Naruto Uzushio
Family-Friendly Hotels near the Naruto Whirlpools: Island Resort Stays
An area where hotels are scattered across the strait, on both the Awaji Island and Naruto sides
When you start looking for a family-friendly place to stay near the Naruto Whirlpools, the first question is usually where to base yourself. The whirlpools can be enjoyed from both sides of the strait, from Naruto on the Tokushima side and from Awaji Island on the Hyogo side, so your hotel options stretch across two prefectures. That is exactly why this is an area where the side you choose to sleep on changes the shape of the whole trip.
More than anything, this stretch of coast is known for the whirlpools created by the rising and falling tides. How impressive they look changes by the hour, so many families plan their day around the sightseeing boats or the walkway on the bridge, and a hotel with flexible timing becomes a real ally. On the Awaji Island side, some hotels offer late checkout, and picking one such as Fairfield by Marriott Hyogo Awajishima Fukura means you are not rushing through the morning routine. Awajishima Kaijo Hotel and Hotel Area One Naruto also offer late checkout.
Looking at what the hotels themselves provide, the strongest suit in this area is Japanese-style and Japanese-Western rooms, with 6 properties offering them. Tatami rooms let you relax without worrying about a rolling or crawling baby falling out of bed, which is why families with infants tend to choose them. Resorts such as AoAwo Naruto Resort and Grand Mercure Awaji Island Resort & Spa pair those Japanese-style rooms with bed guards and even baby consumables. On the dining side, Kyukamura Minami-Awaji allows you to bring baby food and will warm it for you, and offers toddler menus, allergy accommodations, and private or semi-private dining rooms, which suits families who want to eat without worrying about the people around them.
When it comes to play, 4 properties have concept rooms with slides or bunk beds, and 4 offer kids' programs and hands-on activities. Some hotels, such as Hotel O. Naruto and GLAMPREMIER Naruto, have outdoor play areas and adventure playgrounds with the sea and beach within walking distance, so the room itself becomes part of the playground. The fact that glamping and whole-house rentals are also on the table is welcome news for families who would rather not worry about the neighbors.
Within reach you have both the Naruto and Awaji Island areas, and if you build the trip around the whirlpools, both fit comfortably into a single itinerary. We list 8 properties in total. Whether you want to sit back and watch the sea or pack the days with whirlpools and activities, the choice narrows down naturally once you decide which kind of trip you are after.
Highlights
- checkWhirlpools you can enjoy from both sides of the strait
- checkMostly Japanese-style rooms, reassuring with a baby
- checkGlamping and whole-house rentals also available
Family-friendly features in the Naruto Whirlpools
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Recommended hotels (8)
Grand Mercure Awaji Island Resort & Spa
Kyukamura Minami-Awaji
AoAwo Naruto Resort
GLAMPREMIER Naruto
Hotel AreaOne Naruto
Awajishima Kaijo Hotel
Hotel O. Naruto
Fairfield by Marriott Hyogo Awajishima Fukura
See all hotels in the Naruto Whirlpools (8)expand_more
Nearby attractions
Naruto Whirlpools
Onaruto Bridge
Awaji Island
Naruto Park
Setonaikai National Park
Fukura Port
Travel tips
Because the whirlpools look different depending on the tide, families here tend to plan their day around the viewing times. Since the schedule is hard to pin down, choosing a hotel with late checkout gives you breathing room in the morning. For meals, a hotel like Kyukamura Minami-Awaji that will warm baby food and has private or semi-private dining rooms makes it easy to step away from the table when your child's mood turns, and saves you the trouble of hunting for a restaurant outside.
Best season
The whirlpools can be seen year-round, though they are said to be more dramatic when the tides run large, and spring and fall are the seasons that are generally most comfortable to be outdoors. In summer, many hotels have the sea and beach within walking distance, which makes water play easy to work in, but the sun is strong, so planning around indoor breaks helps you keep to your child's pace. Please treat any notes on climate and best timing as rough guidance only.
Getting there
The Awaji Island and Naruto sides are linked by the Onaruto Bridge, so with a car you can move between the Hyogo and Tokushima sides while comparing hotels. Highway buses serve the area as well, but once you factor in timing your day around the tides and reaching seaside hotels, a car gives you far more flexibility. With small children, choosing a base that keeps each leg of the journey short will lighten the load.
Frequently Asked Questions
From what age can children enjoy the Naruto Whirlpools?
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Watching the whirlpools is purely sightseeing, so there is no real minimum age, but the boats do rock, and plenty of families with small children view them instead from the walkway on the bridge. On the accommodation side, 6 properties have Japanese-style or Japanese-Western rooms, so it is easy to work a nap back at the room into your sightseeing day.
Are there hotels you would recommend for families with a baby?
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AoAwo Naruto Resort has cribs, bed guards, baby baths, gentle baby soap and shampoo, and even stroller rentals. Grand Mercure Awaji Island Resort & Spa also provides a kettle for preparing formula, bottle sterilization, a nursing room, and a formula preparation area, which suits families trying to travel with less luggage.
Is it inconvenient without a car?
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Once you consider moving between the Awaji Island and Naruto sides and reaching seaside hotels, this is an area where having a car makes life easier. You can get around by public transport, but timing your day around the tides and traveling with a lot of baby gear can wear you down, so settling on one base and treating it as a stay-put trip is another good option.
What can we do on a rainy day?
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Whirlpool sightseeing depends on the weather, so on rainy days you tend to spend longer at your hotel. This area has 4 properties with concept rooms featuring slides or bunk beds and 4 offering kids' programs and activities, so you have options for passing the time in the room or inside the building.
Is it manageable for a child with special dietary needs?
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Kyukamura Minami-Awaji lets you bring baby food and will warm it, and offers toddler menus, allergy accommodations, and children's tableware and bibs. Awajishima Kaijo Hotel also accommodates allergies and serves meals in your room, which is an option when you want to feed your child without worrying about others around you.