Miyajima Machiya Hotel Shiomachi-An

The room was pretty mediocre, and a generator on the balcony was too loud all night. Still, I felt lucky to see Miyajima without tons of tourists after dark and get up the mountain early. The sushi was phenomenal, the best I’ve ever had. A great omakase, and I’d choose it over a typical 10-20k yen omakase in tokyo.

Our host was incredibly kind, and the dinner he made was outstanding. He’s a talented sushi chef too. Shiomachi was spotlessly clean and beautifully designed, with a real sense of traditional hospitality. We loved staying here and highly recommend it.

The location is hard to beat, and the food is spectacular. This little guest house is basically a fantastic sashimi restaurant with a few rooms above it. The rooms are modest but clean, with a traditional setup of futons and tatami mats. We stayed two nights and had an amazing range of Japanese sashimi, with generous portions from the chef. He even made a special menu for the smaller kids. Breakfast was great too, a bit more western with nice toast and hot dishes, but still with a local touch. If you’re staying on Miyajima, stay here.

We spent one night at this quaint, unassuming hotel near the Itsukushima shrine and weren’t prepared for what an incredible dinner we’d have. The sushi master, who is also said to own the guesthouse, was extremely talented and accommodating, serving amazing bites one after another even though we’d eaten beforehand. The dinner and breakfast were fabulous, and the guesthouse stay itself felt unique. This is a place I’ll recommend to everyone. Don’t miss it.