Japan: Romantic Getaways

Romantic Getaways

Kyoto’s Arashiyama Bamboo Grove at Dawn

Expect to pay: £250–£600 per night for a quality ryokan with kaiseki dinner included

There’s something almost supernatural about walking through Arashiyama’s towering bamboo forest as first light filters through the swaying stalks. The rustling creates nature’s own whispered symphony, and at dawn—before the crowds arrive—you’ll have this ethereal corridor almost entirely to yourselves. Stay at a nearby ryokan where you can slip into matching yukata robes and share a private kaiseki dinner overlooking a moonlit garden. The following morning, hire a traditional wooden boat and drift along the Hozu River, watching cormorant fishermen work as they have for centuries. This is Japan at its most timelessly romantic—ancient, unhurried, and deeply intimate.

Hakone: Hot Springs with Mount Fuji Views

Expect to pay: £300–£800 per night for a ryokan with private onsen and meals

Nestled in the mountains just ninety minutes from Tokyo, Hakone offers couples the quintessential Japanese escape. Book a room with a private rotenburo—an outdoor bath carved from volcanic rock—where you can soak together beneath the stars while gazing at Fuji’s snow-capped silhouette. By day, glide across Lake Ashi on a sightseeing cruise, the sacred mountain reflected perfectly in still waters. The region’s ryokans take romance seriously: expect in-room multi-course dinners served by kimono-clad attendants, futons laid side by side on tatami floors, and mornings where the only sound is birdsong and the gentle bubbling of your private spring.

Naoshima: Art Island for Two

Expect to pay: £400–£900 per night at Benesse House; £150–£250 for boutique guesthouses

This tiny island in the Seto Inland Sea has transformed into one of the world’s most remarkable outdoor galleries, and it’s impossibly romantic. Cycle together past Yayoi Kusama’s iconic pumpkin sculptures, discover Tadao Ando’s underground museums carved into hillsides, and stumble upon art installations hidden in abandoned fishing villages. Stay at the Benesse House, where you can fall asleep surrounded by original artworks and wake to panoramic sea views. As evening falls, find a quiet beach, share local sake, and watch the sun sink behind scattered islands. Naoshima proves that romance thrives where creativity and natural beauty collide.

Miyajima: The Floating Shrine Island

Expect to pay: £200–£450 per night for a traditional ryokan with sea views and meals

When the tourist ferries depart and twilight descends, Miyajima reveals its most romantic self. The great vermillion torii gate appears to float on the rising tide, its reflection shimmering like a fever dream. Stay overnight on this sacred island—most visitors don’t—and you’ll have the shrine paths and lantern-lit streets almost to yourselves. Friendly deer wander freely as you explore together, and the island’s ryokans serve exceptional Hiroshima-style cuisine with views across the Inland Sea. At high tide under moonlight, sit together watching the illuminated gate rising from black water. It’s a scene that has inspired lovers for over a thousand years.

Takayama: Alpine Romance in the Japanese Alps

Expect to pay: £180–£400 per night in Takayama; £250–£500 for Shirakawa-go farmhouse stays

Hidden in the mountainous heart of Hida, Takayama feels like stepping into Edo-period Japan. Wander hand-in-hand through streets of perfectly preserved merchant houses, their dark wooden facades unchanged for three centuries. In winter, snow blankets the tiled rooftops and you can warm yourselves with cups of amazake at morning markets selling lacquerware and handcrafted sake cups. The surrounding villages of Shirakawa-go feature dramatic thatched farmhouses where couples can stay overnight, falling asleep to absolute silence and waking to mist rising through alpine valleys. This is rural Japan at its most enchanting—slow, authentic, and wonderfully removed from modern life.

Useful Links:

1. Kyoto — Arashiyama Bamboo Grove at Dawn

Stay (Hotel):
The GrandWest Arashiyama Hotel — Boutique Kyoto retreat near the bamboo grove with local charm and easy access.
🔗 https://www.grandwest.kyoto/en/

Visit / Book Activity:
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove Morning Visit — Stroll the serene bamboo forest at dawn for a magical start in Kyoto. (no official booking site needed; access is public)

Address: Sagaogurayama Tabuchiyamacho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, 616-8394, Japan

Eat:
• KYOTO KITCHO Arashiyama — Iconic refined Japanese cuisine in a historic setting.
🔗 https://kyoto-kitcho.com/en/restaurant/arashiyama/

2. Hakone — Hot Springs with Mount Fuji Views

Stay (Hotel):
Hakone Hotel — Elegant lakeside hotel on Lake Ashi with hot springs and Mt. Fuji vistas.
🔗 https://fhr.hakonehotel.jp/

Visit / Book Activity:
Hakone Open Air Museum — Art, sculpture gardens and beautiful mountain surroundings.
🔗 https://www.hakone-oam.or.jp/en/

Eat:
• Gora Kadan Restaurants — Dining at a luxury ryokan blending local Japanese and kaiseki cuisine.
🔗 https://www.gorakadan.com/en/

3. Naoshima — Art Island for Two

Stay (Hotel):
Benesse House — World-class art museum + luxury lodging integrated with exhibits.
🔗 https://www.benesse-artsite.jp/en/benessehouse/

Visit / Book Activity:
Benesse Art Site Naoshima — Comprehensive art experiences across indoor/outdoor exhibitions by renowned artists.
🔗 https://www.benesse-artsite.jp/en/

Eat:
• Cin.na.mon — Cozy café restaurant in Naoshima with simple seasonal dishes.
🔗 http://www.cin-na-mon.jp/en/index.html

4. Miyajima — The Floating Shrine Island

Stay (Hotel):
Hotel Kikunoya — Classic Japanese hotel with sea views near Itsukushima Shrine.
🔗 https://miyajima-kikunoya.com/en/

Visit / Book Activity:
Itsukushima Shrine (Floating Torii) — UNESCO World Heritage shrine famous for its dramatic “floating” gate at high tide.
🔗 http://en.itsukushimajinja.jp/

Eat:
• Kakiya (Oyster Restaurant) — Fresh Hiroshima oysters prepared a variety of ways. (search official site)
🔗 https://www.kaki-ya.jp/

5. Takayama — Alpine Romance in the Japanese Alps

Stay (Hotel):
Hotel Associa Takayama Resort — Comfortable alpine hotel near mountain views and town attractions.
🔗 https://www.associa.com/hotel/takayama/

Visit / Book Activity:
Takayama Old Town Walking Tour — Explore beautifully preserved Edo-period streets and historic merchants’ homes. (public access; consider local guide booking via GetYourGuide/Viator) 🔗 https://www.getyourguide.com/

Eat:
• Ajikura Tengoku — Famous grilled Hida beef restaurant (has official reservation channel)
🔗 https://www.ajikura.jp/