Sakurajima Hotel

I stopped by for a day visit on November 16, 2025, and paid ¥500. The onsen was excellent, and on a clear day you can see the Kagoshima. The water has an iron-mineral smell and a sweet taste. Soap and shampoo are provided, as is a hair dryer. The owner was very kind. Be sure to get your 88 Hot Springs of Kyushu stamp.

The outdoor onsen and the views were beautiful, and dinner was phenomenal for the price. The futons weren’t very comfortable, so I didn’t sleep well. The hotel felt a little run down, but that was minor compared with the rest of the experience. I’d highly recommend it. They even have a beer vending machine, which was a first for me and really cool.

The hotel is charming, and they prepared both breakfast and dinner for us. Green tea was provided each day, along with fresh futon bedding. Our luggage arrived before we did, and the staff held it for us. The man at the front desk speaks a little English. There are separate onsens for men and women, plus a mixed one outside. You can get here without a car, but the buses are infrequent and mostly run in the morning and afternoon. If you miss the last early bus, around 10am or so, you’ll be stuck in the area. The ferry runs between Kagoshima and Sakurajima 24 hours a day. I think there’s one taxi, but no Uber ;) Google Maps doesn’t show the bus schedule. I used the Japanese site qbus.jp and searched Sakurajima Port to Bungakuhimae, the stop in front of the hotel. I attached the timetable for buses from Sakurajima port, as of December 2023. This isn’t the sightseeing bus, so the operators may not speak English. Without an IC card, take a numbered ticket when boarding at the back and pay cash. The screen at the front shows the fare, which goes up with each stop. Signal when you want to get off, then put the ticket and coins in the front. Bills aren’t accepted. There’s usually a bill changer, but it only takes up to ¥1000. They could only offer cash on arrival delivery for our suitcases. Luckily, our next hotel accepted them for us, so be careful about that.

We enjoyed our stay, and wish the owners all the best. The place is old, but clean. There are mixed and gender-separated onsens, and the outdoor one has an AMAZING sea view. A friendly older lady served us a delicious homemade meal, while a younger gentleman looked after the front desk. Thank you!