We spent 2 nights at last December at Gora Kadan with Mrs. KI-NRT and her mother. Our experience this time was similar to our previous stay - incredible.
This elegant and serene property once again offered hosting at a very high standard, and the food was to die for. This being Gora Kadan, however, we expected nothing less.
Gora Kadan deftly balances modernity with tradition. It's stylish without feeling too contemporary. It still exudes the mountain ryokan vibe without being dated and creaky in doing so.
Mrs. KI-NRT and her mother stayed at Kadan Suite #107 (referred to as "Aoi"), while I settled for Kadan Suite "Fuji" (room 101.) The more spacious Aoi room was where we had our meals, which were graciously served by Yuta, our private butler
Kadan Suite "Aoi"
Kadan Suite "Aoi"
Kadan Suite "Aoi"
Kadan Suite "Aoi"
The Aoi suite was comfortable and spacious, with a wonderful open-air onsen (hot springs) bath in its own private garden. It has two separate break-out lounge areas - the larger room is where meals are served, and the smaller room is closest to the outdoor garden and bath.
By contrast, the Fuji suite was less roomy and not optimally configured. Whereas the entrance hallway in the Aoi suite places you in between the bedroom on the left and lounge on the right (towards the garden), Fuji requires guests to enter both rooms sequentially, with the bedroom being located next to the veranda. They really should have added a narrow hallway between both rooms for privacy's sake. Not to mention, when relaxing in the room or having a meal, you are treated to an unobstructed view of the.... bed.
Kadan Suite "Fuji." Nice view from the living room... of the bed.
Just like every other onsen ryokans we've stayed at, Gora Kadan only serves breakfast and dinner, which is just as well, because with the quantity of food that they serve for each meal, you'd be foolish to have lunch
English menu. The Japanese menu was far more descriptive, partly because many of the ingredients don't yet exist in the English language!
As we expected, the absolutely phenomenal food steals the show; I'd definitely place Gora Kadan in my own top 5 foodie places of all time. The immaculate presentation each course was a beauty to behold, and everything was prepared to perfection. As is typical of fine Japanese cuisine, each dish is replete with umami without being too rich, heavy, sauce-y or salty. The emphasis is on the amazing ingredients, and getting the most out of them. We always revel in experiencing new and different blends of flavors and textures, and it seemed that every other dish delivered a new sensation to our palette. Gora Kadan really is fine dining at its best.
Top-notch A5 Japanese beef
We did not rely on concierge for any of our activities. We booked our own private driver/guide, who took us around the most scenic spots in the area and for stupendous views of Fuji-san.
Mt. Fuji view from Owakudani
Mt. Fuji & Lake Ashinoko
In the afternoon, we stopped by Yama No Hotel Lakeside Cafe and had the most incredible (and cute) apple pie that we've ever had. Nowhere else in the world will you find apple pie prepared and presented with such care, attention and craftsmanship!
This coming Winter, we're going to give Beniya Mukayu a try. It is not universally praised, but the food there seems to be right up there with Gora Kadan, as hard as it may be to believe. Our primary objective is to enjoy the Zuwai-gani snow crab that can only be found on the Western shores of Japan and which we consider to be the most delicious crab found anywhere.