My stay at Kashiwaya Ryokan was special and memorable. I encourage any westerner who is curious about Japanese culture, ryokan and onsen to go and experience this wonderful place. The staff communicated excellently with me in English. I can only speak a few words of Japanese. Right from check in I felt incredibly welcome and comfortable. Everything about using the onsen was explained, as was how to wear the yukata and what to expect. On my first visit to Japan and with almost no Japanese I was nervous to travel outside Tokyo but was so glad I did. The food was absolutely 5 stars (and there was lots of it - you won't need lunch) and accommodated my vegetarian diet despite a last-minute booking. Staff were helpful and understanding. As a westerner I'm sure I did the wrong thing 100 times (despite trying really really hard!) but everyone was supportive of my clumsy efforts and terrible Japanese! Room was peaceful and it was wonderful to stay in a tatami room and sleep on a futon. The private onsen were beautiful and relaxing. Transport: I took the highway bus from Tokyo and despite being the only westerner on board I found it a very easy process. The only downside is that you arrive at about midday so there are a few hours to fill in before 3pm check in, although the staff happily took my bag. I took the local bus, local train and shinkansen back to Tokyo as it was a faster option and I could leave right after check out. This was also pretty straightforward although I'd advise Googling how to catch a bus in Japan and booking the Shinkansen in advance if you can. If you don't speak Japanese don't worry too much. People were very helpful. Most people speak enough English to help you out if you're in trouble, especially bus drivers and staff at railway stations. There are some good hikes around Shima Onsen and plenty to explore with the local map that the staff at Kashiwaya will give you. The hikes are pretty steep so take appropriate footwear.

Nothing - it was perfect

Kashiwaya Ryokan was a wonderful place to stay in Shima. It's located right off the bus stop and is a pleasant walking distance to many other places in Shima. The food was amazing, and every meal as to be savored with all the senses. The service fantastically patient with us. One of the staff, Andrew, provided us with great recommendations on on places to eat in Nagano, our next stop. The three private onsen are a particular delight, giving people uncomfortable with public onsen the opportunity to get used to what an onsen is like. I would highly recommend this place for first time American onsen tourists, especially because it is tattoo friendly.

The place is a little expensive, but I personally think it is well worth the price. The walls are a bit thin, and we were able to hear some of the louder noises from a neighbor's room. A ryokan happy hour, like some other ryokan offer, would be nice.

I absolutely adore this ryokan, it's the second time I've been here and it's just amazing. The staff are super lovely, the hotel is huge and clean and smells great, it has three private beautiful hotsprings, and the food is amazing. They said it would be a bit tough to make vegetarian food for one person, but every day I had a personalized menu and it was so delicious! The whole town is just adorable and the hiking in the area is great.

It would be nice if they still offered vegan food for one guest like in the past.

The relaxing atmosphere! We also appreciate that all the staff speaked english, so it was very easy to understand the rules inside the ryokan! Also, it’s not a problem if you have tattoes because inside there are 3 private onsen and when you are inside one of this, nobody else can enter! The cuisine was exquisite! Suggestion for every guest: don’t bring anything with you! Inside you will found everything you need! From tootbrush to hairdryer and all kind of stuff. You will stay all day with the yukata that you will find into the ryokan. You can leave your luggage in your car, nonody will take it and in this way you won’t ruin the precious tatami. After all, is a place where you will strip yourself of everything!

Mi è piaciuto tutto! Forse mi sarebbe piaciuto dormire in un futon per completare l’esperienza!

My 3D2N stay at Kashiwaya Ryokan was simply magical. The service staff were very kind and they would do their best to answer your requirements. There are 3 unique and clean private onsens to choose from which guests can visit as long as nobody is inside. The breakfasts and dinners were way beyond our expectations not just on the taste, but also the presentation which shows the genuine efforts of the kitchen staff. There is definitely no need to worry about being hungry as the meals filled us to the brim. The location is at one end of Shima Onsen town but there are bicycles which can be borrowed from the ryokan to cycle to the central area, as well as all the way to Lake Okushima if you are feeling adventurous. I hope the ryokan continues to maintain this standard as I would highly recommend people to stay there.

None.

We were able to have a true Japanese experience. During our one night stay, we experimented the three private onsen and they were all amazing (we have tattoos and it was not an issue) ! We were also able to enjoy Shima Onsen thanks to the free bike rental service of the hotel The food was great ! Compliments to the chef for the quality of the ingredients and the play on textures. One bit of advice : we had the vegan traditional kaiseki meal and we would’ve liked it more had we not eaten a heavy lunch. Don’t eat a lot on the day of the kaiseki meal because it is quite a bit of food, delicious yes, but still a lot if you’re not prepared ! The ryokan’s staff was welcoming, friendly and helpful. It was a nice touch to have a two way script in English/Japanese when we arrived as we could communicate with them :)

To say we did not like something is strong, however one way of improving would be to have English books on Japanese culture in the library, or any English books for that matter

An unforgettable ryokan experience. The place is remote, but well worth the trip. The rooms are very comfortable and the balcony overlooks the nearby river. The public and private onsens provide for a variety of hot spring stones and have been tastefully decorated for a peaceful experience. The Japanese dinner and breakfast felt very special as the host (Hitomi :) ) guides you through the menu and the restaurant has a great selection of the local sake. I really appreciated the attention to detail in the decor and guest experience. The cherry on the top was the check-out, where the guests are sent off with soap bubbles. I hope to return soon.

If you want to expeirence just one ryokan (traditional Japanese bathing inn) while in Japan, make this the one. The staff at Kashiwaya Ryokan make you feel so welcome from the get go, some of the staff also have fantastic English which is a bonus! The rooms were beautiful, traditional tatami mat rooms with a small balcony and tea room looking out towards the forested hills outseide. There are three first in first use private baths, two of which would fit two individuals comfortably. Even if all three baths are occupied, there are public baths but throughout the course of your stay there will be plenty of times when the baths are unoccupied. I personally used the private baths on three different occasions since they were that relaxing. My family and I used the four bikes available at the inn to bike up to the Shima Onsen town center and it's truly very beautiful and quaint. I ended up doing the bike ride up to town on two different occasions. For Studio Ghibli fans, you can see the famous bridge and bathhouse that served as inspiration for the bathhouse in Spirited Away as well while in town as well. In the evening, the multi-course traditional dinner we had was spectacular. There were so many different dishes, some of which we liked more than others but it gave us a rare glimpse into the uniquely delicious and varied cuisines Japan has to offer. I had previously asked the Ryokan over booking.com if they would be able to prepare anything for us because the stay coincided with my mother's 60th birthday. They responded promptly and prepared for us a personalized cake dessert platter - incredible! We spent time after in the beautiful library with coffee as the rain set in around Shima Onsen. Breakfast was fantastic again and we enjoyed bathing in the gentle rain and I took one of the most refreshing morning naps I've ever had with the sounds and smells of rain coming from outside. This ryokan stay made my mother's 60th truly unforgettable.

Just be aware that Shima Onsen isn't the easiest place to get to. If you don't have a car, be prepared to take multiple JR trains and then a bus to the Onsen town/this ryokan. Try to check in as close to 3pm as possible to maximize the amount of time you can stay here. I promise that it's all worth it in the end, if only we elected to stay for two nights instead of one!

Exceptional hospitality and service at this ryokan. Fairly easy to find and access the bus. The meals and breakfasts were perfect and they give you a wide array of food based on your choice. The rooms were of traditional Japanese style and the whole place was clean. The private onsens were spot on and amazing to relax in while looking up at the mountains and easy to access.

Nothing it was the perfect stay for a few nights.

We had such a wonderful stay at Shima Onsen Kashiwaya. Everything exceeded our expectations and we couldn’t fault anything about our stay. The lovely staff, the location and the value for money was incredible. We enjoyed the private onsens, nature walks around the area and were very impressed and weren’t expecting the traditional Kaiseki meal for dinner and breakfast. The serenity was beautiful and peaceful, just what we were after. We would highly recommend Shima Onsen Kashiwaya for anyone looking for a relaxing time and to experience Japanese traditions. Thank you.