Ibusuki Shusuien

Delicious meals, kind staff, a relaxing bedroom and Onsen, and a private dining room—everything was wonderful!It truly deserves its place among Japan’s Top 100 Hotels & Ryokans.It became a wonderful memory for my 77th birthday.

I’d been wanting to stay at Shusuien for a long time. We enjoyed sparkling wine in the lounge as a welcome drink. When we chose the Plan that includes the sand bath Onsen, they provided a complimentary set of bath towels and towels to take from the Accommodation, so if you’re planning to walk to “Sunamushi Onsen Saraku,” I think this set Plan is a great deal (bath towels cost extra on-site). It’s about a 4-minute stroll in yukata to Saraku. The changing area was lively and crowded, and wearing yukata made changing easier, which was very convenient. After returning to the Accommodation, we were also treated at the bar to “Chabushi,” made by dissolving bonito flakes and miso in hot water. They also offered herbal tea, zenzai (sweet red bean soup), and shochu. Our Room luckily had an ocean view from the window, and we were able to relax at an unhurried pace—even taking a nap. The Onsen was wonderful too; despite having a large public bath, it felt almost private—perhaps because our stay included weekdays or because we avoided peak hours. It left my skin silky smooth, and the Stephen Knoll shampoo, conditioner, and body soap were excellent as well. The building does feel somewhat aged, but that added charm with a nostalgic Showa-retro atmosphere. The dressing area also had sinks and mirrors for hair dryers spaced generously apart, making it truly stress-free to use. The meals we’d been looking forward to were even better than expected—so good that even when I got full halfway through while enjoying small portions one by one, I still couldn’t stop eating because everything was delicious. The flavors were gentle with rich dashi depth, so even when you’re full there’s no sense of heaviness or guilt. Breakfast came with an adorable illustrated postcard as well—and of course it was completely satisfying. I’ve stayed at many high-end Hotels and Ryokan around Japan, but this may be my favorite breakfast of all (it would have been even better if coffee had been available in the lounge after breakfast!). The shop selling souvenirs and drinks had great selections—I found myself stopping by many times. I loved the sample amenities provided at the sink in our Room so much that I purchased them at the shop. We also used their shuttle service for pick-up/drop-off at the station; it was truly a wonderful stay where both body and mind could fully unwind. As expected from such a popular long-established Ryokan—the level of satisfaction is simply different. Thank you for such a great experience."""