Hotel Sakuraya — Hotel in Hatsukaichi

April 2018: came back and would absolutely come back again. Sakuraya now accepts credit card, which brought a new and not so interesting problem. Payment is required at check-in and guests are offered payment terms in local currency (¥) or currency of guests’ credit card. In most cases, local currency will be cheaper.

I highly recommend adding a currency exchange app to your phone so you can see the difference in charges. I’m putting that info here, in this review, though we encountered it at multiple places, because the difference in cost was so much more than it would’ve been at a restaurant. We initially made the mistake of selecting to pay in our own currency. After we squared away our stuff in our room we asked the front desk to void our original charge and re-run the card, which they did readily.

All together, another fabulous visit. And look forward to returning.

May 2017: Will absolutely return.

It's worth spending a little more for one of two view rooms available on each floor.

Rooms are Japanese style with tatami floors and futon beds, which were surprisingly comfortable.

There was space for chabudai, short legged table, to comfortably seat at least two people. The Japanese styles closets provided ample room to store luggage.

A small viewing area with a couple of chairs and a small coffee table in between was ample for a relaxing evening and for taking in the view of the channel or of the many deers chilling after a day of entertaining tourists.

The ensuite is small, but adequate. The hotel also offers separate public baths, available daily from 3-11pm. If you have jet lag, aching bones or muscles or insomnia, I highly recommend a soak in the bath. You will have the best night of sleep afterwards. Make sure to bathe well before soaking in the bath.

The staff at Sakuraya are warm, friendly and gracious. The location is a short walk from the ferry terminal and the beautiful floating Torii gate of the Itsukushima Shrine.

Just like the rest of Miyajima, the hotel is very very peaceful at night. Most locals do not mingle with tourists after hours (which is amazing early). If they mingle with each other, it is all indoors. Only people out for evening stroll are tourists.

If you book one of their view rooms, I hope you give yourself a chance to unplug and be off the...

This little hotel is the perfect place for a short stay in Miyajima . I left Kyoto in the morning for Hiroshima and after spending 3 hours exploring the Hiroshima Peace Park memorials, the Museum and the Loop Bus . After seeing all the main sights in a few hours all I took a local train 30 minutes to the island of Miyajima. This place definitely deserves an overnight stay and a much nicer place to stay than in the city of Hiroshima. I arrived early afternoon via a 10 minute ferry ride from the main land, walked 100m to the hotel and dopped off my luggage. I then headed directly for the free shuttle bus to the Mt Misen ropeway , buying my return tickets at the last shop on the left before taking the bus. At the ropeway entrance I then passed everyone in line and got straight onto the ropeway . Its 2 separate rides to the top of the mountain and then the best view is to the left as you exit the ropeway . After 15 minutes at the top I took the ropeway down the mountain. I then had time to visit both the Buddhist temple and the Shinto Shrine and by this time most of the day trippers had left the island so I could enjoy the Tori Gate without the crowds. At night its also illuminated ans early in the morning its also very mystical. Behind the small village is also a Cherry Blossom fairyland of pale pink flowers complete with deer quietly eating the blossoms that have fallen to the ground - this is also illuminated at night time. I was the only person enjoying the peacefulness of this magical secret garden early in the morning. The hotel itself is simple but has everything you need. Its safe, quiet, clean, comfortable, well located, affordable and has an onsen in the basement. My large room room had a view of the water, a small bathroom but there was also a larger shower room on my floor that was optional to use. I had a kettle, TV, PJs, toothbrush , hairdryer, and a very comfortable bed on tatami mats. The staff will happily recommend places to eat for dinner and serve a basic breakfast for 500 JPY or there are bakeries that open later. The Shinto Shrine opens at 6.30am so if you missed it the day before you can visit it the next morning before all the crowds arrive at around 9.30am. I highly recommend this hotel if you are considering a stay...

I highly recommend staying at this traditional ryokan hotel on Miyajima Island for an excellent and affordable experience. The accommodation offers a perfect balance between comfort and budget-friendliness.

During our stay, we were fortunate to be assigned a room on the fourth level, which had the added benefit of being conveniently close to the public shower room. While the bathroom in our room was a bit small, the public bathroom on the fourth level was modern, well-maintained, and furnished with all the necessary amenities.

The room itself was spacious and designed to accommodate three people, even though there were only two of us. This extra space allowed for a comfortable and relaxed stay, ensuring we had ample room to unwind and store our belongings.

One of the highlights of this hotel is its proximity to the ferry terminal, making it incredibly convenient for travelers arriving or departing from Miyajima Island. The short distance means you can easily access transportation and explore the island...