Minshuku Yaji Niijima

Minshuku Yaji Niijima stands in a village on Niijima, a family-run guesthouse with a warm, homey atmosphere.

The meals are the particular pleasure here. The kitchen serves Chinese and Taiwanese cooking along with homemade desserts, so you gather around a table that is a little different from the ones at other island inns. The Chinese flavors are easy for children to eat, and even a picky eater can enjoy them, which is a welcome point for families. The homemade desserts become one of the trip's small delights for children.

The guest rooms are Japanese-style tatami rooms, and because the floors are tatami you can lay a small child down or sleep side by side as a family with room to spread out. As a homey guesthouse, it is an easy place to settle into even on your first island trip.

There is a shuttle bus, which takes some of the strain out of getting around with children. Rental bicycles are available too, so an unhurried ride around the island together with your children is well worth doing. The guesthouse is about 5 minutes by car from Kurone Port, and there is free parking for 10 cars.

Niijima is an island with plenty of nature and hands-on experiences that families appreciate: Maehama Beach, shallow far out with gentle waves; Habushiura Beach, famous for surfing; Yunohama Open-Air Onsen, a free open-air onsen you enter in a swimsuit; the Moyai statues that originated on Niijima; and glass-art workshops using koga stone. Spots the whole family can enjoy are dotted around the island.

Please note that, as this is a family-run guesthouse, you should confirm room facilities, arrangements for babies and the content of the meals directly with the guesthouse when you book.