An inn that is particular about using fine wood

Located in Gora, the center of the Hakone hot spring resort, there is an inn where precious wood gives off a soft sparkle everywhere. Madoka no Mori, with a total of 20 rooms, lets you feel the warmth of wood everywhere.

As you enter the entrance hall guided by the waterwheel and look up at the ceiling, you will see magnificent thick beams and girders. As you head to the reception, your eyes will be captivated by the splendor of the brown planks used as tables. These are made of Jindai Keyaki (Japanese Zelkova).

The columns lining the lounge in front of the reception are made of Jindai Zelkova, and are a stately, muted gray. Of course, the ceiling beams and girders are just as impressive as those in the entrance hall.

"The Jindai Zelkova was dug up from deep underground on Mount Chokai, and because it was compressed and buried under volcanic ash, the color of the volcanic ash has permeated it over a long period of time. The wooden furniture and furnishings are masterpieces made by Hida artisans from cedar, oak, cypress, and other woods," says Michiko Matsuzaka, the proprietress.

From the corridor we are about to enter to the guest rooms, it is as if the fine woods are resonating with each other throughout the inn, and the scent of wood permeates every corner.

Relax with "sound" and "scent"

There are about six other things that the inn is considerate of.

The first is the spirit of service.

The service is not cookie-cutter. The proprietress and other staff members think on the spot and respond flexibly to the situation. Their natural and attentive demeanor is truly comforting.

The second is "sound."

Music supervised by producer Naoki Tachikawa plays quietly throughout the hotel, perfectly matching the silence and wooden atmosphere of the inn surrounded by forest.

Music events produced by Tachikawa are also often held within the inn.

The third is "fragrance."

As I mentioned earlier, the scent of wood is also present, but the subtle aroma of a special aroma tickles your nostrils.

Chilling pleasure in two types of open-air baths

The fourth is "hot water."

Unusually for a hotel in Hakone, the hotel has two private hot springs. The first is a sodium sulfate bicarbonate spring with smooth, silky water that flows freely into the large public bath.

The view from the large public bath is also amazing. The men's and women's baths switch depending on the time of day, so the view also changes. One is an open-air bath overlooking Mt. Kintoki and the Hakone mountain range, and at night the Gora townscape and starry sky are beautiful. The other is an open-air bath that feels like forest bathing, where you can feel the trees of the forest right in front of you. It's rare to find such a dynamic open-air bath.

The second spring is a moisturizing sodium chloride spring, which is poured directly into the private open-air baths provided in all rooms.

Having an open-air bath in your room is perhaps the highlight of the pleasures offered by a hot spring inn. Take a bath before dinner and then another before bed. A morning bath is also irresistible.

Especially during the cold season, soaking in an open-air bath surrounded by cool air is a special experience. Your body is enveloped in hot water, and only your head, above the water, is enveloped in cool air. The night I stayed there, it happened to be a full moon, so I was able to enjoy moonlight bathing.

A variety of top-class ingredients

The fifth special focus is food.

We especially recommend the "Suien" accommodation plan, which includes meals at Kappo Mugen, where the food is prepared on the other side of the counter.

This course is cooked using a rare method called hydrogen.

"Hydrogen does not emit CO₂, and it is tasteless and odorless, so the smell does not transfer to the food. We decided to introduce it because it brings out the natural flavor of the ingredients. We are the only inn in the world to have this cooking device," said the proprietress.

Incidentally, it is worth noting that this inn is also seriously committed to reducing CO₂ and plastic, as well as food waste.

The person who controls this hydrogen gas is head chef Shibao Ryota.

"While city gas and LP gas reach 1800°C, hydrogen gas reaches 2500°C. Food is cooked more than twice as fast, so I have to be careful not to get too caught up in conversation with customers and accidentally burn the food (laughs)," says the executive chef.

Because the temperature is high, it is difficult to cook the ingredients, but instead, the food cooks quickly and becomes moist and juicy.

Moreover, the head chef is always on the lookout for the finest ingredients from all over Japan.

For example, the best sea bass and sea bream in Japan (whenever they are caught) provided by fisherman Mura Koichi from Tokushima Prefecture, the best Omi beef in Japan carefully selected by Shinbo Yoshinobu of Sakaeya, ginger from Lucky Farm in Kochi Prefecture, and seafood from Shioya Fish Shop in Aomori Prefecture. All of these are difficult to obtain.

Enjoying food cooked using hydrogen

There were many memorable dishes, so I would like to introduce a few of them.

The soup dish "Hokkaido Kinki Sake Steamed" is a clear soup made with freshly shaved Makurazaki Honkarebushi and natural Rausu kelp from Hokkaido, and is made with hot spring water from Kagoshima Prefecture. The broth is very clear, and the kinki floating in it are plump and beautiful. The kinki is of the highest quality, delivered from Shioya Fish Shop in Aomori.

The next dish was "Conger eel, tuna, and mizutako (octopus)." The conger eel was from Shioya and resembled grouper. Its white meat had a deep flavor that was almost formidable. The mizutako (octopus) was eaten with ginger from Lucky Farm, and this ginger was indeed exceptional. It had a sharp spiciness, but was also mellow and even had a sweet taste.

The stewed "Japanese-style Tiger Prawns Bisque Soup" is made with tiger prawns, oysters, red eggplant from Kumamoto Prefecture, and horenso grass, which complement the rich, thick soup infused with shrimp miso, doubling the umami flavor. The homemade yuzu pepper adds a nice spiciness. Adding white rice to the remaining soup would be delicious.

The main dish was Omi Beef Sirloin Steak, sourced from Sakaeya ​​in Shiga Prefecture. There aren't many inns in Japan that serve Sakaeya ​​meat. It's top-quality meat, and the quality and fat are both excellent. No sauce is needed.

Complete your stay at the inn

Itamae Kappo has been running for just under two years. At first, he was confused by the line of foreign guests waiting in front of him. The guests themselves couldn't understand why there was a chef right in front of them. But now, he seems to have gotten used to it.

After all, this inn is almost fully booked with foreigners until November, depending on the time of year.

If you book the "Suien" accommodation plan, you can enjoy a traditional Japanese breakfast. They will grill fish right before your eyes and serve you a freshly made omelette. They will also serve you rice that has just been cooked in a clay pot. They will sprinkle freshly shaved bonito flakes on the rice right before your eyes. The excitement will reach its peak when you eat it with a light drizzle of soy sauce. It is a truly Japanese luxury that is hard to find anywhere else.

"Foreigners at this restaurant become friends with each other at the counter, and then go out together the next morning," says the executive chef.

Apparently, they sometimes meet up at the hotel's storehouse bar, Kodama, after dinner.

"Such encounters are part of the very concept of 'Enka,' which means 'fate,' so it makes me very happy," says the proprietress.

And the last one is "refresh."

There is a spa run by a skilled esthetician who will relieve any stiffness that has built up in your body. The spa building is located in the middle of the forest, so you can feel the breath of the trees. The main building also has a bedrock bath with temperatures of 50°C and 45°C.

As you can see, once you step over the threshold and into the inn, you will be treated to everything you could want, and it can be said to be a completely impeccable inn. (Titles omitted throughout the text)

Madoka no Mori

Address: 1320-862 Gora, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa Prefecture
TEL：0460-82-4100

Accommodation plan "Suien"
Price: From 156,000 yen (per room for two people per night, including dinner and breakfast, tax and service charge)

Madoka no Mori Special Event [NIGHT OF VALENTINE EVE]
Date and time: Friday, February 13, 2026, 20:30 PM, Live performance by TOKU (vocals, flugelhorn) and Yosuke Onuma (guitar)
Price: From 61,000 yen per person (tax and service charge included)
*This offer is available to hotel guests only.