PROFILE
Born in Yamagata Prefecture in 1989, he has worked at "Under the Sun," a vintage clothing store and hair salon in Ikejiri-Ohashi, since 2021. In addition to being in charge of purchasing vintage clothing, he is also in charge of the ReCent Product. brand, which sells Palo Santo and other lifestyle-related goods. He likes to live a lifestyle of skateboarding, biking, mountain climbing, and traveling between the city and nature. During his stay in Japan, he was shocked by the smell of hot spring water and the taste of gibier (wild game) when he opened the door.
Instagram:@txnxt
PROFILE
Born in 1996 in Utsunomiya City, Tochigi Prefecture, she is a staff member at BLUE LUG Hatagaya. His nickname is Minmin. As a mechanic, he is in charge of customer service, assembly, customization, and maintenance of bicycles, as well as planning items and events, modeling, and PR. She loves to pack her bike and recently started mountain climbing. His last words on this trip were, "I'll definitely bring my bicycle next time.
Instagram: @ming_tkm
PROFILE
Frame builder. Opened "PATH BACKYARD" in Yutenji in February 2024 as a sister store of "WOOD VILLAGE CYCLES", a bicycle shop in Hatagaya. In addition to undertaking frame fabrication and repairs, the shop also operates as a frame builder for "FlowLab," a brand that produces and sells a limited edition of 10 frames per year. During my stay, I spent the most time in the small Japanese-style room. It was so comfortable that I found myself sleeping there instead of going to bed.
Instagram: @kit_apollo125_
DAY1 16:00 Check-in. Start with a room tour.
About 90 minutes by car from Tokyo. The scenery changed dramatically as we entered the mountain roads of Ashigara. The density of the trees increased, and a misty ridge slowly drifted past the window. The only image I had of Hakone was that of a hot spring resort or a museum, so this was very refreshing. When I actually came here, I really felt the nature and that I was in the middle of the mountains," said Yada.
As we parked our car at the entrance, we were greeted by the wooden exterior. The moment Mr. Yada put his hand on the doorknob, the smell of sulfur, characteristic of hot springs, wafted through the air. The moment I entered, I could smell the hot spring water. I wanted to take a bath right away. The house can be rented out for a maximum of six people. This space is just for the three of us tonight.
Greenery spreads out beyond the large windows. A small Japanese-style room leading to the dining room and kitchen, and two bedrooms on the second floor. The space is based on wood, with nothing superfluous, and only the essentials are placed properly, giving a sense of soft warmth. There is a simple yet reassuring feeling that gently welcomes visitors.
Moon Lover" at GORA BREWERY
First of all, let's have a drink! So we toasted at GORA BREWERY, Hakone's only craft beer! It was the first time for the three of us to go on a trip together like this. Conversation naturally picked up, and within 30 minutes of check-in, everyone was relaxing in their own place.
It's not too big, not too small, and the overall balance is just right. In Tokyo, it is rare to live in a room with such a large window, so this sense of openness is very pleasant," said Mr. Harada. Takahashi said, "I've often stayed in a house for rent overseas, but to be honest, I didn't have an image of it in Hakone. So I was even more impressed that such a nice place existed! I thought, "What a great place to stay! It is neither a ryokan nor a hotel, but rather, a place where you feel as if you have come to a vacation home of an acquaintance. This relaxed freedom was my first impression of "Geospot.
