Ishizaka Ryokan is a long-established inn in Ikaho Onsen, Gunma, open for over 100 years and one minute on foot from the stone steps at the heart of the town. It has 33 Japanese-style rooms and two large baths of Ikaho’s brown “golden water”, fed straight from the source. Before you book, three things matter: reservations are by phone only; credit cards are not accepted; and the listed prices are before tax, with a bathing tax added per person.
Ishizaka Ryokan at a glance
| Item | Official information |
|---|---|
| Address | 67 Ikaho, Ikaho-machi, Shibukawa, Gunma 377-0102 |
| Rooms | 33 Japanese-style rooms (150 guests), all non-smoking, all with a toilet |
| Check-in / out | From 15:00 / by 10:00 |
| Baths | Two large “golden water” baths, 100% source-fed |
| Prices | From 7,000 yen per person, before tax (room only) |
| Bathing tax | 150 yen per person |
| Booking | By phone: 0279-72-3121; questions by email |
| Cards | Not accepted |
From the official site, read October 20, 2026.
The inn describes itself as an old-style place with a homely welcome and prices kept reasonable so that many kinds of guests can stay. It is listed as a Government Registered International Tourist Ryokan (No. 557). Free Wi-Fi is available, rooms have a kotatsu heated table in winter, and smokers use a space in the 1st-floor lobby. A traditional shooting gallery and archery parlor sit close by.
Prices and plans at Ishizaka Ryokan
All prices on the official plan page are per person, before tax, with up to four guests in a room. They are starting prices, so the total depends on the date and room.
| Plan | From (per person, before tax) |
|---|---|
| Room only (one guest or more) | 7,000 yen |
| Weekday, with breakfast | 9,000 yen |
| Weekday, with dinner and breakfast | 11,000 yen |
| Night before a holiday or special date, dinner and breakfast (two guests or more) | 13,000 yen |
From the official plan page, read October 20, 2026.
Is there a bathing tax?
Yes. The inn adds a bathing tax of 150 yen per person. Shibukawa City’s tax page exempts children under 12, which the inn’s own pages do not mention; see our onsen bathing tax guide.
What do children cost?
From the official facility page, before tax: elementary school children pay 70 percent of the adult price; small children with meals and bedding pay 50 percent; with bedding only, 2,500 yen; and with neither meals nor bedding, 1,000 yen.
What is the cancellation policy?
The fee is 20 percent from 3 days before, 30 percent 2 days before, 50 percent the day before and 100 percent on the day. The inn asks you to cancel by phone. For how these fees work in Japan, see our hotel cancellation guide.
How do I pay?
The official plan page says credit cards cannot be used. It does not name other methods, so ask the inn when you call, and plan on bringing enough yen.
The “golden water” baths at Ishizaka Ryokan
What is the water like?
The inn draws its water from the source, and both large baths run it 100 percent free-flowing. This is Ikaho’s kogane no yu, or golden water: iron in the water oxidizes on contact with air and turns it a reddish brown. The official page lists it as a calcium-sodium sulfate, bicarbonate and chloride spring at 40 to 43°C and pH 6.4. The inn says it is known as a bath kind to women and as kodakara no yu, a bath linked with wishes for children.
When can I use the baths?
Ask the inn for the current hours when you book. Check-in starts at 15:00, and the baths are separated for men and women.
Is there a private or outdoor bath?
The official pages do not list a private (reservable) bath or an outdoor bath at the inn. One room, for two to six guests, has its own bath; see below.
Can I bathe with a tattoo?
The official pages do not mention tattoos. Ask by phone or email before you book. Our tattoo and onsen guide explains what to ask.
Rooms at Ishizaka Ryokan
All 33 rooms are Japanese-style with tatami. Rooms for one to three guests are 9 to 10 mats; rooms for two to four are 8 mats plus a small 3- to 4-mat space. There is one room for two to six guests, 10 plus 6 mats, with its own bath and a bidet toilet, looking out over Mount Onoko and Mount Komochi. Every room has a toilet, and the whole inn has heating and air conditioning. The inn will hold your bags before check-in and after checkout.
Meals at Ishizaka Ryokan
Where are dinner and breakfast served?
Dinner is served in a dining hall, not in your room, and larger groups can use a banquet room. Breakfast is in the 2nd-floor dining room. The dinner menu on the official site is an image, so we could not read the dishes.
Can I order extra dishes?
Yes, by phone to the reservations desk at least two business days ahead. Before tax, the list includes Gin-hikari, a premium rainbow trout (5,000 yen), carp sashimi (4,000 yen), Joshu beef (3,000 yen), konjac sashimi (1,500 yen), salt-grilled ayu or char (1,200 yen each) and char bone sake (2,000 yen). A bottle of beer is 650 yen.
Can the inn handle allergies or a special diet?
The official pages do not say. Ask by phone or email before you book.
Getting to Ishizaka Ryokan in Ikaho Onsen
By train, take the JR Joetsu Line to Shibukawa Station, then the bus bound for Ikaho Onsen, about 25 minutes, and walk from the bus stop. If you contact the inn, it offers to come and meet you. A highway bus from Shinjuku takes about 2 hours 40 minutes. By car, it is about 20 minutes from the Shibukawa-Ikaho interchange. The main parking lot, for 30 cars, is about 8 minutes away: call the inn on arrival and its car will pick you up. Five or six cars fit in front of the inn, but the entrance is very narrow.
What foreign guests should know before staying at Ishizaka Ryokan
- The official site is in Japanese only, and booking is by phone. Email (info1@ishizakaryokan.com) is accepted for questions, which may be easier in writing.
- Bring cash: credit cards are not accepted.
- Prices are before tax, and the 150-yen bathing tax comes on top.
- Dinner is in a shared dining hall, not in your room.
- Confirm current plans, prices and details with the inn before you travel.
Frequently asked questions
How do I book Ishizaka Ryokan?
Can I pay by credit card at Ishizaka Ryokan?
What is the cancellation policy at Ishizaka Ryokan?
Can I bathe with a tattoo at Ishizaka Ryokan?
How far is Ishizaka Ryokan from the Ikaho stone steps?
Bottom line (2026): Ishizaka Ryokan is a century-old inn a minute from the Ikaho stone steps, with two source-fed golden-water baths and simple, before-tax prices from 7,000 yen. Book by phone, bring cash, and email the inn with any questions.
Sources
Every fact on this page is from Ishizaka Ryokan’s official pages: home, rooms and baths, meals, plans, facilities and access (all in Japanese), plus Shibukawa City’s bathing tax page. All were read on October 20, 2026. Prices and rules change; check with the inn before you book.
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