La Posada

Real Mexican food in Japan is hard to come by, and they make it at home with real skill and care. The proprietors are warm and welcoming, and they clearly know and love Mexico. We loved our time here. Can’t recommend it enough.

The private onsen is great for families, with a step-through into an outdoor garden bath that feels like a real treat. The inn has lovely Mexican furnishings and artwork in its clean upstairs rooms, and the whole place is beautifully put together. Downstairs, the restaurant serves Mexican food, drinks and condiments made with homegrown and local ingredients. I especially liked the tamales with organic jalapeños. It’s owned and run by a proud family with an Olympic sports heritage. So many guests come back, which says a lot about the place.

We were two families, four adults and five kids, and had a wonderful two-night stay at La Posada. The meals came course after course at one long table, with the authentic Mexican dishes served in Spanish. The mole was incredible, and we also loved the vegetarian enchiladas rojas, guacamole tostada and fresh Izu strawberry margarita. We finished with tres leches and flan. In the morning, there was fresh bread, homemade jam and plenty of coffee. As Americans living in Japan, we’d been missing how easily we could get to Mexico and all its food. La Posada brought back some of that feeling with its cooking, colorful decor, relaxed atmosphere and welcoming staff. The clear ocean is right outside, too. The two separate baths can be locked for private family use, and ending the day with an onsen there was lovely. It was a great break from Tokyo and helped with our homesickness during COVID. Izu was beautiful during cherry blossom season, with yama sakura dotting the steep slopes above the tunnels. We took a day trip to Dogashima to climb around the rocks and look toward the sea caves, though high seas meant we couldn’t access them. We also had a picnic on the rocks at Anjo Cape.

The owners were so kind, and told us great stories about their legendary father, who was a Judo master. We had delicious pizza and nice Mexican beers, and the hospitality was lovely. A great place to stay, sleep and rest. Highly recommend. Thanks, La Pasada family! Gracias!