Overview

For more than 150 years, Kirishima Hotel has stood beside the Sulfur Valley of Kagoshima, offering healing waters and heartfelt hospitality. Surrounded by mountains and forests, this historic ryokan lets you experience the power of nature through its famed hot springs, local cuisine, and traditional Japanese comfort. The hotel continues to welcome travelers seeking relaxation in one of Kyushu’s most scenic and legendary hot spring regions.

Accommodation

Kirishima Hotel offers a range of Japanese-style, Western-style, and hybrid rooms across three main wings: Takachiho Hall, East Hall, and West Hall. Whether you prefer tatami mat comfort or twin beds, you’ll find a quiet space to unwind.

Rooms accommodate one to five people and come equipped with yukata, bath towels, slippers, tea sets, and toiletries. Each room also includes a TV, refrigerator, private toilet with bidet, safe, and Wi-Fi. Non-smoking rooms are available throughout the hotel.

No matter which room you choose, you’ll rest deeply, surrounded by fresh mountain air and the soothing calm of the forest.

Dining

Kagoshima is famous for rich ingredients from both land and sea, and Kirishima Hotel serves them with care and creativity. Seasonal menus feature local specialties such as black pork and chicken hot pot, Japanese black beef steak, sake sushi, and kibinago (slender sprat), often prepared with vinegar miso for a refreshing bite.

Dinner celebrates regional flavor and culinary tradition, while breakfast features around 50 different Japanese and Western dishes, from fruits and fresh eggs to hearty rice, miso soup, and grilled fish. Everything is prepared using ingredients sourced from nearby mountains, farms, and coastal waters.

Onsen and Wellness

The Sulfur Valley Garden Bath is one of Kyushu’s largest and most historic hot spring spaces, stretching 25 meters across with baths reaching 1.4 meters deep—deep enough to soak while standing. This enormous bathing area offers four types of spring qualities:

• Sulfur Spring: Known for its smoothening effects on the skin
• Alum Spring: Traditionally used for tightening pores
• Salt Spring: Warms the body deeply
• Iron Spring: Believed to support circulation and strength

You can explore a variety of bath types in men-only, women-only, and unisex areas:

• Standing Bath (Tachiyu)
• Cascading Bath (Utaseyu)
• Red Pine Bath (Akamatsu-buro)
• Cypress Bath (Hinoki-buro)
• Golden Bath (Kogane-buro)
• Longevity Bath (Choju-buro)
• Alum Bath (Myoban-buro)

From 8:00 to 9:30 p.m., the unisex zone becomes women-only for added privacy. You can wear towels in the unisex baths. Each area includes saunas, rest spaces, and family-friendly features such as baby beds and private toilets.

Important: The hotel does not allow those with tattoos to use the large public baths.

Guests with Tattoos

If you have tattoos, you will not be permitted in the hotel’s public baths. Consider checking with the hotel about private options if you would like to enjoy the hot springs in a more discreet setting.

Facilities

The hotel offers much more than hot springs:

• Lobby and Front Desk: Welcome space with warm décor and helpful staff
• Restaurant “Sugi Palace”: Main dining area serving regional meals
• Banquet Rooms: Ideal for group events, celebrations, and conferences
• Pub and Karaoke: A casual space for evening fun with family and friends
• History Exhibit: Learn about the hotel’s legacy and Ryoma Sakamoto’s historic visit
• Rindotei: A quiet spot to unwind after a soak
• Massage services are also available by request

Sightseeing

Located in the heart of the Kirishima Plateau, the hotel is surrounded by natural and cultural sites:

• Hundred Years Cedar Garden: A forest planted generations ago by the founder of the Sulfur Valley Onsen. You can stroll through tall cedar trees in the morning or admire the illuminated grove at night.
• Kirishima Shrine: One of Japan’s most sacred mountain shrines, about 20 minutes away by car
• Takachiho Farm: A fun and educational destination for families, also 20 minutes away
• Takachihogawara: Scenic hiking and sacred ground about 30 minutes from the hotel
• Maruo Falls: A dramatic waterfall just 10 minutes away by car

Access

Getting to Kirishima Hotel is easy:

• From Kagoshima Airport, take a bus for about 40 minutes to Iodani Bus Stop. From there, call the hotel using the free phone at the stop to request a shuttle. The hotel is about a 1-minute drive away.
• Free parking is available for up to 100 vehicles. Wi-Fi is accessible throughout the property, and major credit cards are accepted.

Additional Features

• Large unisex and gender-separated hot springs with multiple mineral baths
• Seasonal cuisine highlighting local Kagoshima flavors
• Historic bathing areas used by Ryoma Sakamoto
• Wi-Fi in all guest rooms and public areas
• On-site karaoke, banquets, and massage services
• Easy access to Kirishima Shrine and other regional attractions