Nakanoshima — Hotel in Nachikatsuura

We wanted high-end accommodations near Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine and Nachi Falls, and through our research, we figured that Kumano Bettei Nakanoshima is really the only choice in the area.||||We stayed in a Luxury Deluxe Ocean View Room, which is the second from the top room category (there's only one room in the top category, by the way, and it wasn't available when we tried to book it), and located on the Nagi No Sho wing. It was modern, reasonably stylish and had a good view of the ocean and the peninsula across the way. The view is partially marred by two large green oil reserve containers located on the peninsula directly across the strait, which is unfortunate but not anything that the property can do about. We prefer suites that offer separated bedrooms and living rooms, which this didn't have, and the lack of a large closet forced us to place our rollerboard luggage on the floor in the living room. Aside from that, the main drawback is the fact that the bath is not Onsen (natural hot springs.) In fact, there is only one room (out of 44) that has in-room Onsen, and that's the top room named "Kihinshitsu" in the Chomontei Bldg.||||We have avoided communal baths during the peak of the pandemic (Japan was in its 7th wave at the time we stayed there), but thankfully the property does have a private open-air Onsen bath that guests can rent by the hour - we used it in the afternoon as well as the following morning just prior to check-out. It's a really nice open-air Onsen, and has good views from the bath.||||The only other drawback is the lack of an in-room dining option - all meals are served in the main restaurant. The ryokan has a handful of "koshitsu" private dining rooms, which we reserved for both of our meals, but unfortunately, it's not fully enclosed.... the noise from the main dining area pierced through the ceiling-less "private room" in a big way, especially during dinner, when some drunk guests were yelling at a very high decibel. Food wise, it was really good. Given its location, Kumano Bettei Nakanoshima has its pick of the litter, including "Nama Maguro," which is local tuna that never gets frozen prior to being served. It's often made in a cutlet style in the area, and that's what we got for dinner. They also served Grilled Abalone (on the shell) with butter, another delicacy, as well as a variety of other seafood caught fresh from the nearby Katsuura port. While not the most creative of meals, it didn't need to be, and we thoroughly enjoyed the food on offer at the property.||||Service is a strong point. Everyone was courteous and warm, and genuinely seemed to care about our experience at the property. The personal touch is not easy to pull off at a property with a (relatively) high room count - we were impressed. That said, I don't think they were even at half occupancy, so that may have had something to do with the high service level. Regardless, everyone from the manager to the front desk staff to the wait staff were personable, and were really eager to explain details about the area, its history and the ingredients in each dinner course. They also allowed us to check out late, which is something that cannot be taken for granted in Japanese ryokans.||||Being a convenient 5 minute boat ride away from the mainland but feeling a world away makes Kumano Bettei Nakanoshima a good choice for travelers seeking high(-er) end comfort, good food and a solid Onsen (though not in room) experience near Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine.||||P.S. - for really nice views, take a short, easy hike to the hilltop of Nakanoshima Island. You take an elevator to the top floor, take one flight of stairs to the roof, then follow the signs to a pretty trail that takes you through a dense forest until you're treated to a panoramic view of the surrounding land and sea. There's even a nicely maintained foot bath along...

We wanted high-end accommodations near Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine and Nachi Falls, and through our research, we figured that Kumano Bettei Nakanoshima is really the only choice in the area.||||We stayed in a Luxury Deluxe Ocean View Room, which is the second from the top room category (there's only one room in the top category, by the way, and it wasn't available when we tried to book it), and located on the Nagi No Sho wing. It was modern, reasonably stylish and had a good view of the ocean and the peninsula across the way. The view is partially marred by two large green oil reserve containers located on the peninsula directly across the strait, which is unfortunate but not anything that the property can do about. We prefer suites that offer separated bedrooms and living rooms, which this didn't have, and the lack of a large closet forced us to place our rollerboard luggage on the floor in the living room. Aside from that, the main drawback is the fact that the bath is not Onsen (natural hot springs.) In fact, there is only one room (out of 44) that has in-room Onsen, and that's the top room named "Kihinshitsu" in the Chomontei Bldg.||||We have avoided communal baths during the peak of the pandemic (Japan was in its 7th wave at the time we stayed there), but thankfully the property does have a private open-air Onsen bath that guests can rent by the hour - we used it in the afternoon as well as the following morning just prior to check-out. It's a really nice open-air Onsen, and has good views from the bath.||||The only other drawback is the lack of an in-room dining option - all meals are served in the main restaurant. The ryokan has a handful of "koshitsu" private dining rooms, which we reserved for both of our meals, but unfortunately, it's not fully enclosed.... the noise from the main dining area pierced through the ceiling-less "private room" in a big way, especially during dinner, when some drunk guests were yelling at a very high decibel. Food wise, it was really good. Given its location, Kumano Bettei Nakanoshima has its pick of the litter, including "Nama Maguro," which is local tuna that never gets frozen prior to being served. It's often made in a cutlet style in the area, and that's what we got for dinner. They also served Grilled Abalone (on the shell) with butter, another delicacy, as well as a variety of other seafood caught fresh from the nearby Katsuura port. While not the most creative of meals, it didn't need to be, and we thoroughly enjoyed the food on offer at the property.||||Service is a strong point. Everyone was courteous and warm, and genuinely seemed to care about our experience at the property. The personal touch is not easy to pull off at a property with a (relatively) high room count - we were impressed. That said, I don't think they were even at half occupancy, so that may have had something to do with the high service level. Regardless, everyone from the manager to the front desk staff to the wait staff were personable, and were really eager to explain details about the area, its history and the ingredients in each dinner course. They also allowed us to check out late, which is something that cannot be taken for granted in Japanese ryokans.||||Being a convenient 5 minute boat ride away from the mainland but feeling a world away makes Kumano Bettei Nakanoshima a good choice for travelers seeking high(-er) end comfort, good food and a solid Onsen (though not in room) experience near Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine.||||P.S. - for really nice views, take a short, easy hike to the hilltop of Nakanoshima Island. You take an elevator to the top floor, take one flight of stairs to the roof, then follow the signs to a pretty trail that takes you through a dense forest until you're treated to a panoramic view of the surrounding land and sea. There's even a nicely maintained foot bath along...

My husband and I spent two nights at Nakanoshima and were exceedingly pleased with the experience. It's about a 4 hour ride on a limited express train from Nagoya to Kii-Katsuura, but it's a scenic and pleasant trip. The day we arrived, the first boat to the island wasn't scheduled until 1:30 pm, so a driver met us at the station to collect our luggage (pre-arranged in advance), and since it was raining quite heavily, he then drove us to a nearby pier with a food court and pointed out where to find the boat. We enjoyed terrific sushi at a small counter and then hopped the boat to the island where the ryokan is located. The rain had stopped by then and the brief boat ride was a serene experience. The public spaces are beautiful and they leave out complimentary treats for guests to enjoy, like ice cream pops. We booked a standard room with a sea view and were astounded by the gorgeous view of the bay. The room was spacious and comfortable with plenty of storage, a sitting area with a view and a large bathroom with a separate toilet stall and a shower room with a small tub (not an onsen). Everyone we met was very attentive, kind and helpful. The food at breakfast and dinner was delicious and beautifully presented. We booked a private onsen twice for a reasonable fee. It includes both indoor and outdoor onsens with sea views and a well-equipped changing area. The first evening we went after dinner and watched a spectacular lightning display from the outdoor tub. We booked the boat and a taxi the following morning to visit Nachi Falls and the forest and temples along the Daimonzaka walking trail (a small section of the Kumano Kodo trail). Nakanoshima is a terrific base from which to explore this very scenic area of Japan and a lovely destination on its own if you want to relax and enjoy the hot springs...