Myoken Ishiharaso

The setting, the staff, and the hotel's decor were all lovely. The natural hot spring felt wonderful, especially the private outdoor bath. Both the meals and the onsen were outstanding and better than I expected. The food was flavorful and healthy. Make sure to set aside plenty of time for both.

It rained the whole time we were there, which made the place feel atmospheric. The setting was stylish and quite intimate. We emailed ahead to arrange a taxi from the train station. I loved the little details, like a resting room with jazz playing and ice lollies, plus a s'mores station with liquor warming in a teapot. The baths felt quite exposed to nature, though ladies were offered a cover that we didn't really use. Booking the private baths was easy. Be mindful at night, since you're out in nature and we saw some huge bugs. The food was incredible, Michelin level. We also arranged an in-room massage in the morning. What a cool experience.

Dinner and breakfast were a chance to enjoy the chef's skill with Kagoshima ingredients. The salt-grilled cutlass fish was unlike any I'd had before, and brought out 200% of its deliciousness. The inn sits in a quiet mountain area, but you can feel the rich flow of the Amori River and the heartbeat of the earth. There are shared baths and open-air baths you can reserve by the hour, though I'd recommend a room with its own open-air bath. It cost 800€ to 10000€ per person per night, and was well worth it. I'd never had such an exciting hotel experience.

The onsen, especially the private ones you reserve, have great river views, and the facilities were spotless and in great shape. We enjoyed different dinners on each of the two nights, and the food was very good. Getting picked up at the airport was easy, and the ride to the facility was short. When we left, most of the staff were outside waving goodbye. As an American with very limited Japanese, I appreciated that several staff members could communicate with me and explain things. If you're visiting Japan and want a ryokan stay but know little Japanese, Ishiharaso is a place to visit.