This is a review of our stay at Arai Ryokan.
In May, when the leaves were fresh and green, my husband and I took our two small children to Shuzenji Hot Spring in Izu, Japan. We had been very interested in this ryokan for some time, as we are very attracted to wooden buildings with a long history where many cultural figures have stayed. To get straight to the point, Shuzenji in Izu is a hot spring resort with a long history, so there are several traditional luxury ryokans, but this ryokan had great hospitality and charm. Even now, when I close my eyes, the beautiful bamboo groves and fresh greenery that I never tire of looking at from the window of my room come to mind like a Japanese painting.
We took the Shinkansen from Tokyo Station around noon, got off at Mishima Station, transferred to The Izu Hakone Sunzu Line, and got off at the last stop, Shuzenji Station. From the station, we took a cab and arrived at the ryokan in less than 10 minutes. The ryokan is located right in front of Shuzenji Temple, and as soon as we entered the grounds, the pure Japanese-style building stood dignified, enveloping us in a quiet space. The softly colored pillars, window frames, frosted glass, and massive tiled roof, which are unique to wooden architecture, made me feel nostalgic. We then checked in at the lobby and were escorted by staff to our room. The ambience and interior design of the ryokan resembles that of Kansuiro in Hakone, which was built in the same era.
As we left the lobby, we could hear the murmuring of the stream running through the grounds of the ryokan. Then from here, one could view the wonderful sukiya-style cross corridor and the well-maintained Japanese garden. The beautiful green moss and leaves of the trees were bathed in sunlight, making the colors more vibrant. Red, yellow, and orange Nishiki-koi were swimming gracefully in the pond. We moved to the room where we would be staying this time while admiring the courtyard with its magnificent pond. We were impressed by the amazingly refined Japanese beauty of the pond, with a cloudless, crisp blue sky and red pines reflected in the water, and beautiful Nishiki-koi swimming in the reflected pond.
Then this time we booked a room in the Hana Wing, located along the river with a view of the bamboo grove from our room. We opened the wooden door, entered the room, opened the sliding door and went inside, first we found a small room, and further on we found a Japanese-style living room with an alcove. Then, when we opened the sliding door of the Japanese-style room, we found a porch with a river flowing nearby, and a beautiful bamboo grove and maple trees on the opposite side of the river. On the left side, there was a red bridge over the river. The room was a little cramped for a family of four, but we were very satisfied with the very elegant and tasteful room. There was also a small terrace with a footbath facing the river in front of the porch. It was very luxurious to spend time while listening to the murmuring of the river and the sound of the bamboo grove swaying in the gentle breeze.
This time we stayed in the room facing the river, but rooms facing the pond also offer a quaint view. Then our room did not have a bathroom or shower room. There was a bathroom sink on the left side of the porch and a restroom next to the small room near the entrance. We used communal onsen baths and private family onsen baths, so we did not feel inconvenienced, but if this bothers you, you may prefer a room with a private onsen bath or a room with a bathroom. Also, this area tends to have a lot of insects during the summer season, so we would recommend staying here during non-summer months. Then since this ryokan is a wooden structure, there is no soundproofing system. Sometimes we could hear footsteps and voices walking down the hallway.
We changed into our yukatas and decided to go to the communal onsen baths. As we entered the communal onsen baths, we could smell the scent of Japanese cypress. The communal onsen baths at this ryokan were built by a famous Japanese painter in imitation of the architecture of the 8th century. Not a single nail was used, and the wood was made from cypress trees over 2,000 years old, imported all the way from Taiwan. They looked like a hall in a shrine. The large bathhouse was completed in 1934 after three years of construction, and is now registered as a cultural asset. Although the large bathhouse is worth a visit, but there were no showers, which I found inconvenient.
In addition to the large bathhouse, there was an outdoor communal bath, a communal indoor bath featuring a bathtub decorated with motifs of iris blossoms, and two private family onsen baths. The private family onsen baths are locked and completely private. One of the private family onsen baths is available for free whenever available. The other is available by reservation only and costs JPY1,100 for 45 minutes.
After the large bathhouse, we bought beer and milk at the store in the lobby, returned to our room, and sat on the porch to quench our thirst while admiring the beautiful bamboo grove and the fresh green maple trees. As dusk fell, we could hear the crying of bellbirds.
After a while, the staff came to our room and prepared dinner for us. Basically, all meals were served in our room. Dinner was a Kyoto-style kaiseki course. It was carefully prepared using local seasonal ingredients, but the portions were generally small, so we ordered an extra wagyu steak.
After dinner, we headed to the private family onsen bath that we had booked when we checked in. Like the large bathhouse, it had an interesting structure that allowed us to watch Nishiki-koi swimming through the glass, and the children were interested in observing them the whole time.
When we returned from the private family onsen bath, the futons were laid out in our room. Then we opened the sliding shoji door and looked out the window to see the red bridge and bamboo grove lit up, creating an ethereal atmosphere. After that, we thought we would take a walk through the illuminated bamboo grove, but the children were tired and fell asleep, so we decided to sit on the chairs on the porch, sipping sake we had bought at the store earlier, and admire the magnificent bamboo grove from the window.
The next morning I awoke a little after 7:00 a.m. I opened the shoji door of the room and looked out the window on the porch to see a bamboo grove and maple trees shining in the morning sun, creating an amazingly mystical world. For a while, listening to the sound of the quietly flowing river, I simply watched the contrast of light and shadow of the sun changing from moment to moment.
We then decided to take a walk along the bamboo grove path before breakfast. The bamboo grove in Arashiyama, Kyoto, is magnificent, but the bamboo grove in Shuzenji, Izu, was also in a beautiful harmony with the vermilion bridge, and was surrounded by a quaint atmosphere. After passing through the bamboo grove, listening to the sound of bamboo leaves rustling in the gentle breeze, we came upon a ryokan with a majestic gate. This is the famous Asaba Ryokan in Japan.
When we returned to the ryokan, the staff tidied up the futons laid out in our room and prepared breakfast. Breakfast was the famous three-tiered gozen, a three-tiered set of dishes served in small containers, which we were excited to open. The rice was locally grown in Shuzenji and cooked with organic rice, so the rice was fluffy. Basically, breakfast is only Japanese, but if you request it in advance, they will prepare Western food as well.
After breakfast, we participated in the Arai Ryokan Registered Cultural Properties Tour held at 10:00 a.m. The staff guided us through the valuable cultural assets on the ryokan’s grounds, explaining each one individually. JPY500 per person, the tour is held daily at 10:00 and 16:00. After this, we checked out around 11:00 a.m. and went sightseeing in Shuzenji. Next time, we would like to visit in the fall season when the maple leaves are beautiful.
Check Availability and Pricing for the ryokan on Agoda
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Is the location easy to access?
From Tokyo Station, take the Shinkansen to Mishima Station, transfer to The Izu Hakone Sunzu Line, and get off at the last stop, Shuzenji Station. The time required is approximately 100 minutes.
Alternatively, from Tokyo Station, take The Odoriko to Shuzenji Station, which takes about 130 minutes. It is convenient because there are no transfers, but there are few trains.
Then take a cab from Shuzenji Station. The trip takes 7 minutes. The fare is about 1,100 yen. There is no free shuttle bus service.
Alternatively, take The TOKAI Bus or The Izu Hakone Bus bound for Shuzenji Onsen from the bus stops in front of Shuzenji Station. The Tokai Bus stop No. 3 and The Izu Hakone Bus stop No. 1. Fares are 220 yen for adults and 110 yen for children. Then get off at the last stop, Shuzenji Onsen Bus Stop. It takes 10 minutes by bus. From the bus stop to the property is a 5-minute walk.
How about toiletries & in-room amenities?
The free Wifi reception was excellent. You need to get a password to connect to the internet at the front desk. Then all of the amenities are taken care of including minimum toiletries, yukatas, and a Japanese tea set. Also, DVD players, Blu-rays, and air cleaners were available for borrowing if you request. Room service is not available. There is a vending machine for drinks. There is a convenience store nearby. *No outside food and drinks allowed except baby food.
How about In-house Facilities?
The ryokan is not a universal design. Wheelchairs are not available. There are some steps. There is no lift. If you bring people with weak legs, you may want to inform the staff in advance as they can arrange a room near the entrance.
Then there are wonderful indoor and outdoor communal onsen baths on the ryokan grounds. They are open from 6:00 to 24:00.
Also, there are two private family onsen baths. They can be used in complete privacy with the door locked. One of the two private family onsen baths can be used free of charge whenever available. The other is JPY1,100 for 45 minutes of use. Reservations are required in advance. They are open from 15:00-10:00 the following morning.
If you have tattoos, please use the private family onsen baths or book a room with a private onsen.
How about meals?
All meals are served in your room. Dinner starts from 18:00, 18:30, or 19:00. Breakfast starts at 8:00 or 8:30. Please note that inform the staff when you book a room with meals if you have any food allergies. They probably wouldn’t be able to prepare alternative food if you request on that day.
Also, you can ask the staff to heat baby food up.
Then as far as I know, there are no restaurants near the ryokan where you can eat dinner and breakfast. Local mom and dad’s stores close early. There are several Japanese pubs called izakaya near Shuzenji Station, but you may find it troublesome as you need to take a taxi or bus to get there.
Check Availability and Pricing for the property on Agoda
Info about Arai Ryokan
| Style | Traditional Ryokan |
|---|---|
| Check-in and out times | 15:00/11:00 |
| Estimated Price | 60,000 JPY for 2 adults per room |
| Contact | yoyaku@arairyokan.jp |
| Internet Connection | Free wifi in the ryokan |
| Facility Information | Wheelchairs are not available Pets are not allowed The free parking lot is available |
| Location | Arai Ryokan’s MAP |
| Access | 7min by taxi from Shuzenji Station |
| Address and TEL | 970 Shuzenji Izu-City Shizuoka Tel +81-92-687-5312 |
| Official Homepage | Arai Ryokan’s HP |
*All information is as of the date that I posted on my blog.
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