The Gôra Kadan, Japan accommodation - Zen by any other name

The most remarkable thing about Japan is the divide between its thousand-year-old traditions and its thirst for modernity. The juxtaposition of the two can sometimes be found in exceptional ryokans — traditional Japanese travellers’ inns, located along Japan’s country roads that date back hundreds of years. With their traditional décor they are a window to an historical way of life.

Just eighty-five minutes outside Tokyo, Gôra Kadan, a one-time imperial family retreat, is now a first-class ryokan in the middle of the Hakone National Park in an area of volcanic springs. A stay in Gôra Kadan is an invitation to bring your senses to life by submerging yourself in Japan’s most ancient way of life.

Everywhere you turn there’s a magnificently framed view of the Hakone countryside. Rooms come in semi-Western as well as typical tatami styles, and some have open-air wooden or stone baths. The spa goes beyond the classic, dips into international treatments such as thalassotherapy and Dead Sea Salts; most impressive, however, is again the natural setting, a mineral pool ringed with enormous rocks. Enjoy the utter silence of the Hakone National Park — it feels a long, long way from Tokyo.

Paul Patane is wrapped in Zen retreats and this one also offers golf, swimming, hiking, fishing and water-skiing.

GôRA KADAN PACKAGE INCLUDES: • 2 NIGHTS ACCOMMODATION IN A SUPERIOR TATMI ROOM WITH OPEN AIR STONE BATH • BREAKFAST & DINNER DAILY •

Contact Paul for more information on 1800 047 047 or email him at: ppatane@conciergetraveller.com.au

You may also like

• Uma Ubud, Bali - Good for Body & Soul
• Heavenly accommodation on Hayman Island, Australia
• Enchantment Resort and Spa, Sedona, Arizona
• Lake House hotel, Daylesford, Australia
• Falling in Love with the Louvre
• China World Summit Wing, Beijing
• Wolgan Valley - Sunday to Sunday Best
• Sydney’s new Darling: inside the Darling Hotel
• A Private Paradise in the Philippines
• Magical Mnemba Island