AKARI et KAORI, formerly Nenoyu Taizanso, is a quiet inn of only nine rooms in Shuzenji Onsen, Izu, renamed in September 2023. The name pairs light and scent: modern lamps glow through the halls, and sandalwood fills the air; “et” is French for “and.” Before you book, three things matter: every room has its own natural hot-spring bath; there is no elevator; and the inn restricts bookings for children under junior-high age.
AKARI et KAORI at a glance
| Before you book | What the official pages say |
|---|---|
| Location | Shuzenji, Izu, Shizuoka |
| Rooms | 9 Japanese-Western rooms, all non-smoking, each with a natural hot-spring bath |
| Check-in / out | From 15:00 / by 10:00 |
| Latest check-in | 17:30 (booking page) |
| Elevator | None |
| Children | Bookings for children under junior-high age are restricted |
| Prices | From 28,600 yen per person with two meals (2 per room, tax included) |
| Payment | Online card payment when booking on the official page |
| English | No English website or English booking page |
From the official site and booking page, read October 20, 2026.
The rooms at AKARI et KAORI, and the stairs
Which room types are there?
| Room type | What sets it apart | Guests |
|---|---|---|
| Special room with beams (2nd floor) | Opened April 2023; stone-lined hot-spring bath; two semi-double beds | 1–4 |
| Creative special room (2nd and 3rd floors) | Traditional kumiko latticework; hinoki tub; two semi-double beds | 1–4 |
| Two-room suite (1st and 2nd floors) | Living room plus bedroom with two semi-double beds; hinoki or stone bath | 1–4 |
| Maisonette (1st and 2nd floors) | Living room and bedroom on two levels joined by stairs; hinoki tub | 1–3 |
Guest numbers as shown on each plan of the official booking page, read October 20, 2026.
Every room has a TV, fridge, safe, kettle with temperature control, Wi-Fi and a toilet with a bidet seat, and yukata and half-coats are provided. Small items such as hairbrushes and cotton pads are at an amenity bar by the front desk. The official pages do not give room sizes. New to this style of stay? Our guide to staying in a ryokan covers the basics.
How many stairs are there?
There is no elevator. The booking page lists 18 steps to the 2nd floor and 16 more to the 3rd, each 19 cm high. If climbing is hard for anyone in your group, the inn asks you to choose the 1st-floor two-room suite. The maisonette also has stairs inside the room.
The baths at AKARI et KAORI
What is the water like?
The inn owns three hot-spring sources of its own. The water is an alkaline simple spring, about pH 8.5, at 61°C at the source. Shuzenji Onsen, the inn notes, is known as the oldest healing spa in Izu.
What are the shared baths and the room baths like?
The shared baths are separate for men and women and do not swap: an indoor bath of hinoki and Mt. Fuji lava stone, and an open-air bath of Izu stone. They are open from check-in into the next morning; ask the inn for the exact closing time. Every room also has its own bath of natural hot spring water, which the booking page calls somewhat small.
Is there a private bath, and can I bathe with a tattoo?
The official pages do not mention a private bath to reserve, and they say nothing about tattoos. Your room bath is yours alone; for the shared baths, ask the inn before you book. Our tattoo and onsen guide explains what to ask. Non-staying visitors can bathe from 11:30 to 14:00 for 1,500 yen plus a 100-yen bathing tax, on irregular days, so call first; this day use is not for children under junior-high age.
Meals at AKARI et KAORI
What is dinner like?
Dinner is a kaiseki menu that changes each month, cooked by a head chef who trained at a long-established sushi restaurant, with local ingredients such as kinmedai (splendid alfonsino), sweetfish, Izu beef, wasabi, shiitake and mountain vegetables. It starts at 18:00, 18:20 or 18:40. Some plans add extras such as Japanese spiny lobster or a lava-stone grill. Ask the inn where your table will be.
What is breakfast like?
Breakfast is a handmade Japanese set of seasonal Izu food, with Shuzenji yuba, dried local fish and a miso soup made with crab stock. The local dish wasabi rice lets you grate fresh Izu wasabi yourself over low-pesticide Shuzenji Keiryu Koshihikari rice. It starts at 7:30, 7:45, 8:00 or 8:15. A breakfast-only plan with no dinner is also offered.
Can the inn handle allergies or a special diet?
Tell the inn about allergies when you book: the food, how many guests, and their gender. The booking page says it cannot cover wide-ranging needs that extend to seasonings. The official pages do not mention vegetarian, vegan or halal meals, so ask before you book.
Prices, children and cancellation at AKARI et KAORI
How much does a stay cost?
All prices on the booking page are per person, two per room, with dinner and breakfast, tax included, and change by date. On October 20, 2026 the lowest “from” prices were 28,600 yen for the maisonette and 29,700 yen for the two-room suite, with the special rooms higher. Izu City charges a bathing tax of 150 yen per person per night where the charge is 5,000 yen or more; children under 12 are exempt (Izu City). The official pages do not say whether it is in the room price. See our onsen bathing tax guide.
Can children stay?
The booking page states that the inn restricts bookings for guests under junior-high school age. It does not say whether any exception is possible, so contact the inn first if you are traveling with a child.
What is the cancellation policy?
Online, you can cancel until 20:00 the day before on the standard plan, and until 15:00 the day before on some other plans. The fee rates appear only after you pick dates on the booking page, so read them there before paying. See our hotel cancellation guide.
How do I pay?
Booking on the official page uses online credit card payment. At the inn, Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners Club and UnionPay are accepted. The official pages do not mention cash.
Getting to AKARI et KAORI in Shuzenji Onsen
From Shuzenji Station, take bus No. 1 bound for Shuzenji Onsen, about 7 minutes, and get off at Miyukibashi (220 yen); the inn is about 3 minutes on foot. A taxi from the station takes about 7 minutes. The official pages do not mention a shuttle. If you drive, there are 9 free parking spaces on the street one block behind the entrance; the road is very narrow for the last 100 m or so.
What foreign guests should know before staying at AKARI et KAORI
- The website and booking page are in Japanese only. Questions go through a contact form or by phone (+81-558-72-0331).
- Plan to arrive by 17:30. If you will be later, call, or dinner may not be ready.
- There is no elevator; ask for a 1st-floor room if stairs are a problem.
- Online booking is prepaid by card, and the cancellation cutoff is the evening before.
- Keep 150 yen per adult for the bathing tax in case it is charged at the inn.
Frequently asked questions
Does every room at AKARI et KAORI have its own hot-spring bath?
Can children stay at AKARI et KAORI?
What time is check-in at AKARI et KAORI?
Can I use the bath at AKARI et KAORI with a tattoo?
Does AKARI et KAORI have an elevator?
Bottom line (2026): AKARI et KAORI is a nine-room inn in Shuzenji Onsen where every room has its own hot-spring bath and dinner is a monthly kaiseki. Expect stairs and no elevator, arrive by 17:30, and if you are traveling with a child, contact the inn before booking.
Sources
Every fact on this page is from AKARI et KAORI’s official pages: home (Japanese), rooms, facilities, cuisine, hot spring, access and the official booking page, and from Izu City’s bathing tax page. All were read on October 20, 2026. Prices and rules change; check the official site before you book.
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