Key Points
Izu Retreat by Onko Chishin opened in a former ryokan in Atagawa, a hot spring town in Japan’s Shizuoka Prefecture.The hillside hotel features 16 guest rooms and suites with private onsen baths facing the ocean, as well as complimentary afternoon and evening room service.The hotel’s on-site restaurant overlooks Sagami Bay and serves fresh seafood and local ingredients.
The hot spring town of Atagawa in Japan’s Shizuoka Prefecture flourished between the ’60s and ’80s, when a new railway connected the region along the Izu Peninsula’s east coast to Tokyo. Now, a new hotel hopes to revive some of that heyday glamor.
Izu Retreat by Onko Chishin debuted last November following an extensive renovation that transformed the historic ryokan into a 16-room stay with private onsen baths.
Upon arrival at Izu-Atagawa Station, about two and a half hours from Tokyo, guests are whisked to the hilltop property in a restored ’90s Mitsuoka sedan. Capitalizing on its prime location, the hotel’s bright and airy lobby boasts picture windows with panoramic views of the sea. The ground floor now has a new bar with a vinyl record–lined wall and a lounge outfitted with retro games and vintage posters. Much of the decor nods to the hotel’s past—in line with its self-proclaimed “nostalgic luxury” concept—from original chandeliers to ceramic ashtrays given new life as pendant lights.
The guest rooms and suites are extravagantly spacious, with the smallest coming in at an impressive 936 square feet. Each accommodation has a private balcony furnished with an open-air hot spring–fed tub, facing the ocean and Atagawa’s black-sand beach. To top it all off, the mini-bar is complimentary, as is the afternoon and evening room service featuring a menu of snacks and light bites.
While the former ryokan’s ping pong room continues to be open to all guests, the karaoke room has now been transformed into a quirky karaoke-themed suite with a disco ball and a sauna. The most spectacular, though, are a pair of suites that once served as the inn’s public baths. What were once changing rooms are now bedrooms. The former bathing area, with its mirror-lined wall still intact, has been converted into a living and dining room. And the large outdoor onsen is complemented by a sauna and a soaking tub, offering a multi-layered bathing experience.
Dinner and breakfast are served at the on-site restaurant. The dining room features a mix of counter seating, open-floor tables, and semi-private rooms, overlooking Sagami Bay. The focus is on local seafood and ingredients like kinmedai or golden eye snapper, Japanese spiny lobster, and fresh wasabi, reimagined as both traditional dishes and modern interpretations.
Nightly rates at Izu Retreat by Onko Chishin start from 94,500 yen ($603), and you can book your stay at suiko.by-onko-chishin.com.
AloJapan.com