Overview

AKARI et KAORI brings you to Shuzenji Onsen, one of Izu’s oldest hot spring towns and one of Japan’s well-known hot spring areas. The ryokan was reborn in September 2023 from the former Neno-yu Taizanso, with a new name built around light and aroma. “Akari” means light, while “kaori” means fragrance, and that feeling appears throughout the building through soft lamps, sandalwood scent, fabric details, and quiet art-like spaces.

This is a small nine-room ryokan for you if you want a private hot spring stay with a strong sense of design. Every room is Japanese-Western style and includes a natural hot spring bath, so you can enjoy Shuzenji Onsen without leaving your room. The stay also gives you monthly-changing cuisine, private dining rooms, shared indoor and open-air baths, a lobby with fresh coffee, and easy access to Shuzenji Temple, the Bamboo Forest Path, Tokko-no-Yu, and the riverside streets of Shuzenji.

Accommodation

AKARI et KAORI has nine Japanese-Western rooms, each with its own natural hot spring bath. The rooms use traditional materials, soft lighting, original lamps, woodwork, and calm colors to create a warm space that feels both old and fresh.

The Special Beam Rooms, Neno and Yuta, sit on the second floor and feature high ceilings with strong exposed beams. These rooms work well when you want a more dramatic sense of height and wood detail.

The Creative Special Rooms, Izan and U, include traditional kumiko woodwork and a small garden-like hinoki bath filled with natural hot spring water. These rooms suit you well when you want craft details and a private bath with a stronger Japanese atmosphere.

The Two-Room Rooms, Eni, Yui, and Zu, combine a living room and bedroom. They have bright half-open indoor baths with large windows and are among the ryokan’s most popular room types. These rooms give you more separation between resting, sleeping, and bathing.

The Maisonette Rooms, Hito and Coco, have stairs inside the room, with the living and sleeping spaces placed on different levels. They give you a hideaway feeling and work well when you want a more private, playful layout.

Rooms include essentials such as an LCD TV, refrigerator, washlet toilet, safe, temperature-controlled electric kettle, negative-ion hair dryer, drinking water, yukata, hanten jacket, towels, tabi socks, toothbrush set, skincare items, and bath amenities.

Dining

Dining at AKARI et KAORI focuses on seasonal Izu ingredients and monthly-changing course meals. Shuzenji sits near the center of the Izu Peninsula, giving the kitchen access to seafood, wasabi, vegetables, and regional flavors from both the coast and mountains.

Dinner is served as an original monthly course. The menu changes with the season and ingredient supply, so each stay brings a different meal. Upgrade plans may add dishes such as Izu beef nigiri, simmered kinmedai, or another selected main dish. Additional dishes, sake, and wine can also be paired with the meal when available.

Breakfast brings together Shuzenji and Izu flavors in a gentle Japanese meal. You may enjoy Shuzenji yuba, dried local fish, crab-dashi miso soup, and wasabi rice. For the wasabi rice, you grate fresh wasabi yourself and place it over hot rice, giving you a sharp, clean Izu flavor in a simple bowl.

Meals are served in private dining rooms. Seating may be horigotatsu style, where you can stretch your legs, or table seating, so you can dine with privacy and comfort.

Onsen and Wellness

AKARI et KAORI uses Shuzenji Onsen, a historic hot spring said to have been opened by Kobo Daishi in the Heian period. The ryokan owns three private sources, while Shuzenji Onsen’s hot spring supply is managed centrally for the area.

Every room has a natural hot spring bath, giving you private access to the water throughout your stay. The shared bath area includes a hinoki and lava-stone indoor bath and an Izu-stone open-air bath. The indoor bath uses hinoki wood and lava stone from Mt. Fuji, while the open-air bath uses large Izu stones from the ryokan’s own garden area.

The spring quality is an alkaline simple hot spring. The source temperature is 61°C, and the water is associated with support for neuralgia, muscle pain, joint pain, frozen shoulder, motor paralysis, joint stiffness, bruises, sprains, chronic digestive concerns, hemorrhoids, cold sensitivity, recovery after illness, fatigue recovery, general health promotion, and skin comfort.

The showers use micro-nano-bubble shower heads, designed to help cleanse the skin and support moisture after bathing. After your bath, you can cool down with cold water and a traditional fan in the post-bath rest area.

Day-use hot spring bathing is available during midday hours when the ryokan accepts outside bathing. Overnight stays allow use of the shared large bath from check-in until 9:00 the next morning, with no men’s and women’s bath switching.

Guests with Tattoos

AKARI et KAORI has natural hot spring baths in every room, so you can enjoy Shuzenji Onsen privately with tattoos. Use your in-room bath when you want a private soak away from the shared public bath.

Facilities

AKARI et KAORI has nine rooms, shared indoor and open-air baths, private in-room hot spring baths, private dining rooms, a lobby, shop, massage chair corner, post-bath cooling area, free Wi-Fi, and parking.

The building feels like a small light gallery. Lamps, pendant lights, wall lights, fabric, antiques, flowers, and soft scent shape the atmosphere from the entrance onward. The lobby serves freshly ground coffee, and women can borrow color yukata during the stay.

The shop carries Izu and Shuzenji sweets, sake, and tableware connected to the ryokan. The private dining rooms give you a more personal setting for dinner and breakfast, while the massage chair corner adds an easy place to relax after bathing.

Activities

AKARI et KAORI places you close to Shuzenji’s main walking sights. Shuzenji Temple is within easy walking distance and is tied to the history of the town. The Bamboo Forest Path follows the Katsura River and gives you a pleasant stroll with stone paving, bamboo, riverside sounds, small cafés, and photo spots.

You can also visit the Love Bridge route along the five bridges over the Katsura River, Shigetsuden Hall, Tokko-no-Yu, Hako-yu public bath, Hie Shrine, and the old streets around the temple area. These spots make it easy to enjoy Shuzenji without needing a car once you arrive.

For a longer outing, visit Shuzenji Niji-no-Sato for gardens and seasonal scenery, the Old Amagi Tunnel for history and forest walks, Joren Falls for one of Izu’s best-known waterfalls, Baird Brewery Garden Shuzenji for local beer, or Cycle Sports Center for a more active day.

Additional Features

AKARI et KAORI is best for you if you want a small Shuzenji ryokan with only nine rooms, natural hot spring baths in every room, shared indoor and open-air baths, monthly-changing cuisine, private dining rooms, warm light design, sandalwood scent, free Wi-Fi, parking, and easy walking access to Shuzenji’s temple, river, bridges, and bamboo path.

Check-in starts at 15:00, and check-out is at 10:00. You also have lobby coffee, women’s color yukata rental, massage chairs, a shop with local items, day-use hot spring access when available, and bus access from Shuzenji Station to the Miyuki-bashi stop, followed by a short walk.