Maruzen Ryokan

The landlady and staff were warm and polite, and the place felt like a home away from home, somewhere I’d love to return to. The renovated Japanese-style room was comfortable, with a separate bedroom and living room, clean yukata, a refrigerator, and adjustable lighting. The bath areas were clean, with a large public bath and private rooms. I stayed in the blue private room, which had a big tub, a relaxing mix of stone and wood, stylish dressing-room details, and nice amenities. Even the toothpaste tasted good, which surprised me since I don’t like powdery things (lol). The food was delicious from start to finish, though I ordered the smallest evening course and still couldn’t finish it all. The flounder sashimi, spiny lobster, and squid were fresh, sweet, and tasty. The crab hotpot, steamed turban shells and oysters, homemade tofu and pickles, tempura with plump shrimp, and sweet, fragrant nori tsukudani were all lovely. Breakfast was a buffet with fried and steamed chicken, pickles, stir-fried vegetables, pickled plums, and Shiraae. I was surprised by the shrimp-shell miso soup, simmered shrimp heads, and homemade bread served in the evening too. I’d happily eat it all again if I had the room. I’d been a little worried when it took some time to connect by phone or email, though they did return my calls. Looking back, they must have been very busy. In the end, the stay became a wonderful memory, and I’m glad I went. Thank you so much for your hospitality.

The proprietress and staff were so friendly and the service was excellent. Dinner’s seafood was absolutely delicious, and the homemade bread at the breakfast buffet was especially good. I’d definitely stay here again on a trip to Ise-Shima.

I stayed one night during the Obon holiday on August 14th, in the Suisen (Narcissus) room with the Spiny Lobster Fishing Course. The proprietress and staff made the stay pleasant with their friendly manner, kind words, and lovely smiles. There are two private baths, a pink heart-shaped one and a blue one, plus a large communal bath. I skipped the communal bath and tried both private ones. Pressing the switch made the pink bath turn milky white, and the water felt lovely on my skin. The blue bath was a little hotter. Both were great. The view was of a nearby wall rather than the sea, and there was some rust, but the baths were thoroughly cleaned and I was very satisfied. I was surprised to see a ReFa showerhead there. Dinner was everything I’d been looking forward to: three appetizers and small dishes, three spiny lobster preparations including sashimi, tartar-grilled, and grilled in the shell, plus boiled fish, fried and roasted dishes, squid sashimi, a boat-shaped platter, a vinegared appetizer, steamed egg custard, clear soup, pickles, and dessert. It was delicious and so generous that even an empty stomach wouldn’t be enough to finish it all. The next morning’s breakfast was buffet-style, with homemade food throughout. The bread was fluffy and crisp after toasting. The heads from the lobster sashimi had been used in shrimp miso soup. I’d read comments about cold tempura, but mine was warm. At checkout, the landlady’s mother gave me homemade eggplants to take home, which made me so happy and left me feeling energized. This is easily one of my top three inns or hotels.

The hostess gave us a thoughtful, courteous goodbye, and the inn felt warm and welcoming. It was good value for money, and I’d use it again. I stayed at Maruzen on my Ise trip because it was affordable and promised plenty of food. Dinner was generous and felt luxurious, with a sashimi boat platter, oysters and turban shells grilled on a teppanyaki grill, spiny lobster sashimi and tartare, and uriwara for dessert. Made from seaweed, uriwara had a distinctive sweet and salty taste when dipped in soybean flour. The breakfast buffet included fresh vegetables, and I cooked eggs and sausages on the teppanyaki grill. Each table had pitchers of apple and orange juice, a nice touch. A few details made the stay convenient: the room keys had a dimple key, which felt reassuring, and after dinner they brought a pitcher of ice water that came in handy after my bath. The "solo bath" option was a nice touch too. I was surprised that the shampoo amenities were made by Mikimoto.