7 Best Izu Ryokans with Private Open-Air Bath in Room

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Izu has hot spring towns on both coasts, and many ryokans sell rooms with a bath on the terrace. Not every in-room bath is open-air, and not every bath runs on hot spring water. Seven rooms fit both tests, with an open-air or semi-open-air bath. Each has its own bath.

Izu Ryokans with a Private Bath in the Room

Open-Air, Semi-Open-Air and Indoor Room Baths

The title says open-air, and five of the seven Best Rooms are. Two are semi-open-air.

• Open-air rooms: All 16 rooms at IZU RETREAT ATAGAWA SUIKO by Onko Chishin have an open-air bath. Isaribi does the same in all 12, with the sea in view from the 202 bath. KAMENOI HOTEL Izukogen and ABBA Resorts Izu – Zagyosoh fit the open-air bath to selected rooms, such as the Luxury Suite and the 1F East Building rooms.
• Semi-open-air rooms: A round ceramic semi-open-air bath sits in the Kawa, Tsuki and Yama rooms at Izu Ito Hot Springs Toushinan Komeya. Oni no Sumika sells a villa whose semi-open-air bath faces a courtyard garden.
• Indoor baths: The Hanare rooms at Izu Ito Hot Springs Toushinan Komeya have indoor hot spring baths. The Universal Twin at KAMENOI HOTEL Izukogen has a private bath that is not open-air. Read the room name before reserving, because several hotels sell rooms with and without the feature.

How the Hot Spring Water Is Described

Japanese hotels use the word kake-nagashi for free-flowing spring water. Only some of the seven state it.

• Free-flowing: IZU RETREAT ATAGAWA SUIKO by Onko Chishin describes the water in every room as free-flowing hot spring water from Atagawa Onsen. The Hanare cottages at Yukairo Kikuya hold a free-flowing source bath on a terrace.
• Own source: Isaribi draws from a well 600 m deep on its grounds, and the water reaches 73.3 °C. The hotel says no reheating is needed. Every room bath runs on it.
• Hot spring only: KAMENOI HOTEL Izukogen, Oni no Sumika and ABBA Resorts Izu – Zagyosoh call the bath water hot spring and give no flow type. Izu Ito Hot Springs Toushinan Komeya is placed here as well, because its own page and a travel site disagree on the flow.

Getting to Izu From Tokyo by Train

JR East’s Odoriko limited express runs from Tokyo into the Izu Peninsula. Journey times depend on the station.

• Odoriko times: The train takes 1 hour 20 minutes to Atami and 2 hours 8 minutes to Shuzenji. Kawazu is 2 hours 36 minutes from Tokyo, and Izukyu-Shimoda is 2 hours 49 minutes.
• East coast stations: Japan-guide lists Ito at roughly 100 minutes from Tokyo. IZU RETREAT ATAGAWA SUIKO by Onko Chishin puts Izu-Atagawa at around 2 hours 15 minutes on the Odoriko. Izukyu Line trains serve both Izu-Atagawa and Izu-Okawa.
• Shuzenji by Shinkansen: Travellers on the Shinkansen change at Mishima. The Izuhakone Line then takes 35 minutes to reach Shuzenji.

From Station to Ryokan: Shuttles, Buses and Taxis

Transfer arrangements differ between the hotels.

• Free shuttles: IZU RETREAT ATAGAWA SUIKO by Onko Chishin runs a free shuttle from Izu-Atagawa Station on request. Izu Ito Hot Springs Toushinan Komeya runs a free shuttle from Ito Station. ABBA Resorts Izu – Zagyosoh sends a free dedicated car from Izu-Kogen Station.
• Pickup on request: Isaribi collects guests from Izu-Okawa Station between 14:30 and 19:00 on arrival day. The return run to the station leaves between 09:00 and 12:00. Reserve the pickup and give the arrival time in advance.
• Taxi or bus: Guests at Oni no Sumika take a taxi from Shuzenji Station, as the hotel has no shuttle. Yukairo Kikuya sits one minute on foot from a bus stop, reached by an 8-minute bus ride from the station. KAMENOI HOTEL Izukogen is a short drive from Izu-Kogen Station.

Dinner, Breakfast and Meal Plans

Several rates at three of the hotels list breakfast and dinner as included.

• Where dinner is served: IZU RETREAT ATAGAWA SUIKO by Onko Chishin serves dinner in its restaurant, not in the room. The listing for Isaribi says breakfast and dinner arrive in the room for some room types.
• Dinner cut-off: Guests at Isaribi must check in by 19:00 to be served dinner. No restaurants stand near the hotel, so a late arrival goes without a hot meal.
• Rate rows: At Isaribi, the rate with both meals costs more than the room-only rate on the same night. The same pattern shows at IZU RETREAT ATAGAWA SUIKO by Onko Chishin and KAMENOI HOTEL Izukogen.

Choosing by Area: Higashiizu, Ito and Shuzenji

The seven hotels cover three areas.

• Higashiizu coast: IZU RETREAT ATAGAWA SUIKO by Onko Chishin and Isaribi both face the sea from the Best Room. The two sit within a short train ride of each other on the Izukyu Line.
• Ito: KAMENOI HOTEL Izukogen looks over the Sagami Sea from every room. Izu Ito Hot Springs Toushinan Komeya stands in Ito Onsen, 270 m from Minami-Ito Station. ABBA Resorts Izu – Zagyosoh names its own area Ukiyama Onsen.
• Shuzenji: Yukairo Kikuya puts its Bessho rooms beside the Katsura River. Oni no Sumika spreads nine detached villas through its grounds.

FAQs

1. Which Izu ryokans have an open-air bath in the room?

Five of the seven have an open-air bath in the Best Room: IZU RETREAT ATAGAWA SUIKO by Onko Chishin, KAMENOI HOTEL Izukogen, Isaribi, Yukairo Kikuya and ABBA Resorts Izu – Zagyosoh. Izu Ito Hot Springs Toushinan Komeya and Oni no Sumika have semi-open-air hot spring baths. Every bath is private to the room. Match the exact room name before reserving.

2. How long does it take to reach Izu from Tokyo by train?

Atami is 1 hour 20 minutes from Tokyo on the Odoriko, and Shuzenji takes 2 hours 8 minutes. Kawazu is 2 hours 36 minutes away and Izukyu-Shimoda 2 hours 49 minutes. Japan-guide lists Ito at roughly 100 minutes. Shinkansen travellers change at Mishima and ride the Izuhakone Line for 35 minutes to reach Shuzenji.

3. Do these ryokans run a shuttle from the station?

A free shuttle runs from Izu-Atagawa Station to IZU RETREAT ATAGAWA SUIKO by Onko Chishin on request, and Izu Ito Hot Springs Toushinan Komeya runs one from Ito Station. ABBA Resorts Izu – Zagyosoh sends a free dedicated car from Izu-Kogen Station. Isaribi collects guests from Izu-Okawa Station on request. Oni no Sumika has no shuttle, so guests take a taxi from Shuzenji Station.

4. Is the hot spring water free-flowing?

Three hotels state it. IZU RETREAT ATAGAWA SUIKO by Onko Chishin calls its water free-flowing, Isaribi draws from its own source, and the Hanare cottages at Yukairo Kikuya use a free-flowing source bath. The other four describe hot spring water without a settled flow type. Ask before reserving if this matters.

5. Is dinner served in the room?

Dinner at IZU RETREAT ATAGAWA SUIKO by Onko Chishin is served in its restaurant, not in the room. The listing for Isaribi says meals reach the room for some room types. Check the meal plan for the room you pick before you reserve. Arrive by 19:00 at Isaribi to be served dinner.

6. Can children stay in these rooms?

Rules differ by hotel, so check the age policy for the exact room. Yukairo Kikuya does not accept children in its Bessho rooms. The Best Room at Izu Ito Hot Springs Toushinan Komeya is named as adults only. Ask the other hotels about children and the age limit for your room before you reserve.

7. Which ryokan is closest to a station?

The closest is Izu Ito Hot Springs Toushinan Komeya, at 270 m from Minami-Ito Station. Isaribi stands 450 m from Izu-Okawa Station, and IZU RETREAT ATAGAWA SUIKO by Onko Chishin is 550 m from Izu-Atagawa Station. The others need a drive or a bus, because Shuzenji and Izu Kogen sit further out.

8. What changes the price of an Izu ryokan room?

Isaribi and Izu Ito Hot Springs Toushinan Komeya carry the lowest ranges on the cards, and IZU RETREAT ATAGAWA SUIKO by Onko Chishin and ABBA Resorts Izu – Zagyosoh the highest. Each price line runs from the lowest Tuesday rate in January, February or June to the highest Friday or Saturday rate in December or March. A rate with dinner costs more than a room-only rate.