Oshima Onsen Hotel

The staff did what they could to help, and the food was fresh and tasty enough, but the building felt damp, neglected, and depressing. Dust was everywhere in the communal areas, and our room smelled musty. I found the place so run down that I canceled my second night after seeing the room. The dining room looked as though it hadn't been cleaned since opening, and cooking individual tempura and grilling at the table filled the whole room with smoke. There was even a plastic box of stag beetles on display at reception, which made for a very strange first impression. The management seemed so poor that keeping the hotel in this state felt deliberate. It brought Faulty Towers to mind, except that one looks like a luxury hotel by comparison. I feel sorry for the staff, who seemed to have stopped caring because no one else does. The bubble era ended decades ago. This place needs a serious change, or it should close. It feels like a health risk. I think the friendly, simple local hotels care more about their guests. If a Japan hotel association exists and came to see this place, I think it would have to shut it down.

The tempura dinner was nice, and both the service and location were good, with the hotel right beside the volcano. It's an older place, but not bad. We did have to wait more than an hour for the shuttle, though. I couldn't use the onsen because I have tattoos, and the shower never got hot enough.

Dinner was okay and the portions were generous, though I've had better meals in Japan. The rooms are spacious, with a classic Japanese look, and ours had its own Onsen. The views of mount Mihara and the Pacific ocean were incredible. The staff didn't know much English, but they were helpful anyway. Make time to hike mt. Mihara while you're there. The trail around the volcano crater is beautiful.

I'm a huge fan of the manga "Domestic Na Kanojo," so I came to stay at this hotel because it appears in the story. Natsuo and the other main characters stay here on their club trip to Oshima, and he meets Hina for the first time after their break. The visit didn't disappoint.