I don't really review hotels on booking - because the review system is not very effective. Everything needs to be rated the best ever, when it isn't. I've rewritten this review to up my rating to a 9 (it was an 8, but it's probably an 8.5 or above). Would I recommend the Yupopop - yes. It's a simple quite charming ryoken with onsen. Good value for the area and the owner Dai is a very thoughtful and the offered excellent Japanese service. We were a bit late arriving (because the Shinkensen was delayed!) but he adapted with good grace. The ryokan is a bus ride from Hakone-yumato and then a 10 minute walk. For exploring the wider Hakone area it’s then a short local bus ride over to Gora, its impressive museums and the cable car (to do the loop). One tip, the onsen is central to all rooms, so you need to reserve it (for free). Evening sessions are more for relaxing and mornings shorter for a morning shower/clean. It's easily done and a nice authentic experience, just need to know/understand.

The accommodation is idyllically situated on the outskirts of the village surrounded by forest. There are good restaurants and a convenience store in a walking distance. The journey from Hakone-Yumoto by bus is quite long but the on-ride views are very rewarding. The house is just the cutest little place. The owner is always helpful, very kind and takes care of everything. Our traditional style room was very large by Japanese standards and the entire accommodation was clean and tidy. The lovingly prepared breakfast was excellent and the absolute highlight is the private Onsen you can book on a hourly basis. If we ever come back to Hakone this will be our go-to place. Thank you for this awesome experience!!

Honestly, there is nothing to complain about.

If I could give more than 10 I would. The location might be a bit discouraging, but honestly after a very stressful day, Dai-san's kindness and the amazing private onsen were so, so refreshing! I could have a bath with my boyfriend after booking at the check in, it was incredible The neighbourhood is so nice and cozy, it's super close to the forest and there is a bus station connected to the main stations (unfortunately, we were a bit unlucky because there was the Ekiden race in Hakone on 2nd and 3rd January, and some buses were cancelled) The dinner and breakfast were amazing, everything was delicious and Dai-san basically made everything. Super nice really. The futon were super comfortable for me! Really recommended :)

Nothing! After checking out we were sad we hadn't booked for one more night!

This is our very first ryokan experience and we were super impressed by Mr. Dai’s service. We stayed here for two nights, and there was room service where he cleaned the room, replenished our toiletries and drinking water, and provided another set of neatly folded yukatas. We also enjoyed our private onsen session every night, the water was not too hot hence we could soak and relax comfortably for a long time. Mr. Dai is also very kind to keep our luggage before check in and after check out so we can explore Hakone without dragging the luggage around. I have read from the other comments that it was steep going up to Yupoppo, but honestly, there is nothing to worry about. We came with 2 large luggage that were about 20kgs each, and had no issue going up the hill. (It was just a short hill to climb and was flat afterwards, about 7mins walk from the bus stop)

Nothing

Our stay at Yupopo was truly wonderful. Dai was an incredibly friendly and helpful host who made us feel right at home. This was by far the best place we stayed during our three-week Japan trip! The beds were super comfortable, and we loved wearing the yukata. The onsen at the homestay was relaxing, and Dai’s breakfast was simple yet delicious. A special touch was the homemade soy milk brownies he served upon arrival — such a thoughtful gesture! Overall, we really enjoyed our time here and would love to return. 🥰❤️

We had such a great time! The owner is such a nice person and it shows how much he cares for all of his guests. The place gives you a great ryokan experience, the food (the owner cooks it himself) is delicious, the onsen is very relaxing and over all it made our time in Hakone so much more memorable. The ryokan is in a quite and beautiful area with amazing restaurants.

It's not in the most central area in Hakone if that's what's important to you (we didn't mind it at all), but it's still easy to get to from the lake and you get to see a different, relaxed and beautiful part of the city.

From beginning to end, we couldn't have asked for a better host than Dai. First off, he was genuinely concerned for us and took measures to make sure that we hadn't gotten lost before we arrived. We arrived around 8:45 pm, which is quite late by ryokan standards. Just as we were turning the corner (you have to walk up a small hill to get to this place), Dai came running out calling for us. And when I checked my phone after settling down in our room, I learned that he had contacted us through our reservation, asking if there were any landmarks around us. That incident aside, there were so many little things that made our stay here the highlight of our five days in Japan. Dai brought us all slices of homemade chocolate "welcome cake" right after we arrived. The private onsen reservation system was wonderful, particularly for my companions who were sore after an entire day of walking. The homemade breakfast was nothing fancy, but it was authentic and delicious. We ran into the host's son, which I personally found endearing. And despite Dai not speaking perfect English, he was quite sociable and we made good conversation.

There was one bug that flew in just as we entered our room, but our host had it out the window in no time.

The owner is the friendliest person ever. We have never felt so welcomed before in any accommodation. Our room felt authentic with attention to detail and was really cozy, and we loved warming up in the Onsen after a long day out in the cold and rainy weather. There isn't much nearby and it's a 15 minutes walk to the next restaurants, but the next bus station is only 7 minutes away. But this makes it fairly quiet, so if you are looking for a place to relax, the location is perfect. Breakfast was delicious, we got 2 homemade buns with orange jam and butter,, fried egg, sausages, salad, vegetable soup and kiwifruit. Also, Tea and Coffee.

Unfortunately we couldn't book the delicious breakfast for the first morning.

If you're interested in a simple, relaxing ryokan experience, this is a fantastic choice. The host was very kind and accommodating, even bringing me a slice of homemade cake in the evening. Everything was what I could hope for - a spacious and clean bedroom with tatami flooring, very comfortable futon, and access to a private onsen both at night and in the morning. The homemade breakfast was also delicious, would highly recommend.

Very friendly and welcoming host, really does his best to accommodate guests. Close to a bus station, so you can easily get to the lake or other towns. Lovely home cooked dinner and breakfast. Private onsen 2 times a day. Highly recommended if you want to stay in a more traditional home and eat freshly made local food.

You have to travel quite some distance by bus to get to the location. These buses tend to be crowded. Not a big problem and it's the case all throughout Hakone, so can't really blame the host for this.