Overview

Arrive by boat and step into a world surrounded by the blue waters of Katsuura Bay. Kumano Bettei Nakanoshima is the only accommodation on its island, giving you a rare sense of privacy from the moment you leave the mainland.

The short boat journey leads you to ocean-view rooms, seasonal Kumano cuisine, and hot spring baths set close to the water. You can listen to waves breaking against the rocks as you soak, walk along a path across the island, or look over the Pacific from the hilltop viewpoint.

Six natural spring sources rise within the island, producing around 700 tons of hot spring water each day. This generous supply feeds the source-flowing open-air baths, private baths, and foot bath. With the sea on every side and the sacred landscapes of Kumano nearby, your stay feels completely removed from everyday life.

Accommodation

You can choose between Nagi no Sho and Chomontei. Every room looks towards the ocean, but each building offers a different style of stay.

Nagi no Sho combines wood, natural textures, twin beds, and Japanese design inspired by the mountains and sea of Kumano. Every room has a private open-air bath and either a shower booth or an indoor bathroom. The private baths in Nagi no Sho use heated water rather than natural hot spring water.

The 40-square-metre Nagi no Sho Superior provides twin beds, Japanese living space, and an outdoor bath. A barrier-free version includes a more accessible layout, an extra bed, and a unit bathroom.

The 50-square-metre Superior Corner gives you more room and wider ocean views. On the third floor, the 60-square-metre Luxury room creates a more generous living space, while the 75-square-metre Luxury Deluxe Corner offers the largest layout in Nagi no Sho.

Chomontei gives you a more traditional ryokan experience. The ten and twelve-tatami rooms have futon bedding, low furniture, and windows overlooking the sea.

The Japanese Twin places two raised beds within a ten-tatami room, allowing you to enjoy tatami flooring without sleeping on a futon. The Japanese Corner Room combines twelve and four-tatami areas, while the Japanese-Western Corner Room has two tatami spaces and a separate twin bedroom.

The Chomontei VIP Room is the most spacious option in this building. It combines a 15-tatami room, a smaller adjoining tatami area, and a separate twin bedroom. Unlike the private baths in Nagi no Sho, its open-air bath contains natural hot spring water. An indoor bathroom is also included.

All rooms are non-smoking and include free Wi-Fi, a refrigerator, safe, television, air purifier with a humidifying function, yukata, towels, toiletries, and a washlet toilet.

Dining

Dinner is served at Dining Kumano no Megumi, where large windows frame the sea as you enjoy seasonal food from the Kumano region and the waters around Nanki-Katsuura.

Kumano Kenran Kappo Hakuryu focuses on carefully selected seafood, meat, and produce. Depending on the season, the course may feature fresh Kishu tuna, Kumano beef, Matsusaka beef, Iga beef, local fish, citrus fruit, regional vegetables, and traditional dishes from Wakayama.

Hakuryu Kiwami presents a more elaborate interpretation of Kumano cuisine. Seasonal menus may bring together ingredients such as spiny lobster, hamo from the Kitan Strait, Kumano beef, abalone, or seafood prepared as sashimi, grilled dishes, hot pots, and rice courses.

Shunsai Yuuzen Kumano no Hohoemi offers a lighter approach centred on health, beauty, local traditions, and seasonal produce. A Japanese meal is served alongside a half buffet prepared with ingredients grown or produced in Kumano.

Breakfast combines a regional Japanese set meal with a half buffet. You can begin your morning with dishes made from ingredients connected with the Kii Peninsula while looking out towards the water.

Allergy requests can be considered when shared in advance, although complete removal may not be possible when ingredients are handled in the same kitchen.

Onsen and Wellness

Six natural hot spring sources rise within the island. The water is classified as a sulfur-containing sodium chloride spring and has a mildly alkaline character. Sulfur and mild alkalinity help cleanse the skin, while the salt content forms a light coating that helps your body retain warmth and moisture after bathing.

Kishu Chomon-no-Yu is the signature source-flowing open-air bath. The bath sits beside the sea, allowing you to soak while listening to waves and looking across Katsuura Bay. At high tide, the water can feel remarkably close to the edge of the bath.

The large indoor bathing areas provide wide tubs and ocean views. The indoor baths use a combined circulation and overflow system, while the open-air baths receive free-flowing spring water. The men’s and women’s areas alternate, giving you the opportunity to experience both settings during your stay.

A colourful bathing garment developed with Wacoal is available for use in the open-air bathing area. Its water-resistant fabric and whale design provide extra coverage while you soak.

For privacy, reserve Misaki-no-Yu or Nagisa-no-Yu. Both private bathing rooms include an indoor bath and an open-air bath overlooking the sea. They use free-flowing natural spring water and are reserved in 50-minute sessions.

The source-flowing Sorami-no-Yu foot bath sits along the island’s hilltop walking trail. After walking through the trees, you can warm your feet while looking over the Pacific.

The shared indoor and open-air baths are available during the afternoon and evening, then reopen early the following morning.

Guests with Tattoos

If you have tattoos, use Misaki-no-Yu or Nagisa-no-Yu rather than the shared indoor and open-air baths. Both private bathing rooms contain free-flowing natural hot spring water and include indoor and outdoor tubs. Advance reservation is required.

You can also choose the Chomontei VIP Room when you want natural hot spring bathing inside your accommodation. Nagi no Sho also gives you a private outdoor bath in every room, although these baths do not use hot spring water.

Facilities

Lounge Iwakura provides a comfortable place to slow down between meals and baths. In the evening, soft background music creates a quiet atmosphere, while morning refreshments help you begin the day gently.

Dining Kumano no Megumi overlooks the sea and serves both dinner and breakfast. A traditional banquet room can also be arranged in advance for a private celebration or organised gathering.

The shop carries food, crafts, small gifts, and regional products connected with Nanki and Kumano. You can browse for local keepsakes without returning to the mainland.

The island grounds include a hilltop walking trail, an ocean viewpoint, Sorami-no-Yu foot bath, and a designated fishing area near the boat landing. Fishing equipment can be borrowed from reception.

Free Wi-Fi is available in the rooms, lobby, and shared spaces. Luggage storage, children’s yukata, free parking near the mainland boat terminal, and a reserved afternoon transfer from Kii-Katsuura Station are also available.

Activities

Follow the 450-metre hilltop trail along the ridge of the island. The foot bath is around 340 metres from the beginning of the path, and the viewpoint opens towards Taiji Moriura Bay, Ki-no-Matsushima, and the Kumano Sea. Seasonal flowers and trees line the route, while the water remains visible on both sides of the ridge.

You can also borrow fishing equipment and try fishing near the boat landing. The surrounding waters are closely connected with Katsuura’s fishing culture, particularly its long history as one of Japan’s leading tuna ports.

On the mainland, visit Katsuura Fish Market to watch locally caught tuna arrive and view the activity from the observation floor. You can also explore Daimonzaka, the stone-paved section of the Kumano Kodo that leads towards Kumano Nachi Taisha, Seiganto-ji Temple, and Nachi Falls.

Kumano Hayatama Taisha and other sacred sites of the Kumano Sanzan can be included in a wider journey through the region. Local sightseeing tours provide another way to discover the pilgrimage routes, shrines, forests, waterfalls, and coastal scenery of Kumano.

Additional Features

The island is reached by a dedicated boat from Katsuura Port, with the crossing taking around five minutes. Kii-Katsuura Station is within walking distance of the mainland waiting room, and an afternoon station transfer can be reserved in advance when you are travelling directly to the ryokan.

Every room is non-smoking and faces the ocean. Free Wi-Fi, luggage storage, children’s yukata, fishing-equipment loans, and parking near the boat terminal are available during your stay.