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Shougetsu Onsen, Hakone Yumoto
 I've been to many onsen across the country, but one of the nicest was Shougetsu, in the popular onsen town of Hakone Yumoto. Hakone is one of the most famous onsen areas, and is convenient for even a day trip from Tokyo. Shougetsu is located close to the Hakone Yumoto station and is a popular spot for foreign visitors, especially as they have an excellent website in English. There is a selection of Japanese and western-style rooms, each with a lovely view of the mountains or the Hayakawa River. There are two main baths, one for women and one for men, though since one is a lot bigger they are rotated to give everyone a chance to enjoy them at their best. When I visited on a weekday, I had the huge bath all to myself. Now that is the height of luxury!
 And the clincher for me was the food. It was as good as I've had at any restaurant in Japan. I lost count of how many courses there were, and by the time I'd settled into the very cool bar next to the restaurant, I didn't really care! And all this only an hour from Tokyo Station.
Hotellerie Maille Coeur Shougetsu website
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