Nakazawa Ryokan, renamed Shunbokutei Nakazawa Ryokan in 2018, is a six-room inn in Shima Onsen, Nakanojo, Gunma. It opened as a family guesthouse in 1973 and has been a ryokan since 1991. Before you book, three things matter: its two private open-air baths are free with no booking; dinner is at 18:00, so a late arrival needs a phone call; and the website is in Japanese only.
Nakazawa Ryokan at a glance
| Item | Official information |
|---|---|
| Japanese name | Shunbokutei Nakazawa Ryokan |
| Address | 4238-41 Shima, Nakanojo-machi, Agatsuma-gun, Gunma 377-0601 |
| Rooms | 6 (2 with their own bath, 4 standard) |
| Check-in / out | 15:00 / 10:00 |
| Dinner | 18:00, in a private dining room |
| Private baths | Two open-air baths, free, no booking |
| Smoking | Rooms and dining non-smoking; smoking room in the building |
| Parking | Free |
| Contact | +81-279-64-2716 (9:00–17:00), info2@hatago.net |
| English pages | None |
From the official site, read October 20, 2026.
What are the six rooms at Nakazawa Ryokan like?
The inn’s theme is a warm private space, and it says six rooms let it look after each guest. Every room is decorated differently and is named after a local waterfall or mountain. All have a toilet with a bidet seat and a washbasin; only two have their own bath.
| Room | Size | Own bath |
|---|---|---|
| Suishoan (detached) | 14 mats | Open-air bath of hinoki cypress |
| Daisen | 12 mats, 2nd floor | Private bath, Kigoya-no-yu |
| Oizumi | Two 6-mat rooms, 2nd floor | No |
| Iwamon | 10 mats, 2nd floor | No |
| Ogura | 15 mats, 1st floor | No |
| Shinsen | 10 mats, 2nd floor | No |
Room sizes from the official rooms and facilities pages. The pages list rates for 2 to 4 guests but do not give each room’s maximum.
Rooms have a safe, and the inn lists bath towels, face towels, toothbrushes, yukata, hair dryers and skin lotion among its amenities.
The baths at Nakazawa Ryokan
All the baths use free-flowing hot spring water with no added water; the inn mixes several sources to adjust the temperature. The water is a clear chloride-sulfate spring, pH 6.9, from a source that comes out at 78 degrees. Shima Onsen was the first area named a national health hot spring resort.
| Bath | Type | Who can use it |
|---|---|---|
| Takano-no-yu | Open-air | Private, free, no booking |
| Iwashimizu | Open-air, barrel-shaped | Private, free, no booking |
| Benten-no-yu | Indoor, with a view | Men and women, switched morning and evening |
| Shinsen-no-yu | Indoor, storehouse style | Men and women, switched morning and evening |
How do the private baths work?
The two private open-air baths, Takano-no-yu and the barrel bath Iwashimizu, are free and need no booking. The official pages give more than one closing time for them, so ask the inn at check-in.
When do the shared baths switch?
The FAQ says the men’s and women’s indoor baths switch around breakfast (about 8:00) and dinner (about 18:00). The opening hours appear differently on different pages, so confirm them at the front desk.
Can I bathe with a tattoo?
The official pages do not mention tattoos. The private baths are used by your group alone, but ask the inn before you book; our tattoo and onsen guide explains what to ask.
Can I drink the spring water?
Not at the inn: it has no permit for drinking. The inn points guests to the nearby Shio-no-yu drinking fountain instead.
Meals at Nakazawa Ryokan
What is dinner like?
Dinner is the seasonal Hatago Gozen, served in a private dining room at 18:00. The inn puts Gunma produce first and makes its food by hand without additives. Its signatures include Joshu beef grilled on a ceramic plate, Joshu pork steamed in the hot spring, a soy milk hot pot and the landlady’s cheese-filled ganmodoki (tofu fritters).
And breakfast?
Breakfast is a country-style tray with Hatago-jiru soup, rice cooked with millet, a bean soup, local eggs and konjac sashimi. The rice is local: Yukemuri rice and Koshihikari from a nearby farmer.
Can the inn handle allergies or a special diet?
The official pages say nothing about food allergies, vegetarian or halal meals. Email or phone the inn before you book. A celebration cake can be ordered in advance, per the FAQ.
Arriving at Nakazawa Ryokan: times and house rules
Check-in is 15:00 and checkout is 10:00. Because dinner is at 18:00, the inn asks guests arriving after 18:00 to contact it early. If there is no word by 19:00, the meal may have to be discarded for food-safety reasons, and the booking rules treat it as a cancellation. Our late arrival guide has a short phone script.
The rules set the front desk until 21:00 and the café and dining room until 20:00. When you go out, leave your key at the front desk. The official pages do not state a curfew.
Prices, children and cancellation at Nakazawa Ryokan
How much does a stay cost?
Rates are per person with dinner and breakfast, and change with the season and the room. The rates pages do not agree on whether tax is included, so we do not quote a figure; confirm the total with the inn. The inn’s rooms page lists a bathing tax of 150 yen added to the bill; see our onsen bathing tax guide.
What do children cost?
The basic rates page lists elementary school children at 70 percent of the adult rate, with separate rates for younger children and babies. Minors staying without a parent need the parent’s permission. Pets are not accepted.
What is the cancellation policy?
For up to 5 guests, the fee is 20 percent from 3 days before and 50 percent on the day; the standard plan lists 100 percent for a no-show. Larger groups have their own rules. A deposit applies in peak periods and on long weekends. On the standard plan, canceling for illness is free if you call between 3 days before and the morning of the stay. See our hotel cancellation guide.
How do I pay?
The FAQ lists Saison, NICOS and Sumitomo Visa/Mastercard credit cards, but cards cannot be used on special or discount plans. Cash is paid at the front desk when you leave.
Getting to Nakazawa Ryokan in Shima Onsen
From JR Nakanojo Station, about 18 km away, the Kan-etsu Kotsu bus takes about 40 minutes to Shima Onsen. A direct bus, the Shima Onsen-go, runs from the Yaesu side of Tokyo Station and needs a reservation. The official pages do not mention a shuttle. Drivers park free; the standard plan page says there are spaces on both sides of the road about 8 m past the inn.
What foreign guests should know before staying at Nakazawa Ryokan
- The website is in Japanese only, and its booking form is under construction; book through a plan on the site, by email (info2@hatago.net) or by phone. The inn notes that email replies can take time.
- Phone from abroad on +81-279-64-2716, 9:00 to 17:00 Japan time.
- Running late? Call before 18:00 so dinner can wait for you.
- Keep a card from the listed brands, or cash, and check which your plan allows.
- Smoking is only in the smoking room next to Takano-no-yu.
Frequently asked questions
Are the private baths at Nakazawa Ryokan free?
What time is dinner at Nakazawa Ryokan?
Can I bathe with a tattoo at Nakazawa Ryokan?
Does Nakazawa Ryokan have an English website?
How do I get to Nakazawa Ryokan?
Bottom line (2026): Nakazawa Ryokan is a six-room family inn in Shima Onsen with free-flowing hot spring water, two free private open-air baths and a Gunma-produce dinner at 18:00. Its pages are in Japanese only, so confirm prices and bath hours with the inn by email or phone.
Sources
Every fact on this page is from Nakazawa Ryokan’s official pages: home (Japanese), rooms and rates, baths, meals, FAQ, cancellation, access, house rules and terms and history. All were read on October 20, 2026. Prices and rules change; check the official site before you book.
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