Yamaichi Bekkan

If you're ever going to stay at Miyajima, please stay here. You won't regret it. The host Shinko-san is the loveliest lady you will ever meet and she will cater to dietary requirements such as vegetarianism. I never wanted to leave! The rooms are lovely and so comfortable, and the hospitality is second to none.

We arrived in Miyajima on 26 October and spent two nights at the delightful Yamaichi Bekkann. Shinko, the lady who runs this is possibly their nicest host we have ever stayed with, anywhere. She speaks broken English but had long chats with my wife. She has a permanent smile and just exudes happiness and loveliness - a real inspiration. We stayed two nights with breakfast and dinner included. The food is amazingly good. All home cooked and fresh. Some of the best meals we had in Japan. Yamaichi Beckon is diagonally opposite the ferry and a short walk to the UNESCO shrines. There are a couple of big hotels nearby but we are so glad we stayed at Yamaichi Bekkan. I cannot recommend this place enough. Even if you cannot stay here, then you must eat here. You won't regret it. We travelled with Inside Japan company who recommended it.

My friend and I are vegetarian and were recommended this place. When we arrived at 5 pm when it was due to open, the owner said they had run out of food because of lunch rush, so they were closed. But he felt bad because there aren't many other veggie options on the island, so he invited us in and made a delicious vegetable tempura for us using what he had left. It was only ¥1200 and was delicious. The staff were so incredibly kind. I cannot recommend this place enough. Small businesses like this are struggling right now due to Covid and a decrease in tourists. So if you're in the area, please go and show them your support!

Restaurant is located almost opposite the ferry terminal..200 metres. Very friendly welcome on entering restaurant for lunch on a cold wet day. Tempura prawns were the best tempura I have experienced so far on this Japan trip. Baked oysters are a local speciality which were delicious and the traditional custard soup (not sweet at all) was full of flavour ..also containing seafood including local conger eel delicacy. Accompanied by glass of hot plum wine on a cold and wet day was perfect. Super friendly people who also kindly spoke very good English. Great place for a high quality lunch on a visit to Miyajima island. Highly recommended.

We stayed as a group of 4 in a traditional Japanese style room which was a lovely way to experience the island. The staff at the inn were amazing. They provide a very warm welcome in a welcome setting. The food was simply amazing! We had the most amazing Japanese dinner and an equally amazing Japanese breakfast. They do offer western style options for those who would prefer. They also catered extremely well for our vegetarian travelling companions. Do yourself a favour and make sure you stay here when visiting Miyajima.

Where to begin.... if you are reading this you won’t need to look any further for the most perfect place to stay on Miyajima Island. This ryokan is amazing. It is family owned and run. We were served by the most perfect hosts of mother and son. They greeted us so warmly and wholeheartedly, and provided a personally marked-up map of everything to see and the best order to see it. The food was exquisite with each piece of food lovingly nurtured, prepared and presented. Numerous courses with my husband enjoying the tasty seafoods and, as I don’t like seafood, they catered with chicken, duck, beef ++ dishes. All were either marinated or accompanied by well matched side dishes, or sauces. It was not only authentic and very fresh but each bite was incredibly tasty. This was the same experience for breakfast, with option for Continental or traditional Japanese style. The room was also lovely, spacious with traditional beds that were very comfortable. Our room had its own ensuite which was small but very clean with steaming hot water. Everything was spotlessly clean, and fresh flowers in the hall and room. This rokan is traditionally decorated. I wish I could give this place 6 stars! Staying on the island is an expensive option but worth it to have a walk after dinner to see it without the crowds. It is a very pretty place. I definitely recommend this accommodation and suspect it will be the highlight of our time in Japan. Thank you to our delightful hosts for your warm and gracious hospitality.

Yamaichi-Bekkan is a really fantastic place to stay. Miyajima is gorgeous and speaks for itself (even with the Tori gate under scaffold for its renovation) but the whole experience was enhanced because of our stay at this wonderful inn. The food was delicious, plentiful and I’d even suggest Michelin star in quality! There was a choice for traditional or continental breakfast with no fuss or bother. The relaxed, welcoming feel of the place shone throughout our brief 2 night stay. I felt no envy of those in the larger commercial ‘hotels’ and honestly preferred this family run local delightful accommodation. Shinko and our hosts couldn’t do enough to make sure we had the best time. Bravo to them.

Everything about our stay at Yamaichi Bekkan was absolutely wonderful. We stayed one night here as a part of our honeymoon trip to Japan, and that one night was one of the most memorable of our trip. We almost didn't make it to Miyajima due to a typhoon coming in, and the hosts were very understanding when we contacted them to say we may have to cancel but were very excited for us when we ended up making it over there. We were greeted at the door by name and ushered in to be checked in and taken to our room. We were given a map of Miyajima, and the host highlighted his favorite places for our own self-guided walking tour. We arrived back at the location just before dinner so quickly washed up and headed back down. Our dinner lasted approximately two hours with course after course of delicious Japanese food. My husband is allergic to fish, and not only were they able to accommodate his allergy, they made sure that I got to experience the fish of the region as well while serving him equally delicious alternatives. As someone who loves food and regularly travels for the best restaurant experiences, I can confidently say this was one of the top dinners of my life. The next morning breakfast did not disappoint, either, as we each got a tray of wonderful little dishes, served alongside coffee or tea. I wish that we could have stayed longer, but for the short time we had, it was everything I would want. One thing I should note is that the rooms are fairly sparse and a bit older. Our room was perfectly adequate for our needs, but for those used to Western five-star hotels, this is definitely a bit different. The room had two tatami mats and a small sitting area in it. Together, these took up the majority of the room. There was also a very small bathroom, which smelled a bit of mold. In any case, we spent most of our time walking around Miyajima or eating downstairs so it did not bother us, but others may feel differently.

Arriving at the island, we were fascinated by the wild deer ... Little did we realise that the group we found amusing us waiting at a door was the door to this hotel, which we were booked to stay at for two nights. Shinko welcomed us all, worked out which name reservation was who in the group (there were six of us) and confirmed which of the group was the vegetarian. Big smiles for all of us, confirmed any other dietary requirements, and asked whether we would prefer continental or Japanese breakfast in the mornings. The meals at this little gem of a place were superbly presented, with a full explanation of what was in each course - the vegetarian substitutions for the meat course were tasty and filling. Served at a western style table/chairs, all of the food was freshly prepared on site, and flavouring was exceptional. Small details impressed us; different colour chopstick rests for the male/females, the vegetarian plate being of a different design to make sure it was delivered to the right person each time - we sat in different seats each meal. Rooms were generous in size (we had a single, twin and triple room, all were spacious), clean and well presented with cold water, hot water for tea etc. Breakfast time we were met with smiles and warm hellos, as well as more delicious food. The son who was working took time to talk with us, made very helpful suggestions on what order to see the island sites, and routes up Mt Misen as the ropeway was closed. We were truly made to feel welcome at all points of our visit, and would highly recommend anyone to either stay the night here in Miyajima, or make it your choice for food. There is a 10pm "curfew" on the front door, but as a lot of the local eateries/bars also close before then, we didn't find this any difficulty or inconvenience. One piece of advice; there is limited "convenience shopping" on the island, of you want snacks/room beers, then suggest buying them before you board the ferry.

but wish I did. We stayed instead at the huge Grand Prince Hotel which had great views and good food. However, after reading the reviews here, I believe that I would have preferred this more intimate place. We spoke with the restaurant manager, but arrived between lunch and dinner hours so were unable to enjoy a meal here. The restaurant is listed as halal in the Hiroshima Muslim-friendly guide, and that would certainly be a plus for any Muslim visitors to the area.