Gora Kadan

Gora Kadan stands in the grounds of the Kan'in-no-miya Villa, the summer retreat of Prince Kan'in Kotohito, who named it Kadan, the word imperial households used for residences where they received foreign dignitaries and honoured guests; the villa kept that role until 1948. Set within Hakone's national park, about 85 minutes from Tokyo, the ryokan pairs a contemporary building with traditional Japanese form, and its rooms, in semi-Western or tatami style, run from the Bettei and Kadan suites to rooms with private open-air baths of wood or stone. Water shapes the stay. Mildly alkaline spring water rises from the ryokan's own sources to fill the public baths, which alternate between men and women, a private open-air bath with its own steam sauna, and a bedrock bath of natural stones that radiate heat. A warm-water pool and outdoor jacuzzi sit in a space that recalls an orangery, and Kadan Spa offers massage in the spa or shiatsu in the room, with a gym and the Hanakage lounge beyond. Kaiseki Kadan serves seasonal kaiseki from carefully chosen ingredients, with Sushi Kadan alongside. Gora Kadan belongs to Relais & Châteaux.