Iwaso is a ryokan in Momijidani, on Miyajima, a 3-minute walk from Itsukushima Shrine. It was founded in 1854. Before you book, five rules matter. If the ryokan hears nothing from you by 8:00 pm, your booking is automatically canceled. The free pier pickup must be requested by phone, not email. Only some rooms have their own bath, and none of them are onsen. The ryokan publishes no tattoo policy. And canceling costs 30 percent from 3 days before.
This page reads the ryokan’s English and Japanese sites, both FAQs, its brochure, its Japanese and English booking pages, and Hatsukaichi City’s page on the Miyajima visitor tax. The ryokan’s news pages stop in 2024, so we checked figures against the booking pages. Where two pages disagree, we name them. Where they are silent, we say so.
Iwaso Ryokan (Miyajima) at a glance
| Item | What the official pages say |
|---|---|
| Location | Momijidani; 300 meters (3-minute walk) to Itsukushima Shrine, 15 minutes on foot from Miyajima pier |
| Check-in / out | From 15:00 / by 10:00; booking pages list check-in 15:00 to 19:30, and both FAQs ask you to check in by 7:00 pm |
| No contact by 8:00 pm | Booking is automatically canceled |
| Pier pickup | Free, 8:00 am to 8:00 pm; request by phone only, not by email |
| In-room bath | Shinkan rooms and two cottages only; not onsen |
| Onsen | Two shared baths, 15:00 to 24:00 and 6:00 to 9:30; no private onsen |
| Tattoos | No policy published; email before you book |
| Meals | In the restaurant, not in your room; diet requests at least 7 days ahead |
| Cancellation | Free until 4 days before; 30% from 3 days, 50% day before, 100% on the day |
| Extra taxes | 100 yen Miyajima visitor tax on the ferry; the ryokan’s own tax lines differ by booking page |
From Iwaso’s official pages, FAQs and booking pages, and Hatsukaichi City, read October 1, 2026.
What is Iwaso, and where is it on Miyajima?
How old is the ryokan?
Both sites say Iwaso was founded in 1854 and has a 170-year history. The English site says the name is short for Iwakuniya Sobei, the founder. The ryokan also credits a former proprietress with creating momiji manju, the maple-leaf cake now sold all over the island; its English and Japanese pages date the story differently, so we leave the year out.
What does the ryokan say about its food and guests?
The Japanese site says Iwaso is the only Japanese ryokan on Miyajima with a Michelin star; it gives no year, and the English site does not mention it. It also says it hosted working dinners for the 2016 G7 foreign ministers’ meeting and the 2023 G7 summit in Hiroshima.
Where exactly is it?
The address is 345-1 Minamimachi, Miyajima-cho, Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima, in the Momijidani (maple valley) area. The access page puts it 300 meters from Itsukushima Shrine, a 3-minute walk, and 15 minutes on foot or 5 minutes by car from Miyajima pier. The shopping street and the path to the shrine are pedestrian-only from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm all year. For tides, deer and the rest of the island, see our Miyajima guide.
How do I contact Iwaso?
Phone +81-829-44-2233 or email iwaso@iwaso.com. The English email page gives phone hours of 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Japan time; the Japanese FAQ gives 9:00 to 19:00. The two pages give different hours. The ryokan says email replies take 2 to 5 days.
Where should I book?
The Japanese FAQ says booking through the ryokan’s own website is the cheapest route, and that other booking sites and phone bookings cost more. The two FAQs differ on how far ahead you can book: the Japanese one says one year ahead by email or phone, the English one says 10 months ahead and online only.
Getting to Iwaso: ferry, pier pickup and luggage
How do I get to Miyajima?
By ferry from Miyajimaguchi. The ryokan lists the ferry companies but not current fares, so see our Hiroshima to Miyajima guide for routes, fares and times. The English FAQ warns that ferries run less often in the evening, which matters because of the 8:00 pm rule below.
How does the free pier pickup work?
The English access page says: “Free shuttle bus pickup service is available. Please call us and let us know the departure time of your ferry. We are not able to accept your pickup request by email.” It runs 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, and the FAQ says it does not keep a fixed schedule; it comes for your arrival. The page you see after sending the email form says to call when you arrive at the island’s port. Either way, the request is a phone call. For the trip back, tell the front desk.
What if I do not have a Japanese phone?
The ryokan’s English page says to find the tourist information office at Miyajima pier, on your right as you come off the ferry, where staff will help you call. It lists the office hours as 9:00 to 5:30.
Can the ryokan pick me up from the airport or a station?
No. The free pickup runs only on the island, between Miyajima pier and Iwaso. For a taxi or chartered car from an airport or station, the FAQ asks you to contact the ryokan in advance.
What about my luggage?
The Japanese booking page lists a free luggage service: before check-in, staff collect your bags at Miyajima pier and take them to the ryokan; after checkout, they deliver them to the pier at the time you ask. The English FAQ says it can keep bags from any time on your arrival day, and that delivery to your next hotel costs extra and normally takes 2 days.
Can I drive?
You can, but the ryokan does not push it. Its 5 parking spaces on the island are free, but the Japanese FAQ says the car ferry costs more than parking on the mainland, and the island roads are narrow, so call ahead and staff will guide you from the pier. The access page says pay lots at Miyajimaguchi start from about 1,000 yen a day, and the Japanese page says the ryokan has no partner lot.
Check-in, late arrival and checkout at Iwaso
What time are check-in and checkout?
The facilities pages give check-in from 3:00 pm and checkout by 10:00 am. The booking pages list check-in from 15:00 to 19:30, but both FAQs ask you to check in by 7:00 pm. The English and Japanese FAQs give different times for the last dinner seating, so plan on arriving by 7:00 pm.
What happens if I am late?
One call before 8:00 pm keeps the room. If you are coming from Hiroshima late in the day, check the ferry times first.
Can I check out late?
The Japanese FAQ only says late checkout is possible until 12:00 at most, for 1,000 yen per person per hour before tax, and not always. The English FAQ does not mention it.
What is the deadline for online changes?
The booking pages take bookings, changes and cancellations online until 12:00 noon the day before your stay, Japan time. After that, call.
Rooms at Iwaso ryokan: which ones have their own bath?
How many rooms are there?
The facilities page lists 38 rooms in three parts: the Honkan (main building), the Shinkan (a five-story wing built in 1981) and four Hanare cottages. All rooms are Japanese style.
| Room | Size or layout | In-room bath |
|---|---|---|
| Shinkan standard (10 tatami) | 26 sqm | Yes, not onsen |
| Shinkan corner room (two 10-tatami rooms) | 58 sqm | Yes, not onsen |
| Honkan (10 tatami) | 31 sqm | No bath or shower; toilet in the room |
| Kimpu-tei cottage | 12 + 10 tatami and a 6-tatami Western room | No |
| Shukin-tei cottage | 10 + 8 tatami | Yes, not onsen |
| Ryumon-tei cottage | 10 tatami plus 6-tatami entry room | No |
| Senshin-tei cottage | 8 tatami | Yes, not onsen |
Official room pages and booking pages, read October 1, 2026. Sizes are from the room names.
Is the bath in my room a hot spring?
No. The English FAQ says: “We do not have rooms with a private onsen bath. 2 Cottages(Shukin-tei,Senshin-tei) and Shinkan rooms have private bathrooms but they are not Onsen.” Every guest can use the shared onsen. The ryokan also has no private onsen to book.
What is special about the cottages?
The ryokan gives each a history. Shukin-tei is a one-story wooden cottage built in 1928. Ryumon-tei, built in 1924, was named by Nagakoto Asano, a former lord of Hiroshima. Senshin-tei, built in 1949 and renovated in 2018, is where the novelist Eiji Yoshikawa stayed while writing Shin Heike Monogatari. The Japanese pages say Kimpu-tei has hosted many members of the imperial family. The English site dates the Honkan to the 1930s.
Can I get a bed instead of a futon?
Folding beds are available on request, and the English FAQ asks you to book one when you reserve: stocks are limited and there is one bed per room at most. For how futon, tatami and yukata work, see our ryokan guide.
Can I stay on my own?
Yes, on some dates. The Japanese FAQ says there are no single rooms, but a solo plan is sold on the website, and the English FAQ says single use costs extra.
Is Iwaso accessible?
Only partly. The Japanese FAQ says there are no barrier-free rooms, and the onsen in the basement is reached from the first floor by stairs only. It recommends Shinkan rooms for guests with limited mobility; the English FAQ says elevators run from the second (lobby) floor to the fifth.
What is provided in the room?
The English site lists towels, a toothbrush and toothpaste, tabi socks, shampoo and conditioner, a yukata, a hair dryer, a down futon, a razor, a comb and a hairbrush. Wi-Fi is free in all buildings. All rooms are non-smoking; the English site says a smoking shelter is near the main entrance.
Dinner and breakfast at the ryokan
What is dinner like?
A Kyoto-style kaiseki course with local food such as oysters and conger eel. Meals are served in the restaurant, not in your room, and the Japanese FAQ says you cannot choose which dining room. On the meat kaiseki plans, the Japanese booking page says everyone in the group gets the same menu.
When is breakfast?
At 8:00 or 8:30 am, in the Momiji restaurant on the first floor of the Shinkan. The Japanese site says breakfast uses Koshihikari rice from Hiroshima Prefecture.
Should I book a room-only or breakfast-only plan?
Think twice. The English booking page says few restaurants on Miyajima are open late, and recommends eating dinner before you cross to the island. The Japanese FAQ says you cannot add dinner on the day. The ryokan serves meals only to overnight guests.
When do I need to send dietary requests?
At least 7 days before arrival, to be safe. The English pages and the Japanese FAQ say 7 days; the Japanese cuisine page says 5 days for allergies. We give the longer of the two official figures. The Japanese page adds that a special menu can cost extra.
Which diets can the kitchen handle?
The English booking page lists five options: vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, gluten-free and allergy. The alternative menu is the chef’s choice, and you cannot pick ingredients. The English site says it cannot make MSG-free meals or cook Japanese food without kelp or mushroom stock. The pages do not mention halal meals.
What if my allergy is severe?
The two languages answer differently. The English page says that for guests whose allergy symptoms are severe, “we are not able to make any preparations.” The Japanese page, in our translation, asks guests at risk of a severe reaction to consult the ryokan about bringing their own food. Contact the ryokan before you book.
Iwaso hot spring baths, and the tattoo question
What kind of hot spring is it?
The Wakamiya Onsen. The English page calls it a “simple weak radioactive cold mineral spring from only 5 meters deep,” and the Japanese page says it contains radon. Its September 2024 analysis lists the source at 18.6°C. The pages do not say how the water is heated.
How do the baths work?
There are two baths, each with an indoor and an open-air bath and room for 30 people. The English page labels Hinodeyu for women and Tsukinoyu for men, and does not mention a swap. Both are open 3:00 pm to midnight and 6:00 to 9:30 am, for guests only; the ryokan does not sell day bathing. You can walk to the bath in your yukata. The English page says that if you are lucky, you can see deer from the open-air bath.
Can I use the onsen with a tattoo?
We cannot tell you. Iwaso’s English and Japanese sites, both FAQs and both booking pages say nothing about tattoos. Email iwaso@iwaso.com before you book, describe the size, and keep the reply.
What are the alternatives?
Fewer than at many ryokan. There is no private onsen, so the only fallback is a room with its own bath: a Shinkan room or the Shukin-tei or Senshin-tei cottage. Those baths are not onsen water. Our tattoos and onsen guide covers the wider picture.
What else is in the building?
A lounge with sofas, but the Japanese FAQ says it serves no drinks. There is no laundry; the English FAQ points to a laundromat on Machiya-dori. The ryokan offers no massage. Phone chargers can be borrowed at the front desk, with a 1,000 yen deposit each on the English FAQ. Pets are not allowed.
Children at Iwaso
Is there a child rate?
Yes. Both FAQs give child rates for children sharing a room with two or more adults. But the age bands differ between the FAQ, the Japanese booking page and the English booking page, so we do not repeat them. Check the age band and the price on the final booking screen, which is what you pay.
Is there an age limit?
The pages do not set one, and they do not say from what age children must use the bath for their own gender. The English booking page sells a children’s dinner as an option. For how other hotels price children, see our kids stay free guide.
Cancellation, payment and taxes at Iwaso Ryokan
What does it cost to cancel?
| When you cancel | Fee |
|---|---|
| 4 days or more before | Free |
| 3 days before | 30% |
| 2 days before | 30% |
| Day before | 50% |
| On the day | 100% |
Official English and Japanese FAQs, read October 1, 2026.
The English and Japanese FAQs give the same percentages. The Japanese FAQ adds 100 percent for a no-show without contact, and says the table applies to groups of 1 to 14 people. The cancellation fee field on the booking pages was empty for us. Our hotel cancellation guide compares policies across Japan.
Does prepaying change the terms?
Possibly. Both booking pages say prepaid bookings are an arranged-travel contract with Time Design, a travel company. We did not read its terms, so check the cancellation line on your confirmation.
Can I pay at the ryokan?
That depends on the booking page. The Japanese booking page offers payment at the ryokan or prepayment by credit card or PayPay through Time Design. The English booking page shows prepayment only, by credit card or PayPay. At the ryokan, the Japanese FAQ lists Visa, Mastercard, Diners, American Express and JCB, and says e-money is not accepted.
What taxes are added?
Two kinds. First, Hatsukaichi City charges a Miyajima visitor tax of 100 yen per person each time you visit by boat; the city page says the ferry company adds it to the fare. Preschool children are among those exempt. Second, the ryokan’s own tax: the booking pages say prices include consumption tax, but the Japanese and English booking pages show different tax lines for charges collected separately. We do not repeat either. Check the total at booking, or ask the ryokan.
Does Iwaso close some days?
Sometimes. A 2024 notice listed single weekdays closed for maintenance. The site has no notices for 2025 or 2026, so use the availability calendar on the booking page.
Who Iwaso is for
Travelers who want to sleep on Miyajima after the day-trippers leave, a short walk from Itsukushima Shrine, in a ryokan that is more than 170 years old, with kaiseki in the restaurant and a radon onsen where deer pass by. It suits guests who can arrive by 7:00 pm, can make a phone call for the pier pickup, and send diet requests a week ahead. It is a harder fit if you have a tattoo and want a certain answer before booking, need step-free access to the baths, or want hot spring water in your own bath.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I arrive late at Iwaso?
How do I book the free pickup from Miyajima pier?
Can I stay at Iwaso with a tattoo?
Do Iwaso rooms have a private onsen bath?
What is the cancellation policy at Iwaso?
Can I pay at Iwaso when I check out?
When do I need to send dietary requests to Iwaso?
Is there extra tax to pay at Iwaso?
Bottom line (2026): Iwaso on Miyajima checks in from 3:00 pm and out by 10:00 am; aim to arrive by 7:00 pm, and call if you will be late, because with no word by 8:00 pm the booking is canceled. Book the free pier pickup by phone, not email. Room baths are not onsen, there is no private onsen, and no tattoo rule is published. Canceling costs 30 percent from 3 days before.
Sources
Every rule and figure on this page is from Iwaso’s own pages: the English site and Japanese site, the access pages in English and Japanese, the facilities pages in English and Japanese, the English rooms page, the cuisine pages in English and Japanese, the hot spring pages in English and Japanese, the feature page, the FAQ in English and Japanese, the email form and its confirmation page, the closure notice, and the booking pages in English and Japanese; plus Hatsukaichi City’s Miyajima visitor tax page, all read on October 1, 2026. Where two pages differ, we say so. Confirm on the official site before you book.
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