Family-Friendly Hotels in Chugoku: Seto Inland Sea & San'in Onsen

When you plan a family trip to the Chugoku region, it's hard to know which prefecture to use as your base. The region covers Hiroshima, Okayama, Tottori, Shimane, and Yamaguchi, and the feel of a trip changes completely depending on where you go, from the calm shores of the Seto Inland Sea to the hot spring towns of the Sea of Japan coast and the highlands around Mt. Daisen. We list 127 hotels here, ranging from hot spring inns (ryokan) and resort hotels to cottages.

Hiroshima and Okayama, on the Seto Inland Sea side, are easy to explore from cities with Shinkansen (bullet train) stations. Miyajima, Onomichi, and Kurashiki let you combine strolling through town with sea views, which makes planning easier even with a baby when you want to keep travel light. Yamaguchi has many places with memorable ocean scenery, such as Tsunoshima and Shimonoseki, along with hot spring towns like Yuda Onsen and Nagatoyumoto Onsen.

Tottori and Shimane, on the Sea of Japan side, suit families who want to relax in hot springs. Kaike Onsen, Misasa Onsen, Tamatsukuri Onsen, and Matsue on the shore of Lake Shinji all offer fine baths, and around Mt. Daisen there are cottage-style stays where kids can run around in the highlands. Sights like Izumo Taisha Shrine and the Tottori Sand Dunes are wide open spaces, which makes them a good fit for toddlers who have just started walking.

Start your search with rooms and meals. 83 hotels have Japanese-style or Japanese-Western rooms, and tatami floors give a baby who rolls around a lot some peace of mind. For meals, 68 hotels offer allergy accommodations, 63 serve toddler menus, and 45 have private or semi-private dining rooms, so you have plenty of ways to eat without worrying about the people around you.

If you want to enjoy hot springs as a family, 37 hotels have family baths or private-use baths, and 45 have in-room baths or rooms with an open-air bath. Even young children who aren't ready for a large public bath can soak without any hesitation, so choose based on your child's age and your travel style.