Myoken Ishiharaso

A very pleasant surprise in a Japanese hot spring hotel. The Japanese service is very considerate. Several hot springs are very comfortable and there are private pools. The two-hour Kaiseki cuisine in the evening tastes great. Recommended!

I stayed for one night from October 6th (Sun) in the "Moegi" room, a two-room Japanese-style room facing the river at the very back of the first floor of the main building. I think the features of this inn are "high-quality hot springs" and "delicious food". Myoken Onsen, which is one with the flow of the Tenmoku River, is a "hot spring-like hot spring" that has been used for hot spring treatments since ancient times, and I was able to enjoy the ultimate bathing time in the large bath with high-quality furnishings, the rustic open-air bath, and the private open-air bath. The food was impeccably excellent, and the masterful skills of the Michelin chef who served as head chef at a famous inn in Hanase, Kyoto, were so impressive that I was moved. I never thought I would be able to taste such delicious Kyoto kaiseki cuisine in Kagoshima. The setting and the service of the staff had a sense of unpretentious high quality, and they had the dignity of a high-class inn. It's no wonder that the luxury cruise train "Nanatsuboshi" uses it. If I had to say something negative, I felt that the amenities in the guest rooms and the quality of the coffee and ice cream in the post-bath lounge were cheap and out of place for this inn, but overall I thought this was a wonderful inn where you could experience the atmosphere unique to a hot spring inn and the high quality you can only expect from a luxury inn.

Paying 40,000 yen per person to stay here is not worth it. 1. Both the front desk staff and the waiter said the exact opposite, and there was no apology. 2. The menu said fresh seafood, but there were only two slices of pickled yellowtail. 3. There is only one basket to use when going to the open-air bath or large communal bath; nearby Orihashi Ryokan, Kinosaki Onsen and other first-class inns have baskets for two people to put away for changing clothes. No consideration. 4. There are many steps to the large communal bath and open-air bath, and no warning signs, making it difficult for elderly people. 5. Young people should look the other person in the eye when replying to a greeting. 6. Why does the razor in the large communal bath have three teeth, but the one in the room has two? Having been featured in famous magazines and in many spots, the hardware is sophisticated, but the software and human care are lacking in the timeless aspects that are so characteristic of Japan.

This was my third visit in three years since the COVID-19 pandemic ended. I stayed at HANEZU, which apparently has four new rooms. I was able to enjoy the high-quality carbonated spring water, which is replaced every hour, even in my room. I felt the hospitality of the Nepalese Vista-san, who speaks perfect Japanese and has a very pleasant stay. I thoroughly enjoyed the Chiran tea, the food, and the dishes that were served on each table. Thank you very much for your hospitality.

I stayed here for two nights. You can take a day trip or have lunch here, but I stayed overnight at Myoken Ishiharaso. There are many charms that you can't understand unless you stay overnight. Unfortunately, it rained on the first day, but that was also a good experience. I borrowed an umbrella and went to the outdoor bath, which created a nice atmosphere. This hot spring inn boasts its hot spring quality, with seven private hot springs, and you can enjoy the "raw hot spring" in the large bath and open-air bath. The large bath, "Tenkoden," has a type of spring quality where lumps of hot spring ingredients adhere to the edge of the bath, which helps to remove excess sebum from the skin. The mixed-gender open-air bath, "Mukunoki," has a clear stream called Tenkogawa River in front of it, and there are no handrails or fences. You can soak while listening to the sound of the stream. The hot spring at "Mukunoki" contains a large amount of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide gas seems to have the effect of expanding blood vessels and improving blood flow without putting strain on the heart. The open-air bath, called "Nanami no Yu," is best before dusk or in the morning when it is still light, rather than at night. I was able to enjoy a dynamic bath while watching the clear stream. The private bath, "Mutsumi no Yu," is best bathed at dusk, and the best time to take a bath is just before sunrise and just after sunset, when the sky turns a deep blue, creating a dramatic effect.

I stayed here for the third night of my 4-night, 5-day trip to Kagoshima Onsen. I enjoyed it 20 years ago, so I'm revisiting it. I had high hopes for this time. However, I immediately felt something was off. The room attendant was Chinese, and he explained things one-sidedly without any consideration for me. It was scary to go down 100m in geta sandals after the rain. The water was hot, but there was plenty of it, which was good. The expected meal was carefully prepared, the dishes were fine, and the ingredients were not expensive. The sashimi was only two pieces of pickled bonito. More than that, the dining area was a windowless cave, and it was stuffy and I felt sick. The room was spacious, but there were many steps, so I left the light on all the way to the toilet to avoid falling. The worst part was the poor air conditioning, and there was no air conditioning, so I was so hot and sweaty that I woke up many times. There were many barriers, I drank the hot spring before meals and in the morning, I couldn't sleep at night, and I didn't get enough sleep. The food was not as good as I expected, so I don't understand why this place is featured in magazines and selected by Michelin? Well, our room is just a random one, so I guess it can't be helped?

Last year, I stayed in a Japanese-Western style room at "Ishigura" on my first visit, and was very satisfied with both the hot spring and the food. This time, I stayed in a renovated room called "Odan". This room was also wonderful. All the rooms on the river side have good views, but I would say that "Odan" is the best of them all. The thatched roof houses of "Wasure-no-Sato Gajoen" on the opposite bank provide a beautiful backdrop. The open-air bath in the room is a free-flowing hot spring like Ishigura, but the inn has multiple hot springs, and since the hot springs at Ishigura and "Odan" are different, the ingredients are slightly different. The open-air bath at "Odan" is probably more carbonated, as you can clearly see bubbles constantly rising on the surface of the bath.