Shima Onsen Kashiwaya Ryokan

I really enjoyed my stay at Kashiwaya Ryokan. Although it was long to get to without a car, it was worth the travel. The 2 days there didn’t feel like it was enough time. I will return again for sure. The room was comfortable, the private onsen were beautiful and amazing. The kaiseki served at dinner were delicious and perfectly balanced. The traditional Japanese breakfast (there were Western styled breakfast and brunch at the cafe in Shima Onsen town) was incredible as well. I want to thank the dedicated staff members I interacted with during my stay. They were kind and patient. I don’t recall all their names but I want to thank Hitomi, Yuho and Andrew for their help. I will recommend this ryokan to my friends.

Staying at Shima Onsen was a real delight. I would highlight the incredibly friendly and gracious staff, who made me feel very welcome and looked after as a solo traveller, and made the beautiful dining experience even better. I enjoyed walking through the lovely nearby streets and forests - it felt very secluded and tranquil. And there was nothing better than coming back from a big walk to relax into one of the onsen - either public or private, depending on what you preferred. I wish I had more time to stay, but even two nights was enough to feel very rejuvenated.

Amazing staff, awesome food, and the property is more beautiful in person.

Excellent!

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

The rooms were very spacious, staff were very friendly and helpful. Glad our room was on the second level because we got to enjoy a gorgeous mountain and river view!

Kashiwaya Ryokan is a superb ryokan that you should consider if you are looking for a ryokan experience during your trip to Japan. What makes it unique is the fact that it is small, located deep in the mountains, quaint and offers excellent service and food. Add in the fact that the price won't break the bank (especially for what you are getting) and it makes it have excellent value. Is it the perfect onsen? Of course, not. I doubt you find the "PERFECT" ryokan without paying over $600 a night. But Kashiwaya Ryokan is perfect in its own way. They make you feel really special, treat you very well, and provide a stellar experience. From the time you walk in the door from the time you walk out, everything is done perfectly such that you have an excellent stay. Food is great, service is wonderful, location is great, and everything is just so relaxing and pleasant. I would definitely stay here again if I ever make it back to Japan and want to do a ryokan. I highly recommend it for anyone considering a ryokan as part of their trip.

I couldn’t have enjoyed my stay more. Such a relaxing 3 days. There are only around 12 rooms so it’s a very calming experience.

Food. The quality of the local produce served in the kaiseki ryori was wow! Dishes were yummy, varied, simple yet exquisite. Over our 4-night stay, we sampled the 3 dinner menus served in rotation. I recommend you add the Joshu beef for at least one dinner (if you can eat loads and love meat). In the morning, a feast of a breakfast greets you. We chose Japanese breakfast. The onsen-cooked egg was simply out-of-this-world. Onsen. There are 3 private onsen baths on the same floor as the rooms and 2 public ones (1 per gender). The rotation for the private onsens was good, I never had to go to the public one downstairs. The onsens are beautiful and clean, easy to use and perfectly relaxing. The tatami rooms are spacious. And the futon beds were incredibly good for sleep and rest. Location. Shima Onsen is a short walk away along the scenic river. The small town embodies the spirit and the charm of "wabi-sabi". Be sure to visit Sekizenkan, the onsen and bridge in Spirited Away (Chihiro Sento). The grand hotel has an interesting Hello Kitty café. The ryokan will provide you with a local guide (Shima Onsen Passport) on the main attractions. I enjoyed the Onsen Fountain, the water worked its magic on my battered stomach. The local fruit-based sake sold in the sake-ya or the combini was also very good. The sweets shop had nice souvenirs other than food items, and its onsen cakes were delicious. Staff. Incredibly polite and friendly! It was easy to interact and bond.

Excellent first experience in a ryokan. The outside private baths were very enjoyable. Good dinner served in the room. The narrow time window to check in is a somewhat bothersome constraint.

It's been a year and I still have fond memories of this place. The room was spotless and the despite being a little late the staff were very understanding and welcoming. If you can grab a deal with the Kobe beef, I highly recommend it, it was delicious - though definitely be prepared the extensive courses if you have never had Kaiseki before. The private baths are excellent, beautifully crafted and seem to vary in temperature- the higher you go the hotter the baths seem to be (possibly because you are closer the water source?). Whilst I was solo I would definitely recommend these quiet, intimate settings for a couple or any foreigners with tattoos. If this is not a problem for you there are other onsens in town (one right across the street) though the ones in the ryokan are amazing, especially if its snowing! The staff spoke a little English instructions in the room so it wasn't a problem, don't forget to roll your bed away on if you are staying longer than one night as your dinner will be cooked in your room unless you want your mattress to smell. The rooms are traditional Japanese with a modern bidet/toilet and even provide you with your own Hanten (winter coat) and yukata. The manager and staff went above and beyond helping me locate an item I lost on the way there. I am deeply grateful to them for taking the time to help me. I had a really lovley stay here and it stands out as one of the most enjoyable experiences I had for my first time in Japan - worth the expense.

Beautiful scenery. Great food. Marvellous service. Don't forget to try the Mochi.

We travelled across the whole of Japan and this was definitely one of the highlights. This place we managed to just stop. Pure relaxation.

This Ryokan is in a wonderful spa town and the hotel, staff, food, rooms and facilities were all wonderful. We will try and stay multiple nights next time to really get the feel of the town, region and people. wonderful small restaurants and hotels as well as large businesses. Should suit everyone.

the staff is really nice and helpful in this hotel..the room very clean and comfortable...highly recommend is their hotspring..really good..overall comment is excellent..you must love it

We drove around 3 hours with GPS quite easy access to the hotel from Tokyo Shinagawa. When we arrive at around 7:30pm, the staff give us great arrangement on our lugguages and dinner. The outdoor hotsprings are individual one, so that you can enjoy the beautiful scene privately after you locked the door. You don't need to pre-book the hotsprings, you just simply walk in and enjoy the unlimited sections with your family and beloved one. We were very luck, it was snowing during the hotspring in the second day... The room was warm, the beds were comfortable, the food was fresh. We have a recharging trip in Kashiwaya Ryokan. We went to the lake near by and also took one hour drive to Karuizawa before getting back to Tokyo.

何度も訪問しています。何時も温かいもてなしと、美味しい食事に癒されます。 今回もとても良い休日になりました。 ありがとうございます。

Very friendly staff and exquisit food on top of that. First time visiting a ryokan and was not disappointed! Three private onsens that i could use and very foreign friendly overall. Highly recommend to visit if you want a taste of ryokan life on your trip and worry of your tattoes forsbid you from using the onsen - it is totally ok att this place!

Es war ein wunderschöner Besuch. Klasse Empfang und das Essen war ein richtiges Highlight. Am besten wären die privaten Onsen. Sehr sauber und unkompliziert. Es gab einen kleinen Souvenir Shop und wir konnten sogar shima onsen Badesalz kaufen. Wir kommen gerne wieder :)

직원이 놀라울 정도로 친절합니다. 3개의 전세탕은 각각 테마가 있어 매번 새롭게 즐길 수 있습니다.