Shima Onsen Kashiwaya Ryokan

スタッフの対応が非常に良いです。料理の味も盛り付けも素晴らしいです。露天風呂が最高でした。また泊まりたいです。

Excellent!

My stay at Kashiwaya Ryokan was special and memorable. I encourage any westerner who is curious about Japanese culture, ryokan and onsen to go and experience this wonderful place. The staff communicated excellently with me in English. I can only speak a few words of Japanese. Right from check in I felt incredibly welcome and comfortable. Everything about using the onsen was explained, as was how to wear the yukata and what to expect. On my first visit to Japan and with almost no Japanese I was nervous to travel outside Tokyo but was so glad I did. The food was absolutely 5 stars (and there was lots of it - you won't need lunch) and accommodated my vegetarian diet despite a last-minute booking. Staff were helpful and understanding. As a westerner I'm sure I did the wrong thing 100 times (despite trying really really hard!) but everyone was supportive of my clumsy efforts and terrible Japanese! Room was peaceful and it was wonderful to stay in a tatami room and sleep on a futon. The private onsen were beautiful and relaxing. Transport: I took the highway bus from Tokyo and despite being the only westerner on board I found it a very easy process. The only downside is that you arrive at about midday so there are a few hours to fill in before 3pm check in, although the staff happily took my bag. I took the local bus, local train and shinkansen back to Tokyo as it was a faster option and I could leave right after check out. This was also pretty straightforward although I'd advise Googling how to catch a bus in Japan and booking the Shinkansen in advance if you can. If you don't speak Japanese don't worry too much. People were very helpful. Most people speak enough English to help you out if you're in trouble, especially bus drivers and staff at railway stations. There are some good hikes around Shima Onsen and plenty to explore with the local map that the staff at Kashiwaya will give you. The hikes are pretty steep so take appropriate footwear.

Nothing - it was perfect

とても良いです

The relaxing atmosphere! We also appreciate that all the staff speaked english, so it was very easy to understand the rules inside the ryokan! Also, it’s not a problem if you have tattoes because inside there are 3 private onsen and when you are inside one of this, nobody else can enter! The cuisine was exquisite! Suggestion for every guest: don’t bring anything with you! Inside you will found everything you need! From tootbrush to hairdryer and all kind of stuff. You will stay all day with the yukata that you will find into the ryokan. You can leave your luggage in your car, nonody will take it and in this way you won’t ruin the precious tatami. After all, is a place where you will strip yourself of everything!

Mi è piaciuto tutto! Forse mi sarebbe piaciuto dormire in un futon per completare l’esperienza!

Be careful not to get spirited away with how amazing this Ryokan and area is!

We were able to have a true Japanese experience. During our one night stay, we experimented the three private onsen and they were all amazing (we have tattoos and it was not an issue) ! We were also able to enjoy Shima Onsen thanks to the free bike rental service of the hotel The food was great ! Compliments to the chef for the quality of the ingredients and the play on textures. One bit of advice : we had the vegan traditional kaiseki meal and we would’ve liked it more had we not eaten a heavy lunch. Don’t eat a lot on the day of the kaiseki meal because it is quite a bit of food, delicious yes, but still a lot if you’re not prepared ! The ryokan’s staff was welcoming, friendly and helpful. It was a nice touch to have a two way script in English/Japanese when we arrived as we could communicate with them :)

To say we did not like something is strong, however one way of improving would be to have English books on Japanese culture in the library, or any English books for that matter

The staff are brilliant, so friendly, and they can speak English. The dinner was amazing, one of the best meals I had during my two week trip in Japan. They were able to cater to a pescatarian diet. The shampoo and body wash smelled amazing. I used the free bike rental to explore the area. They have big umbrellas you can use when it’s raining. Everything was perfect. Staying here was definitely a treat and worth every cent!