Whether you’re living in Japan or visiting, staying at a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn, with your family might be on your list of things to do. Ryokan are the epitome of Japanese hospitality, providing beautiful accommodations, excellent service, amazing food, and wonderful onsen that you can relax in. It’s no wonder that when it comes to taking a much-needed vacation, Japanese people love to splurge on staying at a ryokan, especially with their families.
There are ryokan all across Japan but perhaps you might be wondering whether there are ryokan in Tokyo, especially family-friendly ones?
In this article, I will share my picks for the best family-friendly ryokan in Tokyo and around Tokyo in the Kanto and Chūbu regions of Japan. For those that may not know, Tokyo is located in the Kanto region of Japan, which includes neighboring prefectures such as Saitama, Kanagawa and Chiba. The Chūbu region, meanwhile, is west of Tokyo and includes Shizuoka and Yamanashi, which are home to the world-famous Mount Fuji.
If you want the most traditional ryokan experience, I highly recommend taking a trip outside of Tokyo and visiting the Kanto and Chūbu regions. This is the main reason why I am sharing information about ryokan in those areas as well in this article.
Note that there are some things to keep in mind when visiting a ryokan for the first time with small children, which I share in detail in my article on staying at ryokan in Japan with kids, so make sure to give it a read!
If this is your first time going to onsen (hot spring bath) with your kids, you may want to read my guide on visiting onsen with children as well.
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Contents
- The Best Family-Friendly Ryokan in Tokyo
- The Best Family-Friendly Ryokan Around Tokyo in the Kanto Region
- Ryokan in Kanagawa
- Ryokan in Gunma
- Ryokan in Saitama
- Ryokan in Chiba
- The Best Family-Friendly Ryokan Around Tokyo in the Chūbu Region
- Ryokan in Yamanashi
- Ryokan in Shizuoka
- Wrap-Up: Family-Friendly Ryokan in Tokyo
The Best Family-Friendly Ryokan in Tokyo
ONSEN RYOKAN YUEN SHINJUKU (Shinjuku)
It’s hard to believe there’s such a beautiful ryokan right in the middle of Shinjuku and yet there is!
The rooms have beautiful city views and unlike more traditional ryokan, have beds instead of futon.
They have both indoor and open-air hot spring onsen baths that overlook Shinjuku, which is quite breathtaking, as well as a restaurant in the building that serves traditional and seasonal Japanese food.
Location: 7 minutes on foot from Shinjuku Gyoenmae Station and 8 minutes from Shinjuku-sanchome Station.
HOSHINOYA Tokyo(Otemachi)
This is a stylish and beautiful modern ryokan located between Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace.
Despite that it’s new, the service at HOSHINOYA Tokyo is the epitome of what you get at a traditional ryokan. This is recommended for those who want a luxurious ryokan experience in the heart of the city.
Yuen Bettei Daita (Setagaya)
This is a gorgeous and modern ryokan located near Shimokitazawa Station, one stop away from Shibuya Station. Despite being in the city center, this ryokan is like a mini-retreat with shared onsen baths and excellent hospitality. One room also comes with an open-air bath attached. All the onsen water is sourced from Lake Ashi in Hakone.
You can choose to have breakfast included in your plan when making a reservation. There’s also a spa and restaurant in the building. Best of all, it’s quite affordable for a ryokan, especially in the city.
Ryokan Homeikan Honkan-Daimachi Annex (Bunkyo-ku)
Located in Bunkyo-ku, a quiet neighborhood near Ueno and home to Tokyo Dome City and Yanaka, this ryokan is quite popular with guests for its location, service, and price. It’s in a lovely, antique building surrounded by trees, making it feel like you’ve escaped the city.
Kaminarimon Ryokan (Asakusa)
Asakusa is a must-visit spot when visiting Tokyo. It can be crowded, though, which is why staying in the area might be a good idea so you can see Senso-ji (Asakusa Kannon) early in the morning before all the tourists show up. Asakusa is also close to Akihabara, Ueno, and Ginza by train.
Named after Senso-ji’s gate, Kaminarimon Ryokan is a recently renovated and modern ryokan with spacious rooms. Some rooms also have a city view.
“A unique experience that you can’t get from any other hotel/ ryokan in Japan – highly recommend.” -Alexander, USA (See more reviews)
Looking for things to do with kids in Tokyo and the surrounding area? Then you’ll want to head here for a complete guide about 50+ places to take kids in Tokyo and the rest of Kanto!
The Best Family-Friendly Ryokan Around Tokyo in the Kanto Region
If you have the chance, I highly recommend spending a night at a ryokan outside of Tokyo. It’s one of the best ways to experience another part of Japan while being able to relax amid nature.
My recommendation is to rent a car, if possible, to help make sightseeing and traveling much easier. Of course, Japan has a great transportation system as well and many ryokan offer shuttle services from the nearest station, so it’s not a must. My family just prefers to travel by car.
Ryokan in Kanagawa
Situated to the west of Tokyo, Kanagawa Prefecture is home to cities such as Yokohama and Enoshima and the beautiful resort town Hakone. It’s also known for its stunning nature, featuring both ocean and mountain views, including some of the best of Mount Fuji.
Yugawara Spa Resort Onyado Megumi
Yugawara is a famous hot spring town in Kanagawa that’s located about an hour from Tokyo Station by Shinkansen or two hours by local train. It’s beautiful as you can see both rolling green mountains and the sparkling sea.
This ryokan offers a play area for kids and bath toys for the rental onsen bath (貸切露天風呂), as well as baby food, meals for older kids, and rental strollers. (Make sure to ask about these services when you book!)
Two rooms have private onsen.
Senkyoro
Located in Hakone, this baby-friendly ryokan allows parents to rent a private indoor or outdoor bath to enjoy with their baby for free. They also provide Bumbo chairs and diapers.
Some of the rooms have private onsen.
“I could not rate this place any higher, It is well worth the price.” -Jasmin, Australia (See more reviews)
Washintei Hougetsu
This beautiful ryokan in Hakone is in an excellent location, only 12 minutes by foot from Hakone’s famous Lake Ashi. Some of the rooms have a view of Lake Ashi as well.
The ryokan has several public onsen baths that are open 24 hours a day and private baths, too.
For those staying with babies, they also provide Bumbo chairs, bath chairs, body soap, cutlery, and bottle sterilizers. Babies are also allowed to use their public baths. They have children’s DVDs and picture books available to borrow as well.
Meals are available for children 1.5 years and up.
Kakui no Yado Shiunso
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This ryokan is located along Hayakawa River, which you can see from its rocky open-air bath. It’s stunning in any season, especially in autumn when you can see the autumn foliage from the window of the room.
They’re also family-friendly, with big rooms and amenities for babies and small children such as baby soap, a baby bath, bath chairs, and diapers. (Make sure to ask about these in advance!)
Some of the rooms have private onsen.
Ryokan in Gunma
Kusatsu Onsen in particular is a popular onsen town in the Kanto region and a frequent getaway for Tokyoites as it takes around 3 hours to reach by train. Apart from the numerous hot spring baths, Kusatsu Onsen is most famous for its Yubatake, which is the onsen version of rice paddies, as well as having an active volcano nearby called Mount Shirane.
Eidaya
This family-friendly ryokan in Kusatsu Onsen has rooms with private open-air onsen as well as breakfast and dinner options for an additional cost. They provide both video and board games in the lounge, making it perfect for older kids who need some entertainment. The location is also excellent, only 10 minutes from the famous Kusatsu Yubatake.
They also provide meals and futon for small children if requested.
“Great for family holidays with kids. Rooms were extra large with plenty of space. Entertainment for kids in the game room.” -Chee, Australia (See more reviews)
Keisetsu no Yado Syoubun
We brought our daughter to this ryokan when she was a year and a half. The ideal time to visit is during autumn when the beautiful momiji leaves changing color outside the window adds to the charm of the ryokan.
The ryokan provides jinbei for toddlers, which my daughter looked absolutely adorable in! They also have amenities tailored for toddlers, such as a toothbrush and washcloth.
Our room was spacious with a semi-open-air onsen bath. While the option for a kids’ meal was available, given our daughter’s age, we opted to share our dishes with her and it was more than enough for all of us.
“An outstanding onsen, beautifully presented meals, and rooms of very high quality” -Mark, Australia (See more reviews)
Ryokan in Saitama
Located north of Tokyo, Saitama Prefecture is mostly known for being a bed town but also for Karuizawa and Kawagoe. These are both beautiful areas in Japan to visit on a day trip from Tokyo. There’s lots of nature in Saitama the further from Tokyo you go.
Taishoukaku
If you feel like escaping Tokyo for a bit, staying at Taishoukaku is a great option. This gorgeous ryokan is surrounded by trees in an area known for hiking and nature. The ryokan also has an indoor wooden play area for kids and sights nearby such as Moomin Valley Park.
They offer free shuttle buses from Hanno Station, which is 30 minutes by train from Tokyo’s Ikebukuro Station.
Ryokan in Chiba
Tokyo’s neighbor to the east, Chiba is another bed town where people move to raise families or save money. But since the southern part of Chiba is surrounded by the sea, there are many resorts and ryokan that Tokyoites like to visit when they want to relax.
Kamogawakan
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This ryokan is very close to popular family-friendly sightseeing spots such as Mother Farm and Kamogawa Sea World. It also has stunning views of the ocean from the rooms and several hot spring baths.
For those staying with babies, they provide a Family Plan that includes free diapers, extra towels, baby soap, and free use of a private onsen bath (貸切風呂) for 45 minutes. (Make sure to ask the ryokan about it before staying!)
Some of the rooms have private onsen.
The Best Family-Friendly Ryokan Around Tokyo in the Chūbu Region
Ryokan in Yamanashi
Tokyo’s neighbor to the west, Yamanashi Prefecture is known for Lake Kawaguchi, its juicy pears, as well as having stunning views of Mount Fuji. It’s a great place to visit in autumn to see the changing autumn leaves while relaxing in one of the many onsen in the prefecture.
Ubuya
My family stayed at Ubuya before we moved from the Kanto region to Kansai as a last goodbye. It’s pricey but this ryokan is absolutely worth the price.
Everything is picturesque and we had a perfect view of Mount Fuji from our room. The room also came with its own private open-air onsen bath, which we enjoyed as a family while looking at Mount Fuji.
This ryokan offers kid’s meals as well and you can rent toys and other amenities for little ones, if available.
“Nice, big & comfortable room with a great view of Mt Fuji. Excellent service from the staff that showed us to the room & the dining staff who served us. Dinner & breakfast were delicious. Great atmosphere in the hotel.” -Sylvester, Singapore (See more reviews)
Kasuitei Ooya
Located next to Lake Kawaguchi, which you should visit if you haven’t already, this ryokan boasts multiple hot spring baths throughout the facility, including a rental one that overlooks the lake. They also provide meals and futon for small children.
Some of the rooms have private onsen.
“Location was great, the room was spacious and had a great view. Staff were attentive and picked us up from the train station though the time we arrived wasn’t within the usual time they would pick people up. Really great service, thank you!” -Min, Singapore (See more reviews)
Ryokan in Shizuoka
Shizuoka is a prefecture located southwest of Yamanashi and another popular area for people from Tokyo to visit on a short vacation as it’s only a 2-3 hour train ride or drive away.
The Izu Peninsula in particular is a popular tourist spot due to its stunning early blooming sakura, Kawazuzakura, and its lovely views of the ocean.
Hamanoyu
Located about two hours away from Tokyo by train, Hamanoyu is one of the most luxurious ryokan I have ever had the pleasure of staying at.
They treat you like royalty from the moment you walk in and I loved every moment of my stay there. They’re known for their gourmet in-room meals, in particular their sea bream, which my husband said was the best he had in his life.
Many of their rooms come with a private open-air bath as well as ocean views. They also provide special meals just for kids.
If there’s one ryokan you should make the trip to visit, it’s this one. I can’t say enough good things about it.
“The attending staff was attentive and very thoughtful. The meals were served in the room, very fresh and yummy with generous portions!” -Rachelle, Singapore (See more reviews)
Sora no Ue
Located in Izu, Sora no Ue is a quaint ryokan with spectacular service.
My family stayed at Sora no Ue for my daughter’s first vacation when she was 6 months old. They have a special, child-friendly room that has toys as well as amenities for babies and toddlers, as well as an onsen bath in the room.
I wrote an in-depth article about my stay with my family so please have a look!
Wrap-Up: Family-Friendly Ryokan in Tokyo
I hope this article on ryokan in Tokyo and the surrounding area has been helpful.
Having lived in Japan for over a decade and counting (I’m a lifer), I have never had a bad experience at a ryokan and have always felt like royalty when staying at one. There’s no better way to pamper yourself and your family while experiencing Japanese hospitality at its fullest. The service, the food, the onsen — I can go on for ages about everything I love about ryokan. And I hope you feel the same way after you stay at one, too!
Make sure to check out my article on family-friendly ryokan in Kyoto and Kansai and my round-up of the best ryokan for babies and toddlers as well!
