well and gives it a Japanese feel.
It just feels good.
Relaxation area after bathing
Near the bath there is a Japanese-style relaxation area.
I was able to enjoy reading at my own pace while cooling down my hot body.
If it helps someone
This is the first time I've written an article in English, but I'm a bit worried about whether it's readable.
Once I get some page views, I'll think about writing a second one.
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