Es war unser erstes Mal in einem Ryokan - und was für ein erstes Mal! Schon bei unserer Ankunft auf Miyajima hatten wir das Gefühl: Man hat uns erwartet. Unser Gepäck wurde direkt an der Fähre abgeholt, der Shuttle-Service funktionierte vollkommen reibungslos, und vom ersten Augenblick an fühlten wir uns nicht einfach wie Gäste, sondern willkommen, umsorgt und ganz besonders. Und dann dieser Abschied … Wo auf der Welt steht das gesamte Personal eines Hauses Spalier, um seinen Gästen nachzuwinken? Es war einer dieser kleinen, vollkommen unerwarteten Momente, die einen tief berühren. Alle standen dort, lächelten und winkten uns nach, bis wir außer Sichtweite waren. Ist das nicht Ikigai? Die Freude daran, etwas mit Hingabe zu tun und anderen Menschen damit Freude zu schenken. Unser Aufenthalt im Iwaso war einfach großartig. Schon das historische Gebäude selbst ist wunderschön und vermittelt eine Atmosphäre, die man nicht einfach beschreiben, sondern erleben muss. Man spürt die Tradition, die Geschichte und die Seele dieses besonderen Ortes. Und dann der Außen-Onsen: Der schönste, den ich bisher in Japan erlebt habe. Eingebettet in eine malerische, vollkommen beruhigende Landschaft mit Wald und einem plätschernden Bach. Nachts besitzt dieser Ort eine geradezu magische Atmosphäre, und am Morgen, wenn die Vögel zwitschern, fühlt es sich an, als würde die Welt für einen Moment stillstehen. Der Service war tadellos – aufmerksam, herzlich und gleichzeitig angenehm zurückhaltend. Genauso, wie man sich japanische Gastfreundschaft erträumt. Und das Essen? Köstlich auf dem Niveau eines Michelin-Sterne-Restaurants. Nicht nur geschmacklich außergewöhnlich, sondern auch eine kleine Inszenierung für die Sinne. Im Foyer erinnern Bilder daran, dass sich hier bereits G7-Staatschefs und Mitglieder des japanischen Kaiserhauses wohlgefühlt haben. Und nach unserem Aufenthalt verstehen wir wirklich sehr gut, warum. 10,0 von 10 – und wenn wir mehr Punkte vergeben könnten, würden wir es tun.

Everything, but mostly the setting. Iwasō sits up in Momijidani with the river running past and the maples overhead, and once the last day boat leaves the island it goes completely silent apart from the water and the deer. That alone is worth the stay. The building itself is the real thing rather than a recreation, all old wood and paper and dark corridors, and it has been looked after beautifully. The food was outstanding. A proper multi-course kaiseki, local seafood, served in the room at exactly the right pace, and the breakfast the following morning was just as considered. The onsen after a long day walking the island was perfect. What lifted it above a nice hotel was the staff. Unfailingly kind, completely unhurried, anticipating things before we asked. When bad weather threatened our ferry connection off the island they sorted it out for us without being asked twice. Nothing was too much trouble.

Nothing worth marking down. It was perfect.

Iwaso is a beautiful and peaceful retreat on what can be a very busy Miyajima. There are lots of visitors on the island during the day, but stepping into the ryokan feels like escaping into your own quiet little world. The location is wonderful, surrounded by trees and tucked away from the busiest part of the village while still being perfectly placed for exploring the island. The service was excellent throughout our stay. The staff were friendly, helpful and efficient, and the pick-up service was fantastic. As soon as we called to say we had arrived, they came to collect us and our luggage. We stayed in the annex in a room with a private bathroom and a wonderful view. I particularly loved the small sitting area overlooking the stream and the beautiful woods. It was such a lovely place to sit with a drink and take in the surroundings. The whole property is aesthetically beautiful and has a wonderfully peaceful feeling. The traditional futon beds are made up for you while you’re at dinner and packed away again in the morning. We did find them a little firm for us! On the second night we discovered another mat available in the cupboard, added that underneath and found it significantly more comfortable. Dinner was another highlight. The kaiseki menu felt wonderfully authentic, and the kitchen took great care in creating vegan meals for us. Everything was fresh, interesting and delicious, and we really appreciated being able to enjoy the full experience of traditional Japanese dining without our being vegan seeming like an inconvenience or an afterthought. Iwaso also has separate men’s and women’s onsens on the premises, so you can enjoy the whole onsen experience without even leaving the ryokan. Miyajima itself is busy during the day, but it’s a wonderful place to explore. The village has lots of restaurants and food stalls, including several where we found vegan options, as well as some great little shops.

We loved it all.

The staff at Iwaso met the standards and the expectations; high class service; the room and the facilities met our expectations or were above our expectations.

The onsen was overheated; people who dare to take place in the bath could not stay for more than a couple of minutes; my spouse did experience the same in the ladies'bath. Hence the onsen-experience at Iwaso was somewhat frustrating. The most frustrating souvenirs at Iwaso however, were related to the Kaiseki; non Japanese people were placed in a separate room (maybe just a organisational coincidence, but frustrating); moreover, having enjoyed several ryokans in other parts of Japan, the Kaiseki was less memorable; a significant notch under experiences in the Hakone region; at Iwaso, we did not enjoy the pinnacle of local haute-cuisine. To summarize: IWASO is a perfect place to enjoy a 5* place as Miyajima but not to enjoy a breathtaking 'Kaiseki-experience'