Mitake

Mitake is a small minshuku in Hakone's Miyanoshita area, a five-minute walk down a steep, winding lane from Kowakudani Station. It only takes a handful of parties a night, and regulars say a reservation is hard to get. Both of its two indoor baths are private, booked by room or party rather than shared: a bigger tub built for one or two people and a smaller one for a solo soak. The water is fed straight from the spring, clear and colorless, and kept flowing fresh, and guests open the bath windows to let outside air in while they soak. The inn is run by an elderly host and his wife, who cooks home-style dinners and breakfasts. It keeps an old, unpolished, Showa-era feel that regulars come back for.