Hibarino | A Garden Retreat in Sengokuhara, Hakone
Tucked in Sengokuhara, one of Hakone's celebrated hot spring districts, Hibarino is a garden ryokan built on the quiet beauty of wabi-sabi. Each of its 11 rooms, spread across five distinct categories, opens onto its own semi-open-air bath — steam curling into view of a dry rock garden and rustling bamboo. Soak beneath the stars, and the noise of the everyday fades away.
Arrival begins with a patissier's welcome sweet in the lounge. Come evening, a kaiseki dinner built from ingredients sourced across Japan carries the meal through the seasons, followed by cocktails and local sake at the Bar Space, where the evening slows to its own rhythm.
A partnership with beauty innovator Reborn brings stem-cell-derived essence into the bath water and in-room showers — a rare pairing of onsen and cutting-edge skincare.
Sengokuhara itself is an art lover's stretch of Hakone, home to the Glass Forest Museum and the POLA Museum of Art nearby. Twenty minutes by car from Gotemba IC, with free on-site parking, or 45 minutes by bus from Odawara Station — Hibarino makes an easy, unhurried base for exploring Hakone.
"There are so many hotels in the Hakone area, and I'm really glad we chose this one. First, the surroundings are very tranquil, yet it's still accessible by public transport. There's a Lawson convenience store just a 5-minute walk away. Second, the hotel only opened last October, so it's very new and has a lovely artistic vibe. You can tell the owner has great taste. Third, there's a ********* girl named Ms. Gan at the front desk who was incredibly enthusiastic and actively helped with all our questions – big thumbs up for her! Fourth, we opted for the half-board option (dinner and breakfast), and both meals felt like an experience and were absolutely delicious. Fifth, every room has a private onsen, so you can enjoy the natural hot springs anytime, which was incredibly relaxing."