Unzen Hanzuiryo

Pros: Michelin 1 star, and a very spacious room. Cons: It costs $1000-2000 a night, and the room showed wear. The floor wasn’t solid, the ceiling had signs of leaking, there was no bedside light or towel bar, and the carpet needs replacing. They removed the TV from the bedroom. Starting December 1, 2025, they also decided to stop offering Japanese-style breakfast at the restaurant. They kicked us out when we were three minutes late for checkout. The older man who answered the phone was confusing and unhelpful. The meals have been downgraded too, with 10 varieties offered in 2025 instead of 13 in 2024. Check YouTube and compare the offerings. The coffee machine is difficult to use. They wrapped the rice scoop in Saran wrap, which seemed very odd. It made us wonder if the dishes were being washed properly, since we’d never seen that done before.

We had a wonderful stay, with a great dinner and lovely service. The ryokan has an onsen bath, big rooms, and beautiful surroundings.

The Michelin dinner was delicious and filling, and well worth it if you’re making the trip here. If you tell them in advance, they’ll make a celebration feel special with handwritten calligraphy on beautiful long-fibered paper. Try the unusual tomato wine. If you don’t finish the bottle, they’ll let you take it back, so we also tried the smaller local wine and sake flights. Our suite was quiet and spacious, with a lovely private garden. The two-level space was decorated thoughtfully, with details like water splashing over a rock beside a freshly cut chrysanthemum and inlaid furniture. It had a staff mini kitchen, probably intended for in-suite dining rather than guest use. The gardens and paths were immaculately kept. In autumn, the daytime view from the restaurant was breathtaking. It’s up a winding mountain road, a fifteen-minute walk or three-minute drive from Unzen Jigoku. The staff were all friendly. My spouse speaks some Japanese, but they quickly switched to the English-speaking Assistant General Manager Amira for the rest of our stay, and he was attentive and accommodating. Finding the hot springs through the partly underground corridors was a small, memorable adventure. We loved our stay and would love to return.

Unzen sits at 2296 feet, with dramatic geology and an interesting history. Steamy downtown and Jigoku are just a 13-minute walk away, and there are lovely nature walks and sacred shrines nearby. I was lucky enough to catch the tail end of the cherry blossoms. The hotel is built in Sukiya style by Kyoto carpenters and artisans. It’s a 33-year-old hotel with just 14 duplex villas, a peaceful private hideaway. I stayed in hibiscus hibiscus fuyo, a huge, calming 2700-square-foot space with big windows. There’s no in-room onsen, but it had a deep hinoki bath and was just across the hall from higashi no yu. I could watch birds from the room. Once through the gate and checked in at the book-filled reception, you can explore the quiet grounds or use either of the two shared milky sulfur hot springs. The personable staff can also arrange hiking trips. Dinner was locavore kaiseki in the main building, including one French-course dish. Breakfast was a fabulous feast downstairs in my duplex, facing the garden. The villa alone was $474, including breakfast. Kaiseki dinner was $228 before alcohol. My only complaint was a faint moldy smell in my room that I think came from the heating system. 4/5.