Iwakuni Kokusai Kanko Hotel — Hotel in Iwakuni

Very nice staff and they either spoke fluent English or quickly used a translator so they could effectively assist you. My room, 614, on the 6th floor was perfectly sufficient for my needs. There was some residual cigarette smell but it was subtle enough that it didn’t bother my non-smoker nose/lungs. The beds are strangely hard. Not really any give in them. But somehow it didn’t really bother me. The pillows are very thick/tall. Bedding is the traditional fitted sheet on a comforter. Rooms come with yukata and room slippers for guests to use around the hotel. The staff makes sure you have a size that fits you. There is working AC in the room. The room had a balcony with a wonderful view of the Kintai bridge. The communal bath on the 7th floor was very nice. For foreigners there were signs in the changing room picturing how to use the bath and tips to fully enjoy it without over heating. It had the usual little Japanese shower stations with stools, buckets, shower head, faucet, mirror, and soaps. There was also a wood type sauna which was very nice. There is a large indoor bath with 2 bath tiled pool style reclined chairs in the water which were very nice. There also is a small deep tub next to the large bath. There are also 2 open air baths right outside the showers and indoor baths. I didn’t see much of a view of the town but there are nice plants and greenery next to the baths and it is very peaceful listening to the sounds of nature and seeing the night sky. I went around 9pm and it wasn’t crowded at all. I was somewhat concerned about mosquitos since the hotel staff told me Iwakuni does have many mosquitos, but I didn’t see or encounter any while at the outdoor bath. If you need bug spray, you can use some at the front desk for free. I highly recommend shipping your luggage between destinations, which has been a life saver for me. Many hotels, including this one, will ship it for you directly from the hotel, but if your hotel doesn’t, just take your luggage to almost any convenience store like 7-Eleven and they will ship it. At this hotel, just take your luggage down to the front desk and they take you to the souvenir shop where you fill out the shipping info and pay (they only take cash for this). The bath closes at midnight. Complementary breakfast ends at 9am. There are 2 Japanese restaurants on the 2nd floor and one Szechuan restaurant on...

I visited the Iwakuni Kokusai Oanko hotel for the public bath only. It was my first time experiencing this and I enjoyed it immensely. The cost was $1700 yen ($11 USD) and I read in some other reviews that this price is a little high. I have nothing to compare it to so I don’t know. ||From the hotel main entrance, go to the elevators and right up to the 7th floor. Walk down the hallway by following the signs to the public bath. Take your shoes off once you arrive and lock in the shoe locker (no charge). Buy your ticket from the vending machine. The woman in the booth will hand you a small and larger towel. ||Enter the appropriate side for men or women and find a locker to strip down to your birthday suit (naked) as they say. Leave your large towel and clothes in the locker. Enter the washing area and clean yourself and dry with the smaller towel. You carry this around and can hide your private parts for modesty if you feel the need. Do NOT ever put this small towel in the water. You can carry on your head or place on the outside edge of the tub but never in the water. Do not put your face and head in the water. These actions are considered unsanitary.||There was one indoor tub and dry sauna and 2 outdoor tubs. Apparently they switch sides between men and women because the view is different. I preferred the outdoor tubs for the view, fresh air and too cool down. I sat on the edge with just my feet in once I got too hot. I spent about 90 minutes total and think that is more than enough time. They have soap, shampoo and maybe conditioner at each bathing stall. I don’t know what amenities were provided in the changing area as I didn’t need anything other than the single...

We checked in at this hotel at 5pm on September 16th which was a Saturday and the start of a three day holiday weekend. A typhoon was rapidly approaching from the south west and was forecast to strike the mainland the following day. The onsen hotel we had booked elsewhere in Yamaguchi Prefecture for Sunday evening had been closed for the typhoon. We were advised at check in to pay a quick visit to the famous Kintaikyou wooden five arch bridge literally in front of the hotel as it would be closed on Sunday due to the typhoon. The hotel staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful even for Japanese standards throughout our stay. There usually is one major hotel in a rural city where parties for weddings, large groups or politicians take place and this is such a hotel. We enjoyed the large public baths (mens and ladies baths are separated and will switch places every day) on the 7th floor, as well as the evening course menus. We asked if we could extend our stay as our booking for Sunday elsewhere had been canceled. "We'll certainly do our best. You may not be able to keep the same room but we will definitely book you into another room. Please understand that many people are cancelling or requesting an extension as you are and we need to sort it out." We received a call from the front the following morning that we could stay in the same room. The location of the hotel is ideal to explore Kintaikyou Bridge, Iwakuni Castle and the museums on the castle side as well as the old township on the side of the hotel. I have left a more extensive note of my trip to Iwakuni on my homepage "Rediscovering Japan" (East Yamaguchi) if you...