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Shimoda and Minami-Izu onsen ryokan with private baths: 5 picks
Approximate, at the rate on 2026-10-02. You pay in yen.
- Shimoda onsen ryokan: five inns, from six rooms to forty
- Marubun sits on Yumigahama beach; Moon Rivage has a beach out front and takes dogs
- Seiryuso publishes a tattoo rule; Hanasato rates dinner 5.0; Marubun is cheapest
The five
| Best for | Where to book | Score | Weeknight (per person) | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top score of the five — a beachfront onsen inn for dog owners — if you can’t decide | Moon Rivage 963 Stage Check price |
90/100 | ¥27,000 | ¥27,000–29,000 |
| Best-rated baths of all 47, five minutes from Rendaiji station | Shimoda Rendaiji Onsen Seiryuso Check price |
84/100 | ¥35,000 | ¥41,000–60,000 |
| Dinner rated a perfect 5.0, at a seven-room inn with a private bath | Yumigahama Onsen Hanasato Check price |
82/100 | ¥25,000 | ¥27,000–34,000 |
| The most reviewed of the seven, with a family bath and summer pool | Minami-Izu Yumigahama Onsen Tokiichiyu Check price |
76/100 | ¥24,000 | ¥28,000–40,000 |
| The cheapest of the five, with a sea view and open-air bath in every room | Kochu no Ten Yado Marubun Check price |
74/100 | ¥21,000 | ¥23,000–37,000 |
Prices are the cheapest per person found on Rakuten Travel for Wednesdays and Saturdays between 2026-10-31 – 2026-12-23, for 2 adults in one room (checked 2026-10-24). They move daily — the link shows live prices.
The booking links go to Agoda, which shows today’s price and lets you pay in your own currency. Its price can differ from the Rakuten Travel figures above.
Top score of the five — a beachfront onsen inn for dog owners
Reviews: Rakuten Travel 4.89/5 (177)
- Six rooms, built for travelling with a dog
- Dinner is kinmedai (golden-eye snapper) and local vegetables
- 90/100, the top score of the five
Why it made the five
- 4.89 across 177 reviews — the highest of the inns that qualified; breakfast and dinner both 4.96.
- A hot-spring bath in every room, plus a private open-air bath at ¥550 a session.
- The swimming beach is directly in front, and the rooms have a sea view.
- Meals in your room or in the restaurant.
Getting there: About eight minutes by car from Izukyu-Shimoda station. No pick-up is listed, so take a taxi. Free parking, a little way from the inn.
Language and payment: English support is not published, so ask when you book. Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express and Diners are listed, but anything you pay on the spot — the dog fee, for instance — is cash only. The baths are in your room or booked for your party alone, so tattoos do not come up.
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Right for: Travelling the Izu coast with your dog.
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Not for: Travelling without a dog — the whole inn is built around them.
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Worth knowing: Dogs are ¥3,300 each per night, paid on the spot in cash, and should be vaccinated indoor dogs. The private open-air bath is ¥550 a session, and a ¥150 bathing tax per adult is charged on top.
Score breakdown — 90/100
| Criterion | Stars | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | ★★★★★ | Room, bath and dinner average 4.86 on Rakuten Travel |
| Value for money | ★★★☆☆ | ¥27,000 per person on a weeknight (Rakuten, dinner and breakfast) — 108% of the median of everything we compared |
| Easy to stay | ★★★★★ | Meals in your room or the restaurant, in private; about eight minutes by car from Shimoda station; the swimming beach right in front, with sea-view rooms; a hot-spring bath in every room and a private open-air bath with a view (¥550 a session); kinmedai and local vegetables, with breakfast and dinner rated 4.96. |
| Trust | ★★★★★ | 4.89 across 177 reviews (Rakuten Travel 177) |
| Only here | ★★★☆☆ | Its 4.89 average is the highest of the inns that met our conditions — but it is an inn for travelling with a dog. |
Best-rated baths of all 47, five minutes from Rendaiji station
Shimoda Rendaiji Onsen Seiryuso
Reviews: Rakuten Travel 4.78/5 (309) · Agoda 8.8/10 (59) · 368 in total
- 23 rooms at Rendaiji, one stop before Izukyu-Shimoda
- Set among trees beside a clear stream, fed from its own source
- The only inn of the five that publishes a tattoo rule
Why it made the five
- Bath rated 4.87 — the highest of the 47 inns that cleared our floor; dinner 4.97.
- Five minutes on foot from Rendaiji station, or a pick-up from Izukyu-Shimoda booked by the day before.
- 100% free-flowing hot spring: large bath, open-air bath, family bath, sauna and a free hot-spring pool.
- Tattooed guests are directed to the room bath or the private bath.
Getting there: Five minutes on foot from Rendaiji station on the Izu Kyuko line. Pick-up from Izukyu-Shimoda station, timed to Odoriko arrivals from 13:29 onward, if you book by the day before (not on the Simple Stay or Short Stay plans). Free parking for 20 cars, first come, first served.
Language and payment: Per Rakuten, a few staff understand a little English. Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express and Diners are listed. Guests with tattoos may not use the large bath, pool or sauna, but can use the room bath or the private bath. Food allergies can be catered for if you tell the inn in advance; wheelchairs to borrow.
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Right for: Arriving by train and wanting the surest bath and dinner of the lot.
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Not for: Wanting to sleep by the sea — it is a streamside inn, and its listing mentions no beach.
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Worth knowing: Tattooed guests cannot use the large bath, pool or sauna (use the room bath or the private bath). On a plan with meals, call if you will arrive after 17:00, which is also the last check-in.
Score breakdown — 84/100
| Criterion | Stars | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | ★★★★★ | Room, bath and dinner average 4.89 on Rakuten Travel |
| Value for money | ★☆☆☆☆ | ¥35,000 per person on a weeknight (Rakuten, dinner and breakfast) — 140% of the median of everything we compared |
| Easy to stay | ★★★★★ | Check-out 11:00; pick-up from Izukyu-Shimoda station, booked by the day before and timed to the Odoriko arrivals; meals in your room or a hall, in private; five minutes on foot from Rendaiji station on the Izu Kyuko line; 100% free-flowing hot spring with a large bath, open-air bath, family bath and sauna; a hot-spring pool free for guests; tattooed guests use the room bath or private bath instead of the shared ones; a few staff understand a little English. |
| Trust | ★★★★★ | 4.78 across 309 reviews (Rakuten Travel 309) |
| Only here | ★★★★★ | Its bath score of 4.87 is the highest of the 47 inns that cleared our review floor, its dinner scores 4.97, and tattooed guests are pointed to the private bath. |
Dinner rated a perfect 5.0, at a seven-room inn with a private bath
Reviews: Rakuten Travel 4.67/5 (497)
- Ise-ebi spiny lobster comes from Minami-Izu
- Service 4.96 is the highest of all 47 inns that cleared our review floor
Why it made the five
- Dinner rated 5.0 and service 4.96 — the best of their kind here.
- Ise-ebi lobster and Izu beef; both meals in a dining room.
- A private family bath and an open-air bath; seven rooms, all non-smoking.
- About ¥25,000 per person with two meals on a weeknight.
Getting there: About 20 minutes by bus from Izukyu-Shimoda station to the Yumigahama-ohashi stop. No pick-up from the station or the beach. By car, about 120 minutes from Numazu IC on Route 414; the lane up to the door is very narrow. Free parking for 10 cars.
Language and payment: English support and tattoo rules are not published, so ask when you book; the family bath is for your own party. Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express and Diners are listed. The set menu cannot be changed.
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Right for: Making dinner the main event, in a small, quiet inn.
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Not for: Coming by train — there is no pick-up from Shimoda station or Yumigahama.
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Worth knowing: No pick-up, and it does not face Yumigahama beach. The road to the door is very narrow. Curfew is 23:00. Bookings within a week of arrival should be made by phone, and a ¥150 bathing tax per adult is charged on top.
Score breakdown — 82/100
| Criterion | Stars | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | ★★★★☆ | Room, bath and dinner average 4.73 on Rakuten Travel |
| Value for money | ★★★☆☆ | ¥25,000 per person on a weeknight (Rakuten, dinner and breakfast) — 100% of the median of everything we compared |
| Easy to stay | ★★★★★ | About 20 minutes by bus from Izukyu-Shimoda station to Yumigahama-ohashi; ise-ebi lobster and Izu beef, with dinner rated 5.0; a private hot-spring family bath and an open-air bath; seven rooms, all non-smoking; breakfast and dinner in a dining room. |
| Trust | ★★★★☆ | 4.67 across 497 reviews (Rakuten Travel 497) |
| Only here | ★★★★☆ | Its 5.0 dinner score is the highest of the inns that met our conditions and its 4.96 for service the highest of the 47 that cleared our floor — a seven-room inn serving ise-ebi lobster and Izu beef. |
The most reviewed of the seven, with a family bath and summer pool
Minami-Izu Yumigahama Onsen Tokiichiyu
Reviews: Rakuten Travel 4.53/5 (746) · Agoda 9.1/10 (36) · 782 in total
- 40 rooms at Yumigahama in Minami-Izu
- Handrails in the large-bath tubs
Why it made the five
- 746 reviews — the most of the seven — averaging 4.53.
- Large bath, open-air bath, sauna, and a family bath free for guests.
- Shuttle bus from Izukyu-Shimoda station, about 20 minutes.
- Summer pool, free self-service laundry, wheelchair access.
Getting there: About 20 minutes from Izukyu-Shimoda station on the inn’s shuttle bus. Free parking for 40 cars, no reservation needed. Last check-in 19:00.
Language and payment: English support and tattoo rules are not published, so ask when you book — the family bath is the private option. Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express and Diners are listed. Meals for food allergies can be arranged. Wheelchair accessible, with handrails in the large-bath tubs.
- Right for: Wanting the reassurance of many reviews, or travelling as a family.
- Not for: Wanting an open-air bath in your room — none is listed.
Score breakdown — 76/100
| Criterion | Stars | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | ★★★☆☆ | Room, bath and dinner average 4.60 on Rakuten Travel |
| Value for money | ★★★★☆ | ¥24,000 per person on a weeknight (Rakuten, dinner and breakfast) — 95% of the median of everything we compared |
| Easy to stay | ★★★★★ | Check-out 11:00; shuttle bus from Izukyu-Shimoda station, about 20 minutes; large bath, open-air bath, sauna and family bath; a pool in summer and a free self-service laundry; wheelchair accessible, with handrails in the large-bath tubs; last check-in 19:00. |
| Trust | ★★★☆☆ | 4.53 across 746 reviews (Rakuten Travel 746) |
| Only here | ★★★☆☆ | Its 746 reviews are the most of the seven we shortlisted, and it holds a 4.53 average across them. |
The cheapest of the five, with a sea view and open-air bath in every room
Reviews: Rakuten Travel 4.27/5 (406)
- 30 rooms; the only one of the seven we compared with this combination
- Large bath, open-air bath and sauna as well
- Reviews average 4.27, the lowest of the five
Why it made the five
- Every room has a sea view and its own open-air bath.
- On Yumigahama beach — zero minutes on foot.
- From about ¥21,000 per person with two meals — the cheapest of the five.
- A few staff can handle everyday matters in English.
Getting there: About 20 minutes by car or bus from Izukyu-Shimoda station; a free shuttle bus runs if you book ahead. Free parking for 30 cars.
Language and payment: Per Rakuten, a few staff can handle everyday matters in English — the strongest English note of the seven. Visa, Mastercard and JCB are listed. Tattoo rules are not published, so ask when you book; the open-air bath in your room is yours alone.
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Right for: Soaking in your own open-air bath looking at the sea, at the lowest price here.
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Not for: Putting review scores first — 4.27 is the lowest of the five.
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Worth knowing: A ¥150 bathing tax per adult is charged on top. Call if you will check in after 17:00. No smoking inside the rooms.
Score breakdown — 74/100
| Criterion | Stars | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | ★★★☆☆ | Room, bath and dinner average 4.45 on Rakuten Travel, and every room has its own open-air bath |
| Value for money | ★★★★☆ | ¥21,000 per person on a weeknight (Rakuten, dinner and breakfast) — 83% of the median of everything we compared |
| Easy to stay | ★★★★★ | Check-out 11:00; a free shuttle bus from Izukyu-Shimoda station, booked ahead; every room with a sea view and an open-air bath; zero minutes on foot to Yumigahama beach; a large bath, open-air bath and sauna as well; a few staff can handle everyday matters in English; about 20 minutes from Shimoda station by car or bus; breakfast and dinner in the restaurant. |
| Trust | ★★☆☆☆ | 4.27 across 406 reviews (Rakuten Travel 406) |
| Only here | ★★★★★ | Every room has a sea view and its own open-air bath, and it is zero minutes from Yumigahama beach — the only one of the seven with that combination. |
Know before you book
- Shimoda is the end of the Izu Kyuko line. The Odoriko limited express runs direct from Tokyo to Izukyu-Shimoda station, so you can get there without changing trains. Rendaiji, one stop before it, is a small hot-spring village beside a stream.
- Three of these five are not in Shimoda itself but at Yumigahama, a sandy bay in Minami-Izu about 20 minutes south of Izukyu-Shimoda station by bus or car, per the inns’ listings.
- Most inns here are a bus or car ride from the station, and several run a free shuttle from Izukyu-Shimoda that you must book ahead. Two of the five — Hanasato and Moon Rivage 963 Stage — list no pick-up at all.
- Shimoda was one of the first ports Japan opened to the United States, in 1854, and the old town around Perry Road is small enough to walk in an afternoon.
- Japanese shared baths are nude, and you wash at the taps before getting in. Every inn here has a bath for your own party — a family bath, a private open-air bath or one in your room — which is the easy answer if you have a tattoo or would rather not bathe with strangers. Only Seiryuso publishes a tattoo rule.
- Prices here are per person with dinner and breakfast, for two sharing. Five of the seven inns we compared add a ¥150 bathing tax per adult on top.
How we chose: theme, conditions, scoring
How we chose
- Candidates: every property in Shimoda and Minami-Izu listed on Rakuten Travel — 80
- Passed the review filter (counts and averages on Rakuten Travel, the one site that lists every property in the area): 47
- Met every condition below: 9
- Kept: five, each the best at something different
Where the facts come from
- Facts: Rakuten Travel property information (in some articles, each hotel’s own site too)
- Prices: Rakuten Travel live availability, Wednesdays and Saturdays over eight weeks
- Reviews: the count and average on Rakuten Travel, as given in each hotel’s Trust row. Agoda’s reviews are shown under each hotel name for reference only and do not count towards the score
Conditions (all of them, not most of them)
- In Rakuten Travel’s Shimoda and Minami-Izu district, with a hot spring
- At least 50 reviews on Rakuten Travel, averaging 4.0 or better
- The cheapest rate falls between ¥10,000 and ¥40,000 per person per night
- An open-air bath in the room, or a private (family) bath you can book for your own party
Scoring
Five criteria, one to five stars each, weighted to one hundred points. Every star says where the number came from.
- Quality25 pts
- The average of the scores Rakuten Travel publishes for the room, the bath and the food.
- Value for money20 pts
- The cheapest rate with dinner and breakfast against the median of the inns we compared.
- Easy to stay30 pts
- Station access or pick-up, the private and shared baths, meals in the room, language support, and check-out time.
- Trust20 pts
- Review counts and averages published by Rakuten Travel.
- Only here5 pts
- What this inn has that the other eight do not.
What we dropped
| Property | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Gensen Itto Minami-Izu | Runner-up (72/100) | 72/100, two points behind Marubun at much the same weeknight price. Its room, bath and dinner scores average 4.44, which earned two stars for quality against Marubun’s three (Marubun’s in-room open-air baths count in its favour), and that outweighed its better review average of 4.48. |
| Nonohanatei Komurasaki | Runner-up (65/100) | 65/100. Only 58 reviews averaging 4.18 — the thinnest and lowest record of the seven — gave it one star for trust, and Rakuten shows no bath score at all. The station location and in-room meals are real advantages, but too few guests have vouched for them yet. |
| Satoyama no Bettei Shimoda Central Hotel | Outside the theme | 4.72 across 1,088 reviews, its own Aitama hot-spring source and a free shuttle from Izukyu-Shimoda — but its listing shows no private bath and no open-air bath in the rooms, only shared baths. |
| Shimoda Onsen Shimoda Yamatokan | Outside the theme | 4.50 across 1,834 reviews, with a bookable private open-air bath — but its cheapest rate is under our ¥10,000 floor. |
| Pet to Tomareru Onsen Yado Baron | Left out | 4.79 across 99 reviews and two rooms with a free-flowing open-air bath, but its listing says it is not available to residents living abroad, and it takes no cards. |
| Refresh Spot Kazamirai | Left out | Met our conditions with a free-flowing private bath, but Rakuten shows few category scores for it, and the one for dinner is 3.13. |
Questions visitors ask
Which one would you book?
If you are bringing a dog, Moon Rivage 963 Stage: the top score at 90/100, a 4.89 average — the highest of the inns that qualified — and about ¥27,000 per person with two meals on a weeknight. Without a dog, Seiryuso at Rendaiji: 84/100, the best-rated baths of all 47 inns that cleared our floor, dinner rated 4.97, and five minutes on foot from the station. It is the dearest of the five, at about ¥35,000 per person on a weeknight.
Can I reach them without a car?
Yes, all five. Seiryuso is five minutes on foot from Rendaiji station, or will collect you from Izukyu-Shimoda if you book by the day before. Tokiichiyu runs a shuttle bus from Izukyu-Shimoda (about 20 minutes), and Marubun a free one if you book ahead. Hanasato has no pick-up: take the bus about 20 minutes to the Yumigahama-ohashi stop. Moon Rivage 963 Stage lists no pick-up either; it is about eight minutes by taxi from Shimoda station.
I’d rather not bathe with strangers, or I have a tattoo. What are my options?
Every inn here has a bath for your own party. Marubun has an open-air bath in every room and Moon Rivage 963 Stage a hot-spring bath in every room plus a private open-air bath (¥550 a session). Seiryuso, Hanasato and Tokiichiyu have a family bath — free for guests at Tokiichiyu. Seiryuso is the only one that publishes a tattoo rule: no large bath, pool or sauna, but the room bath and the private bath are fine. The others publish nothing, so ask when you book.
Will they speak English, and can I pay by card?
Marubun says a few staff can handle everyday matters in English, and Seiryuso that a few understand a little; the other three publish nothing, so write when you book. All five list Visa, Mastercard and JCB. At Moon Rivage 963 Stage, anything paid on the spot — the dog fee, for instance — is cash only.
Which is the cheapest?
Kochu no Ten Yado Marubun, at about ¥21,000 per person with two meals on a weeknight and from ¥23,000 on a Saturday — and every room has a sea view and its own open-air bath. Its 4.27 review average is the lowest of the five, though. Tokiichiyu is next on a weeknight, at about ¥24,000.
When were these prices checked?
We searched Rakuten Travel availability for Wednesdays and Saturdays between 31 October and 23 December 2026, taking the cheapest room with dinner and breakfast for two adults and showing it per person (checked 24 October 2026). A ¥150 bathing tax per adult comes on top at most of them. Prices move daily — the link on each inn shows today’s.
Changes
- 2026-10-29 First published. Scored from 80 candidates.