Hoshino Resorts KAI Sengokuhara, an atelier-style hot spring inn located in Hakone's Sengokuhara area — long known as an enclave of museums and galleries — is launching the "Sengokuhara Art Retreat Stay" starting September 1, 2026. The 2-night, 3-day plan is designed to let guests immerse themselves deeply in art and nature, resetting through creative expression in an exclusive private setting.
Background
Autumn has long been considered the season of the arts in Japan. Sengokuhara, which developed as a resort destination, is home to a cluster of museums and galleries set amid expansive highland scenery. As the season shifts from summer through autumn, the surrounding mountains transform into vivid autumn foliage by November. This plan was conceived so guests can soak in both the arts and the onsen over two full nights, stepping away from everyday life.
Feature 1: "Private Onsen Atelier" on the Scenic Terrace
For this plan, the terrace of an open-air bath guest room is set up as a "Private Onsen Atelier" — a personal creative space with sweeping views of the highland landscape that inspired generations of artists. When inspiration runs dry, guests can step directly into the adjacent open-air bath; the relaxation of a hot spring is said to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and encourage the kind of free-flowing thought that creativity requires. A "Onsen Palette" is also prepared — a tray holding brushes and a selection of watercolor pencils so guests can capture the colors of the shifting natural scenery in a sketchbook at any moment.
Feature 2: Mineral Pigment-Making — Crafting Your Own Unique Color
Exclusive to this plan, a special program called "Art Iroha" is held in the annex salon, reserved privately for participants. Guests select one theme color and grind it themselves using iwa-enogu (岩絵具) — traditional Japanese mineral pigments made from crushed natural rocks and minerals. The grinding process takes patience, but the result is a color that guests have made entirely by hand, deepening both attachment to the work and knowledge of color itself.
Feature 3: Creating Artwork with Your Own Color in the Private Atelier
During the stay, guests work toward completing a single painting. The artwork is chosen from pieces in the Pola Museum of Art's Monet collection, and the plan includes a ticket to the museum so guests can view the originals in person before beginning. Back in the Private Onsen Atelier, guests apply color — including the mineral pigment they made themselves — gradually losing themselves in the work and finding a sense of release from the routines of daily life.
Feature 4: Curated Items to Sharpen the Senses and Fuel Creativity
A selection of handpicked items is provided to deepen the creative experience.
Aroma Light — for the sense of smell
An aroma oil evoking the forests of Hakone diffuses through the room, encouraging relaxation and helping clear the mind for creative focus.
Art Cocktail — for taste and inspiration
An original cocktail inspired by the colors of iwa-enogu pigments and the scenery of Sengokuhara is prepared for guests to enjoy during breaks — a visual and flavorful prompt for new ideas.
Nut Vessel — sustaining focus
A fragrant, refined nut assortment crafted by long-established Hakone confectioner sagamiya serves as a light snack to restore energy and concentration during the creative session.
Sample Itinerary
Day 1
- 3:00 PM — Check in to KAI Sengokuhara
- 3:45 PM — Onsen Iroha (onsen orientation)
- 4:00 PM — Local cultural activity: "Colorful Tenugui Dyeing"
- 5:30 PM — Dinner
Day 2
- 8:00 AM — Breakfast
- 10:00 AM — Visit to Pola Museum of Art to view Monet paintings
- 2:00 PM — Art Iroha (pigment-making session)
- 3:00 PM — Creative painting session in the Private Onsen Atelier using handmade pigments
- 5:30 PM — Dinner
- 7:30 PM — Continue artwork in the Private Onsen Atelier
Day 3
- 8:00 AM — Breakfast
- 10:00 AM — Artwork completed
- 12:00 PM — Departure
Plan Overview
| Period | September 1 – November 30, 2026 |
| Price | From ¥76,200 per person per night (based on 2 guests per room; taxes, hot spring tax, and service charges included) |
| Location | Guest room, annex salon, Pola Museum of Art |
| Capacity | Limited to 1 group per day (maximum 3 guests per group) |
| Reservations | Required at least 4 days in advance via the official website |
| Included | Accommodation, dinner and breakfast, creative items in the private atelier, Art Iroha pigment-making session, Pola Museum of Art admission, aroma light, art cocktail, small confections, and a picture frame |
About the Pola Museum of Art
The creative experience in this plan is developed in collaboration with the Pola Museum of Art. Opened in 2002 in Hakone with the concept of "coexistence of nature and art," the museum is home to a collection centered on Western paintings from the Impressionist era through the 20th century, alongside contemporary works. The forest walking trail within the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park offers visitors a chance to enjoy the changing seasons.
- Hours: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (last entry 4:30 PM)
- Location: 1285 Kozukayama, Sengokuhara, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa
- Closed: Open year-round (temporary closures for exhibition changes may apply)
- Access: Approximately 5 minutes by car from KAI Sengokuhara
