Shima Onsen Sekizenkan Honkan
Reference price. The lowest rate on Rakuten Travel (single occupancy, in the cheapest season). For a family stay the price is often higher than this guide figure. Please check the booking site for actual rates.
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forumWhat families say
Rakuten Travel rating 4.51 out of 5 (1,162 reviews). Families report that the inn was happy to switch their child's meal to a children's bento, that one guest's daughter enjoyed the stay so much she said she wanted to come back, and that the bento had a generous variety of dishes and left them satisfied. Some found the passages leading to the baths hard to walk, with slopes and maze-like sections in places, which is worth keeping in mind.
Kids Facilities
Kids' bento and Kids' Volume Lunch
Kids' bento and Kids' Volume Lunch
For children of elementary school age and under whose stay includes meals, the bento is normally the same as the adults', but it can be changed to a kids' bento by noting it in the requests field or calling the inn. A Kids' Volume Lunch is also available for children under school age, and you can ask about the Volume Lunch for an elementary school child as well.
- •Changing to a kids' bento requires a note in the requests field when booking or a phone call
- •Food allergies must be declared at least 3 days before your stay
Sanso no Yu (free private-hire bath / family bath)
Sanso no Yu (free private-hire bath / family bath)
- paymentsPrice:Free for guests
The two Sanso no Yu baths at the Sanso can be locked from the inside, so they work as a family bath, and guests staying in the Honkan can use them free of charge. Whether children who are not yet out of diapers may bathe is not stated.
- •Open from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. the next morning
Toyo (the Honkan's private-hire bath)
Toyo (the Honkan's private-hire bath)
Sekizenkan Honkan has a private-hire bath for staying guests only, Toyo, an onsen flowing freely from the source. A 45-minute session costs 3,300 yen including tax, and the 45 minutes include bathing and changing. The slots at 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6:15 p.m., 8 p.m., 9:15 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. are booked online or by phone in advance, or at the main front desk on the day.
- •A 45-minute session costs 3,300 yen including tax
- •Advance reservations are taken online or by phone, and same-day reservations at the Kashotei main front desk
The Honkan's Japanese-style tatami rooms (toji wing)
The Honkan's Japanese-style tatami rooms (toji wing)
Choose from Japanese-style tatami rooms of 7.5 mats, 10 mats and 13 mats (10 mats plus 3 mats) according to the size of your party; the 13-mat rooms sleep 1 to 6 guests. These rooms have no bath or toilet and use the shared facilities in the building, but the Honkan also has Kiri no Ma, a Japanese-style tatami room with a toilet and shower booth inside, for 1 to 3 guests. In the old toji style, guests lay out and put away the futon bedding themselves, and Nishikawa air mattresses are used.
- •The 7.5-mat, 10-mat and 13-mat Japanese-style tatami rooms have no bath or toilet and use the shared facilities (Kiri no Ma has a toilet and shower inside the room)
- •Guests lay out and put away the futon bedding themselves
Overview
Founded in the seventh year of the Genroku era, Sekizenkan is registered as a Designated Important Cultural Property of Gunma Prefecture as the oldest surviving hot-spring inn building in Japan, and its Honkan wing preserves the old-style toji (hot-spring cure) stay. Guest rooms are Japanese-style tatami rooms of 7.5 to 13 tatami mats; most have no bath or toilet and use the shared facilities in the building, though there is also Kiri no Ma, a room with a toilet and shower inside. Guests lay out and put away their own futon bedding. Meals are served bento-style and are gentle on the body, and with advance notice they can be changed to a kids' bento. There are many stairs and no elevator, and sound carries in the wooden building, so families with young children are encouraged to check the conditions before deciding.
Rooms
The Honkan is said to have been built in the fourth year of the Genroku era and to be the oldest wooden hot-spring inn building in Japan, and it is registered as a Designated Important Cultural Property of Gunma Prefecture. Guest rooms are Japanese-style tatami rooms of 7.5 mats, 10 mats and 13 mats (10 mats plus 3 mats), which you choose according to the size of your party; these rooms have no bath or toilet, so guests use the shared facilities in the building. The Honkan also has Kiri no Ma, a Japanese-style tatami room with a toilet and a shower booth inside, listed on Rakuten Travel for 1 to 3 guests. The adjoining Ichibankan, built in the 55th year of the Showa era, is a reinforced concrete building with 6-tatami rooms that have natural underfloor heating from the spring water flowing beneath the floor; these rooms have no bath, toilet or washbasin. On Rakuten Travel the 7.5-mat rooms are listed for 1 to 2 guests, the 10-mat rooms for 1 to 4 guests, the 13-mat rooms for 1 to 6 guests, and the 6-mat rooms in the Ichibankan for 1 to 3 guests. There is no room attendant, and guests lay out and put away the futon bedding themselves in the old toji style, though the bedding itself is provided by the inn. The Honkan uses Nishikawa air mattresses; traditional futon mattresses are not provided, but a full set of bedding is.
Dining
Dinner and breakfast are served bento-style in tiered boxes. They are normally set out in the large communal hall, but you can also eat in your room: you go to the dining venue once, let a staff member know and collect your meal, and in that case the tableware must be returned to the dining venue by 7:30 p.m. For children of elementary school age and under whose stay includes meals, the bento is normally the same as the adults', but if you would like it changed to a kids' bento, note it in the requests field when booking or call the inn. A Kids' Volume Lunch is also available for children under school age. If you declare a food allergy by phone, email or the allergy form at least 3 days before your stay, the kitchen can respond by substituting some ingredients, but because there is only one kitchen, allergens cannot be removed completely, and the inn does not accommodate severe allergy symptoms or change the broth or seasonings. Dinner begins at 6 p.m. and finishes at 7:30 p.m., and breakfast is from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.; meals cannot be served outside these times. As the building is a prefecturally designated Important Cultural Property, bringing in and using cooking equipment is strictly prohibited, and cooking for yourself on the premises is not possible. The Honkan does have a lunch spot, Sekizen-ya, serving kamaage udon (freshly boiled udon served in its hot water), Joshu pork miso soup and other dishes from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (last order 2:30 p.m.), closed on Fridays but open on public holidays and during consecutive-holiday periods, with no reservation needed.
Baths and Onsen
Staying guests can use all of the onsen baths in the Honkan, the Sanso and the Kashotei. The water flows freely from the source, and the Honkan's Genroku no Yu is open from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. the next morning; it preserves the old layout in which the changing area and the bathing area are one and the same, with five stone tubs set in a tiled floor. Next to Genroku no Yu there are also a footbath and a post-bath lounge. The two Sanso no Yu baths in the Sanso can be locked from the inside, so they work as a family bath; they are free of charge and open from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. the next morning. The Honkan has a private-hire bath for staying guests only, Toyo, at 3,300 yen including tax for a 45-minute session (the 45 minutes include bathing and changing), reserved online or by phone in the 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 5 p.m., 6:15 p.m., 8 p.m., 9:15 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. slots. From August 2026 through May 2027 (planned), construction of a new open-air communal bath is under way in the courtyard area of the Kashotei; during this period the Kashotei's communal bath, Mori no Yu, opens from 3 p.m. instead, and the two paid private-hire baths that were in the Kashotei cannot be used because they are being demolished. Whether children who are not yet out of diapers may enter the tubs is not stated, so please confirm with the inn in advance.
Family-Friendly Features
Co-sleeping is available for up to 2 children. Children's rates work out as follows: elementary school children pay 100% of the adult rate in both the upper and lower grades; infants and toddlers pay 100% of the adult rate with meals and bedding, 2,200 yen with bedding but no meals, and 1,100 yen with neither meals nor bedding, while meals without bedding cannot be accepted. Children aged 3 and over pay a facility usage fee of 1,100 yen even if they need neither futon bedding nor meals, and children aged 2 and under pay no facility usage fee and receive no amenities. There is no information about cribs or bed guards being available to borrow. Children's yukata, tanzen (a padded outer robe worn over a yukata) and slippers are provided. There is no childcare service.
Access
The Honkan's parking is separate from the Kashotei and Sanso lots, and sits beyond the red bridge in front of the Honkan. Cross the red bridge, stop once in front of the entrance and speak to a staff member. If you will arrive after 5 p.m., you need to let the inn know in advance. Check-in is from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., and checkout is at 10 a.m. Because the building is wooden, sound carries, and guests who are sensitive to noise are advised to refrain from staying. There are many stairs, and there is no elevator inside the Honkan. In winter, snow tires must be fitted or tire chains carried without exception.
Access & Information
| location_onAddress | 4236 Shima-ko, Nakanojo-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-0601 |
|---|---|
| directions_carAccess | From Nakanojo Station on the Agatsuma Line, 40 minutes by bus, getting off at the last stop; 25 minutes by car. From Shibukawa-Ikaho IC, take Route 17 and then Route 353 for about 39 km, around 60 minutes. |
| trainNearest station | Nakanojo Station |
| local_parkingParking | Parking is available for 17 cars, free of charge, with no reservation needed. |
| callPhone | +81-279-64-2101 |
| paymentsCards | VISA, JCB, American Express, Diners Club, Mastercard |
| languageOfficial site | https://www.sekizenkan.co.jp/open_in_new |
Map
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Reference price. The lowest rate on Rakuten Travel (single occupancy, in the cheapest season). For a family stay the price is often higher than this guide figure. Please check the booking site for actual rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What ages is Shima Onsen Sekizenkan Honkan best suited to?
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It has facilities that work especially well for babies and toddlers (ages 0 to 2) and children aged 3 and over. There is no age limit, and families with children of any age can stay.
Is there parking at Shima Onsen Sekizenkan Honkan?
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Parking: Parking is available for 17 cars, free of charge, with no reservation needed.
How do you get to Shima Onsen Sekizenkan Honkan?
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From Nakanojo Station on the Agatsuma Line, 40 minutes by bus, getting off at the last stop; 25 minutes by car. From Shibukawa-Ikaho IC, take Route 17 and then Route 353 for about 39 km, around 60 minutes.
Can you prepare a children's meal (a kids' bento) for our child?
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Children's meals are basically the same bento as the adults', but you can have it changed to a kids' bento by noting it in the requests field when booking or by calling the inn. It is then prepared as a children's menu different from the adults' one.
Are there children's yukata and amenities?
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The Honkan provides children's yukata, tanzen (a padded outer robe worn over a yukata) and slippers.
Do the rooms in the Honkan have a bath and toilet?
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The 7.5-mat, 10-mat and 13-mat Japanese-style tatami rooms have no bath or toilet, so guests use the shared facilities in the building. The Honkan also has Kiri no Ma, a Japanese-style tatami room with a toilet and a shower booth inside, listed on Rakuten Travel for 1 to 3 guests.
Do we have to lay out the futon bedding ourselves?
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The Honkan (the toji wing) is self-service, so guests lay out and put away the futon bedding themselves.
Are mealtimes fixed?
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Dinner is served between 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and breakfast between 7:30 a.m. and 9 a.m.
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Information on this page was compiled by directly consulting Official website, Rakuten Travel, Ikyu.com (a Japanese booking site), Jalan (last verified: September 2026). Prices, availability and seasonal operations change. Please check each booking site for the latest information.
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