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Ibusuki Onsen Hotel Shougetsu
forumWhat families say
Rakuten Travel rating 4.17 out of 5 (639 reviews). Guests report that familiar dishes for children such as curry and Hamburg steak were provided, and that their children cleaned their plates. They also note that although the building shows its age, it is well cleaned and comfortable to stay in. On the other hand, some guests point out that the guest-room windows have no insect screens, so care is needed if you leave them open.
Categories
Kids Facilities
Kids' meals and private dining plans
Kids' meals and private dining plans
If you order a child's meal on a plan that includes dinner, the child is served a kids' meal rather than the kaiseki course. For breakfast, children booked at the children's rate for elementary school age and under are served a breakfast plate. If you would like your child to have the same meal as the adults, the child must be booked at the "adult" rate. There are also plans that guarantee a private dining room for dinner, so the family can enjoy the kaiseki course without worrying about other guests.
- •A child who would like the same meal as the adults must be booked at the "adult" rate.
- •Private dining is available on the applicable plans.
Ocean-view Japanese-style tatami rooms with an open-air bath
Ocean-view Japanese-style tatami rooms with an open-air bath
These 9 Japanese-style tatami rooms each have their own open-air bath fed by onsen flowing directly from the source. They sleep up to 4 guests, and the family can bathe in the onsen together without using the communal bath. The room can feel a little tight when 4 people stay, and the in-room open-air onsen cannot be used between midnight and 5:30 a.m.
- •The room can feel a little tight when 4 people stay.
- •The in-room open-air onsen cannot be used between midnight and 5:30 a.m.
Overview
Ibusuki Onsen Hotel Shougetsu is a long-established onsen inn with more than a hundred years of history, standing on the shore of Kinko Bay in Ibusuki, Kagoshima. Rooms accommodate 1 to 6 guests and include ocean-view Japanese-style tatami rooms and rooms with their own open-air bath fed by onsen flowing directly from the source. Dinner centers on Kagoshima kaiseki cuisine such as black pork shabu-shabu, and on plans that include dinner, children are served a kids' meal. The communal bath, Ikikaeri-yu, uses onsen flowing directly from the source, and a free shuttle bus runs to Saraku, Ibusuki's famous sand-steam onsen.
Rooms
There are 24 ocean-view Japanese-style tatami rooms of 8 tatami mats, each sleeping 1 to 4 guests; they can feel a little tight when 4 people stay. There are also 9 ocean-view 8-tatami Japanese-style rooms with their own open-air bath fed by onsen flowing directly from the source, which sleep up to 4 guests and can likewise feel a little tight with 4 people (the in-room open-air onsen cannot be used between midnight and 5:30 a.m.). The Natural Twin is a 15 sq m twin room with two single beds 97 cm wide, for 1 to 2 guests. The Ocean View Special Japanese-Western Room and the Panoramic Japanese-Western Room on the top floor are Japanese-Western rooms of 12 tatami mats and 12 sq m and have two single beds 97-100 cm wide, sleeping 2 to 6 guests. The Ocean View Special Room of 18 tatami mats sleeps up to 6 guests. Humidifiers are available to borrow for guest rooms, and all rooms are non-smoking, with a separate smoking area provided.
Dining
Dinner centers on Kagoshima kaiseki cuisine, including black pork shabu-shabu, black beef sukiyaki, and Shougetsu's signature black pork simmered in tonkotsu style. If you order a child's dinner on a plan that includes meals, the child is served a kids' meal rather than the kaiseki course. For breakfast, children booked at the children's rate for elementary school age and under are served a breakfast plate; if you would like your child to have the same meal as the adults, the child must be booked at the "adult" rate. If anyone in your party has an allergy, let the ryokan know in advance and they will arrange substitutes as far as they can. Requests made on the day may not be possible to accommodate, and even when a substitution is possible, an additional charge applies for preparation and ingredients. There are also plans that guarantee a private dining room for dinner, so the family can enjoy the kaiseki course without worrying about other guests.
Baths and Onsen
The communal bath, Ikikaeri-yu, has an abundant supply of onsen flowing directly from the source, and the men's and women's baths switch between morning and evening. In the ocean-view Japanese-style rooms with an open-air bath, the bath in the room is fed by onsen flowing directly from the source, so the family can bathe together without using the communal bath. A free shuttle bus runs to Saraku, Ibusuki's famous sand-steam onsen, every 15 minutes from 4 p.m. after check-in. Bathing tickets for adults can be purchased at the hotel front desk, while children's fees are paid on site.
Family-Friendly Features
On plans that include meals, children are served a kids' meal, and breakfast for children of elementary school age and under is served as a breakfast plate, so there are meals suited to children. If anyone has an allergy, the ryokan will arrange substitutes as far as they can when told in advance. Choosing a plan that guarantees a private dining room lets the family enjoy dinner without worrying about other guests. In a room with an open-air bath, the family can soak in the onsen in their own room rather than going to the communal bath. Children can also use the Saraku sand-steam onsen, with a free shuttle bus from the hotel.
Access
The ryokan is a 15-minute walk or a 5-minute taxi ride from the nearest station, JR Ibusuki Station. It is about 45 minutes from the Taniyama IC on the Ibusuki Skyline via National Route 226. Parking is available for 30 cars, free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis. Standing on the shore of Kinko Bay, it is an onsen inn close to the sea.
Access & Information
| location_onAddress | 2-12-7 Yunohama, Ibusuki, Kagoshima 891-0406 |
|---|---|
| directions_carAccess | An onsen ryokan proud of its cuisine, with sweeping views of Kagoshima Bay. About a 15-minute walk or a 5-minute taxi ride from JR Ibusuki Station (within the base taxi fare). About 45 minutes from the Taniyama IC on the Ibusuki Skyline via National Route 226. A free shuttle also runs to Saraku, Ibusuki's famous sand-steam onsen. |
| trainNearest station | Ibusuki Station |
| local_parkingParking | Parking is available for 30 cars, free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis. |
| callPhone | +81-993-22-2241 |
| paymentsCards | VISA, JCB, American Express, Diners Club, UC, DC, NICOS, OMC, UFJ Card, Mastercard, JTB, Rakuten Card |
| languageOfficial site | https://shougetu.co.jp/open_in_new |
Reference price as of August 27, 2026 (stay date 2026-09-19). Please check the booking site for actual rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can we buy bathing tickets for the Saraku sand-steam onsen?
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Sand-steam bathing tickets for adults can be purchased at the front desk of Hotel Shougetsu. Children's fees are paid on site.
Is there a shuttle to Saraku?
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A free shuttle bus runs to Saraku, normally every 15 minutes. If you prefer to drive, you can also use Saraku's free parking, which has space for about 90 standard cars.
What time are dinner and breakfast served?
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Dinner is a kaiseki course served from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and breakfast is a Japanese set meal served from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. If you are leaving early, an onigiri bento (a boxed lunch of rice balls) can be prepared if you let the hotel know in advance.
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Information on this page was compiled by directly consulting Official website, Rakuten Travel (last verified: August 2026). Prices, availability and seasonal operations change — please check each booking site for the latest information.
We take care to keep information accurate, but always confirm the latest details on the hotel's official site and booking sites before you book or visit.