Unzen Miyazaki Ryokan

The food was delicious, especially the lobster sashimi and lobster miso soup. They made our anniversary feel special, arranging a selection of courses for dinner and choosing a room for us. The view is beautiful, and the calm interior design adds to the feeling. It’s also really cool to see the gas coming out of the mountain at Unzen Miyazaki Ryokan.

Dinner in the hotel was faultless, from the presentation and variety to the quality. The onsen was elegant, stylish, and welcoming, and the garden and hills from our room made it feel easy to unwind. The zen garden and location encouraged us to slow down, and the staff made everything from arrival to departure feel exquisite. Our one night here was probably the best part of our three-week road trip. We’d love to return and enjoy that slower pace again. A totally 5 star stay. Origato to everyone who made it possible.

At this high price, I expected more from the meals. Some dinner dishes weren’t tasty, and the heavy cheese appetizers were bland. The sashimi was poorly cut and had gristle, though the abalone was excellent. The beef was sous vide for 24 hours, but the texture was strange and the result wasn’t good. Breakfast is served at different times, but when we chose 9am, nearly everything was cold, even the rice was barely warm. The service was polite and the rooms were nice, while the public onsen was just average. The meals definitely didn’t make this feel like a five star experience.

We really enjoyed the inventive, high-quality dinner and breakfast, with all the small plates of seasonal local produce and fish, soups, and pickles. Trying so many things was fun, even if the fish liver pate wasn’t for me. The portion was tiny, just a .5" cube. The onsen was lovely and tidy, the rooms and facilities gorgeous, and the staff were pleasant. A young man, Shohi? Shohei?, explained everything in English and answered our questions. I turned up in rugged, plain clothes and got the same courteous treatment they’d give someone wearing all Louis Vuitton. A gracious lady in a beaufitul kimono welcomed us and said at checkout, “we hope you can come again soon.” I replied, “we hope so, too!” It’s a peaceful, beautiful mix of luxury and simplicity, conveniently located for town and hiking. Definitely in my top 5 stays, and I wish we’d stayed longer. For the onsen, go around 5:30-6:30 if you’d like to see fewer people, when most guests are at dinner or getting ready for it. And try going in the off-season, though winter felt like the best time to visit.