10 Top-Rated Ryokans in Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu

May 9, 2023 Marianna Hollaway

Discover the best Ryokans in Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu including Yakakutei, Sakura Sakura Onsen, Jomon no Yado Manten, Kawakyu, Seiryuso, Ibusuki Kokoronoyado, Ishiharaso, Yakushima Umi no Cottage Tida, Yurian, Koshika no Onsen.
Things to do in Kagoshima Prefecture

1. Yakakutei

1-8 Hayatocho Togo, Kirishima 899-5115 Kagoshima Prefecture
Excellent
61%
Good
26%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
4%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 231 reviews

Yakakutei

【From Kagoshima Airport】 By car or taxi: It takes about 12 min. Kagoshima’s landscape offers pleasant scenery all year round Hinatayama Onsen is a historic hot spring resort in Minami Kirishima Enjoy the hot spring atmosphere and the banks of the fabled Amori River at your leisure. A tranquil Japanese garden resides at the center of the hotel. Created according to the gardener’s meticulous design, the moss garden’s scenery is considered especially fine of rainy days.Enjoy eye-pleasing kaiseki cuisine made from seasonal Kagoshima ingredients in your guest room Have a special, memorable stay with classic cuisine and Kagoshima’s vaunted authentic shochu.

Very impressive hotel

Reviewed By oohuaxx

The Japanese-style room is very luxurious and comfortable, and you can enjoy a delicious dinner in the room. The hotel staff will introduce each dish very kindly while serving, which is a good experience. There is also an exclusive open-air bath in the room, which can relieve the fatigue during the trip at any time. This is a very good hotel, very close to the airport and there is a shuttle service, highly recommended for everyone. 充滿了日式風格的房間非常豪華舒適,還能在房間內享用美味晚餐,旅館服務員在上菜的同時會很親切的介紹每道菜,是個很好的體驗。 房間內也有專屬的露天浴池,能夠隨時的泡湯充分解除了旅途中的疲勞。 這是一間很不錯的旅館,距離機場也很近並且有接送服務,非常推薦給大家。 良いホテル おすすめです!

2. Sakura Sakura Onsen

2324-7 Kirishimataguchi, Kirishima 899-4201 Kagoshima Prefecture
Excellent
28%
Good
46%
Satisfactory
22%
Poor
1%
Terrible
3%
Overall Ratings

4 based on 174 reviews

Sakura Sakura Onsen

Worth the experience

Reviewed By Eliorakng17

As some of the other reviewers have mentioned, the facilities are somewhat old. The rooms definitely felt as if they had seen better days, and even had a slightly melancholy air about it. That being said, the general atmosphere was brighten up significantly by the staff working there. The staff there always seem to be working hard to make your experience an enjoyable one, attentive and smiling constantly. For those who cannot speak Japanese, most of them seem to know some basic English and we are alwasy successful at commuicating our needs to them Speaking of the staff, the dining staff are especially commendable for their cheerfulness and willingness to help, even during the busy dinner period when they are kept constantly running up and down to serve the diners and guests. The food by the way is delicious. We had two very satisfying, fresh and delicious dinners during our stay there, one of them a hot pot. And breakfast featured a wide variety of dishes as well. The best to me was the freshly steamed vegetables (sweet potato, pumkin, daikon) and there was quite a sizeable fish section as well. As for access to the hotel. Yes the shuttle bus has been discontinued. But for those with no car, you can easily get there by bus from JR Kirishimajingu (霧島神宮駅). Just alight at Yokodakeshita (横岳下) which is right at the entrance of Sakura onsen and its a short walk in. Be aware though that the bus only comes hourly, and during off peak days, the last bus from the station is about 4pm ish in the afternoon. As for attractions nearby, Kirishima Shrine(霧島神宮) and Kirishima Gorge (霧島神水峡遊歩道) are just a short 15min bus ride away (the bus again is hourly though so plan carefully) and the suprisingly fun Kirishimashinwanosato Park (神話の里入口) is just a 15min walk up the hill. Between these 3 destinations you can easily spend a whole happy day there. Oh one last thing before I forget, this is an Onsen hotel after all. Besides the peaceful setting of its outdoor onsen, the special feature of this onsen is the volcanic mud. We went crazy slathering it all over our bodies and I must say our skin did seem to improve for a while after that (placebo effect perhaps?) One thing they did not mention, is that you have to wait for the mud to dry, and wash it off before getting back in the onsen which can be quite a chilling experience if the weather is cold. Standing in the open naked and covered in drying mud is quite an experience. On the plus side, you could also just cover your face in mud and get in the onsen. Just make sure not to get any mud in the onsen water. There is a sperate area to wash it off. Oh and speaking of washing it off, the mud can be pretty stubborn, so do get your friend to check for you if you have washed everything off. Otherwise you might be walking around with mud behind your ear the whole day. Do note, there is no extra towels in the changing area unlike some hotel onsen changing areas, so do remember to bring your own.

3. Jomon no Yado Manten

812-33 Koseda, Yakushima-cho, Kumage-gun 891-4207 Kagoshima Prefecture
Excellent
21%
Good
50%
Satisfactory
15%
Poor
9%
Terrible
6%
Overall Ratings

3.5 based on 105 reviews

Jomon no Yado Manten

1 minute walk from Yakushima airport. Japanese-style building that has a hot spring. I look forward to welcoming you.

Great food and service

Reviewed By pahoeho

I stayed in a western twin room as a solo traveller - it was a good size with a separate raised area with a mat and table. Also had it's own shower and toilet. All of the staff were very friendly and went out of their way to be helpful on multiple occasions e.g. came and found me to let me know the latest situation with Yakusugi Land after I had enquired earlier (there was an incoming typhoon) and walked me over to the bus stop after I couldn't find it (the map didn't show the bus stop as being right outside the airport). The staff were also a great help explaining ferry schedules and the bus timetable/system (not great as infrequent although of course nothing to do with the hotel). I stayed 3 nights (one more than originally intended due to the typhoon) and dinner was great (and different) each night - a variety of small to medium-size dishes (sashimi, fish cooked in a variety of ways, clams, pork, shabu shabu) together with rice, soup, dessert and tea. Breakfast was also good (although not as good as dinner) with a good selection of items. There is an inside and outside onsen. Main two things for improvement from my perspective: -the mattress was a bit hard for my liking -the WiFi was slow and I had more luck using the 4G connection on my phone most of the time

4. Kawakyu

4-10-12 Omure, Ibusuki 891-0401 Kagoshima Prefecture
Excellent
64%
Good
27%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
0%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 55 reviews

Kawakyu

If you’re looking for a family-friendly onsen ryokan in Ibusuki, look no further than Kawakyu. For those interested in checking out Unagi Jizodo (2.6 mi) while visiting Ibusuki, Kawakyu is a short distance away. Free wifi is offered to guests, and rooms at Kawakyu offer air conditioning. During your stay, take advantage of some of the amenities offered, including newspaper. Guests of Kawakyu are also welcome to enjoy barbeque facilities, located on site. For travelers arriving by car, free parking is available. While visiting Ibusuki, you may want to try some unagi & dojo at one of the nearby restaurants, such as Unakazu. Best of all, Kawakyu makes it easy to experience some great Ibusuki attractions like Chiringashima Island, which is a popular marina. The staff at Kawakyu looks forward to serving you during your upcoming visit.

Helpful staff made our trip amazing

Reviewed By Emma S

The staff were super friendly and helpful. They drove us to the sand baths and the station, and made great dinner and beach recommendations - the places only locals go. Plus the boss speaks good English. Breakfast was tasty and the price was very reasonable for a two- person room. We didn't try the onsen, but the showers were great after a day at the beach. There's one one-person shower and one two-person shower - we didn't have to wait for either while we were there, since it's a small ryokan. As stated in the description, the bathrooms are shared and the beds are futons, as in many traditional ryokan. If you don't like that, you might not like this place. I liked the traditional style, personally. Also, our room smelled a little musty.

5. Seiryuso

3806 Takachiho Makizonocho, Kirishima 899-6603 Kagoshima Prefecture
Excellent
52%
Good
32%
Satisfactory
15%
Poor
2%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 60 reviews

Seiryuso

An idyllic ryoken hidden in the woods

Reviewed By PL L

Beautiful room facing the wood. Perfecting relex with sounds of bird chirping and stream flowing. Service is good. Sumptuous breakfast and dinner. Room facilities are clean though a little dated. Location is perfect. Walkable to city center yet totally private and hidden.

6. Ibusuki Kokoronoyado

9227-6 Higashikata, Ibusuki 891-0404 Kagoshima Prefecture
Excellent
19%
Good
59%
Satisfactory
17%
Poor
0%
Terrible
6%
Overall Ratings

4 based on 54 reviews

Ibusuki Kokoronoyado

Ibusuki Kokoronoyado is an excellent choice for travelers visiting Ibusuki, offering a charming environment alongside many helpful amenities designed to enhance your stay. Rooms at Ibusuki Kokoronoyado provide air conditioning and a refrigerator, and guests can stay connected with internet access. In addition, while staying at Ibusuki Kokoronoyado guests have access to a gift shop. You can also enjoy a sauna and an on-site restaurant. Need a place to park? Parking is available at Ibusuki Kokoronoyado. For those interested in checking out Ibusuki Bridge Muregawa Remains (1.7 mi) while visiting Ibusuki, Ibusuki Kokoronoyado is a short distance away. While in Ibusuki, you may want to check out some of the restaurants that are a short walk away from Ibusuki Kokoronoyado, including Fenice di Acqua Pazza (0.2 mi), Menya Jiro (1.2 mi), and Taketora (1.2 mi). Ibusuki is also home to Iwasaki Art Museum, a popular art museum that is not too far from Ibusuki Kokoronoyado. Enjoy your stay in Ibusuki!

Nice clean room, excellent onsen

Reviewed By madbirdy

Stayed a night in a Japanese styled room at Ibusuki Kokoronoyado. Nice and clean room. What is outstanding is the level of service from the staff as well as the in house onsen. My spouse lost the locker key during the morning onsen session with her towel and clothing locked inside. The male staff on duty quickly got a lady staff to come over to assist. We were not charged for the missing key. Breakfast too was very interesting and delicious, seated on the floor and being served on a low table. Perhaps the only negative is the location, which is not near the train station nor amenities, a point to note for those who does not drive

7. Ishiharaso

4376 Kareigawa Hayatocho, Kirishima 899-5113 Kagoshima Prefecture
Excellent
61%
Good
26%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
3%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 148 reviews

Ishiharaso

Ishiharaso is an excellent choice for travelers visiting Kirishima, offering a luxury environment alongside many helpful amenities designed to enhance your stay. Free internet access is offered to guests, and rooms at Ishiharaso offer a flat screen TV, air conditioning, and a refrigerator. During your stay, take advantage of some of the amenities offered, including room service, baggage storage, and shops. Guests of Ishiharaso are also welcome to enjoy an on-site restaurant. For travelers arriving by car, free parking is available. Given the close proximity of popular landmarks, such as Shiobitashi Onsen Ryoma Park (1.6 mi) and Kareigawa Station (2.2 mi), guests of Ishiharaso can easily experience some of Kirishima's most well known attractions. While in Kirishima, you may want to check out one of the nearby cafes, which include Royal Coffee Shop Kagoshima Airport, Alice Cafe, and Royal Sky Garden Cafe. If you are interested in exploring Kirishima, check out some of the nearby attractions, such as Wake Shrine (0.6 mi), Inukai Falls (0.7 mi), and Cave of Kumaso (0.1 mi), all of which are within walking distance of Ishiharaso. Enjoy your stay in Kirishima!

Worthy of a repeat visit

Reviewed By KI-NRT

We decided to add on one night in Kagoshima prior to embarking on our second Yakushima trip. We did this specifically to try out Myoken Ishiharaso - while the ryokan is a relative unknown in foreign circles, the its prominence among Japanese folks as one of the top onsen and culinary ryokans prompted to extend our trip to try it out. We're definitely glad we did! First, the location - even though it's a mere 15 minutes drive from Kagoshima Airport, we felt like we were a world away; the ryokan is on the outskirts of Kirishima National Park, and is situated along the banks of the pretty and quaint Amori River. It's definitely a place you can easily visit from Tokyo or Osaka given its proximity to the airport, and feel like you're in an off-the-beaten-path destination. On the other hand, it's quite a ways away from Kagoshima City proper... if you want to see the sights (Sakurajima, Sengan-en, etc.) then you definitely should plan for a long day or spend two nights in the area. Note that check-in at Ishiharaso is 2PM, and you'll want to get there not much later than that, if you intend to enjoy everything that the ryokan has to offer. We stayed in a Suite in the" Ishikura" annex building called "Kirara." It's generously proportioned (85 square meters) and features a separate bedroom/living room/tatami room, and an open-air outdoor Onsen (natural hot springs) bath on the room's balcony. The added benefit of staying in an Ishikura room (and a handful of the top suites in the main building) is the fact that you can elect to have meals in your own room. We chose Kirara due to preferring a more comfortable (to us), Western-style accommodation - Kirara's bedroom has two double beds, and the living room is furnished with real sofas. Please note that in-room meals are served in the Tatami room. We really enjoyed the variety of Onsens that are available at Ishiharaso. The in-room open-air Onsen was awesome. It's different from many others in that it's full of Iron, and you can really smell it. Not a super pleasant aroma, but it's natural, and it's not overpowering in its aroma. What was impressive is the fact that it's not only is it of the "kakenagashi" (24/7 constant free-flowing) variety, but the volume and force is unlike any other Onsen we've experienced. We could tell that they are close to the source, and there is an abundance of the hot springs water that Ishiharaso taps into. We also tried out several of the Onsens on the property, and they were all interesting in their own unique way. There is a pretty pathway along the river that leads guests to the main "Daiyokujo" (segregated communal bath) that is large and indoors in a separate building that also contains a lounge/cafe. In addition, there are several outdoor Onsens scattered througout the river banks, including a footbath, a mixed-gender bath, and two private rental baths for couples/families/friends. Ishiharaso rents out bathing suits for women, which is (probably!) needed for the mixed-gender bath open-air, even if no other guests are using it, because you really are exposed to the elements (including - possibly - to people on the opposite side of the river; there is a small road that is visible from the bath, so you can potentially be seen.) We also reserved one of the private rental baths (reservations are in 30 minute blocks) called "Mutsumi No Yu." It was large, atmospheric, secluded (no bathing suits needed) and - again - the powerful force of the hot spring water flowing into the bath was unreal. I definitely recommend that you try out one of the private baths. Myoken Ishiharaso is consistently rated in the top 5 among ryokans that offer the best dining experience. We've stayed at over 60 of the finest luxury ryokans over the past 5 years, and can say that it definitely lands in our top 10 list. We were graciously served by Clement, a native of Reunion (an island off the Eastern coast of Africa) who is fluent in French, English, Japanese, Spanish and German, and a gentleman that was perfectly suited to also serve local Japanese guests due to his knowledge and local language skills (he also personally translates the menu into English himself.) Ishiharaso is not far from the Ocean and is also next to the Kirishima mountains along with the clean Amori River, so there is no shortage of amazing seasonal vegetables (most are wild and organic), seafood, river fish and the famed Kagoshima Black Beef, Black Pork and Black Chicken. The kitchen staff do an incredible job of taking the ingredients and turning them into magical dishes. The simmered Japanese Turnip with Kagoshima Black Chicken was a definitely highlight, as was the Shabu Shabu hot pot with Kurobuta Black Pork that had a soup broth based on local White Miso. Overall, the food was creative, unique, flavorful and beautifully presented and hosted. This small, luxury 19-room Onsen retreat is on the short list of ryokans that will likely earn our repeat visit, availability permitting.

8. Yakushima Umi no Cottage Tida

211-52 Senohara, Yudomari, Yakushima-cho, Kumage-gun 891-4407 Kagoshima Prefecture
Excellent
81%
Good
17%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
2%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5 based on 47 reviews

Yakushima Umi no Cottage Tida

Yakushima Umi no Cottage Tida is an excellent choice for travelers visiting Yakushima-cho, offering a family-friendly environment alongside many helpful amenities designed to enhance your stay. Close to Nakama Gajumaru (2.8 mi), a popular Yakushima-cho landmark, Yakushima Umi no Cottage Tida is a great destination for tourists. Guest rooms offer a flat screen TV, a refrigerator, and air conditioning. You can also take advantage of some of the amenities offered by the onsen ryokan, including baggage storage. There is no shortage of things to do in the area: explore popular parks such as Shakunagenomori Park. Enjoy your stay in Yakushima-cho!

Island Paradise

Reviewed By Larrynolson

A hot springs near by and hot tub on deck. A beautiful wooden cabin, and an amazing view of the ocean, lovely craftsmanship. And of course the most charming owners and a sweet dog that we walked. We asked the owners for a can opener for our refried pinto beans , gave him a taste. Don't think he was impressed.

9. Yurian

6771-6 Junicho, Ibusuki 891-0403 Kagoshima Prefecture
Excellent
56%
Good
38%
Satisfactory
4%
Poor
2%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 45 reviews

Yurian

Parking:10

Family Hot Spring Holiday

Reviewed By Andrew_Holiday

This hotel is located on top of a mountain where it's just peacefully quiet. Price includes breakfast and dinner, we've had sukiyaki one night and shabu shabu on the last night. The hot spring water comes from the mountain and you can see the sulfur/ashes within the water. The reviews had said this hotel hot spring has 4 times the minerals than most other hot springs. Our villa had an indoors onsen, outdoors onsen and an onsen pool. Swimming each morning watching sunrise was just awesome!

10. Koshika no Onsen

2625 Matsunaga Hayatocho, Kirishima 899-5112 Kagoshima Prefecture
Excellent
40%
Good
50%
Satisfactory
10%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 10 reviews

Koshika no Onsen

私人溫泉

Reviewed By samuelkfp2000

這間溫泉酒店的特色就是有私人溫泉亦有大眾溫泉。酒店房間有兩種大細,細的那種真係一入去就要上床。 留意這溫泉酒店是沒有電梯的。晚餐是提供燒肉,份量和味道都很好,早餐自助形式,味道也很不錯。這裏有一間居酒屋在晚上十時至十二時經營。

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