Unexpected Muslim-Friendly Hotel in Hakone

Soylatte

2 years ago

This summer, Mr Pukka and I visited Hakone for five days. Still in Kanagawa Prefecture, Hakone is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan. Well-known for its natural landscape, Hakone is a volcanic complex with iconic spots and fun activities.

See more: 5D4N Itinerary for Your First Hakone Trip

Hakone is also famous for its onsen or hot springs. Isn’t it too bad to skip Onsen when you’re already in Japan?

Private Open Air Onsen Bath in Hakone Kowakien Tenyu

Google Maps: 1297 Ninotaira, Hakone, Ashigarashimo District, Kanagawa 250-0407 (Google Maps)

Hakone Kowakien Tenyu has just been operating since 2017. Adapting ryokan concept, this hotel has won many awards for its excellent service and facilities.

For those who are concerned about public onsen, there is no need to worry because all rooms in this hotel are equipped with a private open-air bath. The hot water is not ordinary water. It is sourced from the same onsen or hot spring that is known to be good for skin and health.

Muslim-Friendly Japanese Course Menu in Dining Hakone

Dining Hours: 17:00 – 22:00 (Website)

In Tenyu, there are several restaurants serving for lunch and dinner. The default or main restaurant is Dining Hakone.

When we reserved online, Mr Pukka made a special request for Muslim-friendly food assistance. Because it’s difficult to ask for Halal certified meat, we asked to exclude meat and its derivatives, and alcohol from our meals.

I personally don’t really expect much. When we request for adjustment like this, the dish that comes is usually close to vegetarian-vegan food. The taste is also bland. Haha.

But…

It was really good! To be honest, we were really surprised, haha.

At Dining Hakone, there are seven course menus: Appetizer, Soup, Sashimi, Fish Dish, Meat Dish, Rice Dish, and Dessert.

Since we requested Muslim-friendly, the menu was all adjusted. For example, for the Meat Dish, the steak was replaced with lobster, abalone, scallop, etc. Even without meat, the chef was very thoughtful with the combination and substitution. So that our dining experience doesn’t change much.

Overall, all the dishes that came out were really good. We could taste the umami just right. As it is a Kaiseki cuisine, the ingredients were varied and fresh. The total portion was also amazing. 100/100.

Breakfast Buffet (Still) in Dining Hakone

Dining Hours: 07:00 – 10:00 (Website)

Still at Dining Hakone, our breakfast was also included in the package. This time it wasn’t a course, but buffet style like most breakfast hotels. What makes it different, though the venue is not that big, the choices are really varied.

By variety, I don’t just mean Western or Japanese cuisine. For Japanese cuisine itself, there are many seafood options. From kaisen don, grilled seafood including crab, various kinds of eggs, rice, bread, soups, etc. There are also many kinds of desserts and fruits.

For beverages, apart from the standard ones like coffee and infused water, there are a variety of juices, milk, and tea too. There’s even an ice cream machine, and the milk- and melon-flavored soft creams are really good. Too bad we forgot to take a photo. 🙁

Explore More: Public Onsen

Open Hours: 5:00 – 24:00

There are two public onsen at Hakone Kowakien Tenyu: Ukigumo on the 6F, and Kurumazawa on 5F. The venue switches every day between male and female. So it’s not a mixed gender onsen 🙂

The view from the public onsen is really nice. On the 6F or Ukigumo floor, there is an open air space with an infinity edge pool concept. Plus the stellar view of the mountain landscape, it’s another 100/100 experience.

For those who are concerned about public baths (like me), we can ask for Yuamigi or special onsen bathing wear on the receptions. You can also visit during less crowded times – after 9pm, for example, or early in the morning so you don’t meet many people.

Lastly…

This time, we stayed at the Maisonette Room Hoshi Wing (Top Floor). Our room is enough for 4 people. The only difference with other rooms is the floor location and additional sofa space.

There are also various suite rooms on the 1F floor that can accommodate up to 5 people. We met many families during our two-night stay here. Overall, the ambience and experience is family friendly.

Pros

Family friendly, Muslim friendly (and foreigner friendly)
Excellent and professional service and facilities
Plenty of space to relax, free drinks in the lobby and garden area (herb teas, coffee)
Great dining experience (many options available)
Strategic location, accessible by public transport
Free shuttle bus to Gora station

Cons

None 🙂

That’s all for the hotel slash ryokan review: Hakone Kowakien Tenyu. Hope it was useful!

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