Senkyoro has been welcoming guests since 1870. The family-run property was first established in Minamihoen by a former head of the Hakone checkpoint. It was called Ishimura Ryokan during those times. The head of the family started sourcing hot spring water from Owakudani and establishing a hot springs resort. Eventually, the ryokan hotel shifted to its current location in 1913. Its name was also changed to Senkyoro.

Due to the property's location in Sengokuhara, a politically significant district at the time, most of its guests were celebrities, including politicians, business people, painters, and literary figures. Senkyoro was also significant in bolstering tourism in Sengokuhara. It has been sourcing hot spring water from Owakudani since 1912. Soon, other accommodations also boasting hot springs collaborated with Senkyoro to fund a hot water supply pipe from Owakudani. The torchbearers were the three families of Shibusawa, Mitsui, and Masuda. Together with a representative of the Okura group, they formed the Hakone Hot Spring Supply Co., Ltd. This initiative still helps transfer hot spring water to Sengokuhara and Gora.

Design and Architecture
Senkyoro proudly boasts its well-preserved traditional Japanese architecture. The entrance hall will transport you back in time with its rustic wooden aesthetics. The main building and east and west wings have Japanese-style rooms with tatami mats and fusuma doors. Low tables and shoji screens are also provided in the rooms.

The skilled chefs at Senkyoro curate delicious and visually attractive kaiseki ryori meals for dinner. The menu keeps changing each month to accommodate the seasonal produce available. Every ingredient is locally sourced, and the rice is domestically grown. Try the Mt. Fuji salmon marinated in kelp for your appetizer, then dig into some sashimi and Roast Wagyu beef. You'll also find boiled food and variety bowls here. Meals are served at the restaurant, Senkyoro Yo, but you may also order room service depending on your room type. As for beverages, a wide selection of top-notch wines, shochu, sake, and champagne is available to wash your meal down with.

Shibusawa Eiichi - Introduced Western capitalism to Japan after the Meiji Restoration and was a guest of the hotel.
Sumitomo Kichizaemon - Former head of the renowned Sumitomo industrialist family, and a guest of the hotel.
Yuki Somei - A Japanese painter known for his Western-style oil paintings and naturalist works, and a guest of the hotel.
Komuro Suiun - A Japanese painter whose real name was Komuro Teijirō, who mainly painted in the manga style and was a guest of the hotel
Kiyokata Kaburagi - A Japanese painter whose real name was Kaburaki Kiyokata and was known for his expertise in the nihonga traditional painting style. He was also once a guest of the hotel.
Masao Kume - A Japanese novelist and playwright who was known as one of the most popular writers in the 1920s for his haiku poems. He was also once a guest of the hotel.
Tokutomi Soho - A Japanese journalist and historian who advocated Europeanization for Japan. He was also once a guest of the hotel.
Okura Kihachiro - A Japanese businessman who uniquely founded the Ōkura-gumi zaibatsu while coming from the peasantry. He was also once a guest of the hotel.
Yamagata Aritomo - 4th Prime Minister of Japan. He was also once a guest of the hotel.
Hiranuma Kiichiro - 35th Prime Minister of Japan. He was also once a guest of the hotel.

Cultural and Outdoor Experiences

Expect an enriching holiday at Senkyoro with its cultural and natural offerings. Your stay in Japan won't be complete without an onsen experience, and luckily, this ryokan offers multiple options for that. There's a large public bath, a shared open-air bath, and private open-air baths that allow exclusive 45-minute sessions. Each features milky white calcium-sulfate-chloride-infused water derived straight from the source in Owakudani. No machine is used to help with water flow from the source to the bath; the process is completely natural thanks to the altitude difference. The onsens also have a pH of 2.0, which is great for your skin. After a relaxing bath, put on a yukata and feel more like a local.

Other cultural experiences at the ryokan include temporary art galleries and pottery classes. Make your own pottery under the guidance of Shinji Tsuchida and later, have it delivered to your home. The experience comes with an extra fee of 4,400 JPY (29.60 USD) and it's totally worth it! Meanwhile, outdoor lovers can explore the walking paths around the property while admiring the beautiful garden. The garden occupies around 4,9500 square meters (532,813.57 square feet) and displays a distinct beauty each season with the colors and vibe changing continuously.

Other Celebrations

You can book a banquet hall or conference room at the ryokan to host any private event. It can be a business seminar or a birthday celebration—the venues are suited for all kinds of events. In fact, the property welcomes you to celebrate your 60th birthday on site, where you can dress up in a red chanchanko and enjoy free cake! The restaurant is also a lovely place to celebrate an intimate event with your loved one.