Iyashi no Sato Shoen

This was my third stay, and this time I came with my son. In my view, this inn gets everything right. The mascot cats are adorable, the cleaning is meticulous, there are lovely antiques and all sorts of unique, cute illustrations. The staff make you feel welcome without being overly formal, and the food is absolutely delicious. Nothing feels half-hearted, but the place never feels stuffy or forced. Even though it was rainy and windy and we couldn’t use the open-air bath, there was still a large public bath with a view and a private open-air bath. The hot water is high quality and rich. I drank as much of the pork shabu-shabu broth as I wanted again. The chef is seriously a genius. The staff member who served dinner remembered from my last visit that I drank the broth. He drew an adorable pink dog on the dessert plate and said he’d practice drawing a cat for next time. Those little things move travelers and stay in your memory. The inn feels like it’s saying, “Welcome back.” As cat lovers, we think Beerus and Karin brought us this connection. It’s a truly wonderful inn, and as Kagoshima residents, we’re proud of it. Maybe we’ll return when the weather warms up.

I stayed one night in February 2026 and was pleased with the hot spring, the meals, and the service. The source water is nearly 60°C, so they blend it with groundwater before filling the bath. That kept the temperature just right, and I got to enjoy the sulfur spring I love. The manager's cats were cute, too.

I loved soaking in the sulfur spring, and the cats were great as well. The hotel has a romantic Taisho-era atmosphere, with excellent service.

The staff were really friendly, but when we got there around 10 a.m. to leave our bags, there was nobody around. It seems best to let them know ahead of time if you want to drop luggage off. We stayed in a double room with two small spring beds, and they were very uncomfortable to sleep on. I think putting the mattress straight on the tatami would be better.