Ritomaru House Iki Ashibe

Kiyoishihama Beach is only a minute’s walk away, and the whole building is rented to your group. There are plenty of rooms, tableware, cooking tools, towels, sheets, and amenities, with a spacious kitchen and dining area that suits families or groups. We stayed over New Year’s with our family and our five-year-old male Shiba Inu, and felt very comfortable. It’s hard to find places across Japan where a medium-sized dog can settle in so easily. A couple of practical points: tell the inn in advance if non-guests will come by for a meal or other occasion, since there’s a per-person fee. Dog owners should bring their own supplies. The bathroom window is old and gets very cold in winter; replacing it with a tighter ventilation system might help. Since the inn is down a hill, reversing out may be easier in a larger vehicle like a Hiace, and it takes a little getting used to.

For three nights and four days, it felt like living at my parents’ place. We could use the gas stove, refrigerator, and washing machine, so we managed a normal day-to-day routine, unlike in a hotel. There are enough rooms for a large group. With little kids, they can sleep upstairs while the parents relax downstairs. The sea is nearby too, making summer barbecues and swimming possible.

The house was clean throughout and very comfortable, despite being so large. My wife and I took a boat out to fish, then barbecued and cooked what we caught. A full BBQ set is provided, including charcoal, firelighters, and tongs. Meat and seafood for the barbecue cost extra. There are two bedrooms with double beds, a Nebula projector, and most of the kitchen utensils and seasonings you’d need. An Aeon supermarket is nearby, and it’s easy to reach from Ashibe Port, where flights from Hakata arrive. At 30,000-40,000 yen, I think it’s a good deal when shared by several people. Next time I’d like to come back with some fishing friends.

The place itself is really good, with high-quality room facilities and amenities, and the staff were lovely and attentive. There’s a beautiful beach two minutes away on foot, and Aeon is a seven-minute drive away, so the location is great. Still, parking was nerve-racking every time because the lot is on a steep, narrow slope. On windy days, something on the first floor rattled. The hardest part for me was the huge huntsman spiders that showed up in the living room and bathroom every night. I’m very afraid of spiders, so that was tough. I know spiders are hard to avoid in a tropical place, but if it weren’t for them, I’d definitely stay again. I’m leaving this for people who aren’t confident drivers or who are scared of spiders.