Isshin water garden and one of the elevated walkways above it

Nestled at the foot of the lush Kirishima mountains, this 8-room inn offers stays in detached Japanese-modern villas. It sits about 30 minutes north of Myoken Ishiharaso by car; we were tempted to book either Ishiharaso or Wasure no Sato Gajoen but ultimately chose to be closer to Kirishima’s prime hiking trails and try somewhere new (and almost as highly rated) in the process.


View of Shimoedake (Mt. Shimoe) in the distance

At a minimum, Isshin looks to deliver a bespoke experience for every guest. Even the base rooms are standalone villas with a generous 70 m² footprint, every room has a straight-from-the-source onsen bath out on the patio, and all meals are served in a private koshitsu dining room. Isshin’s setting is serene, its design is stylish, and both bath and food quality are very high. There was, however, one odd policy that left us wondering just how motivated they are to provide the best possible stay.


Tokubetsu-shitsu (special room) Kobai


Tokubetsu-shitsu (special room) Kobai


Tokubetsu-shitsu (special room) Kobai - one of two private gardens

Established in 2008, Isshin’s overall design is decidedly contemporary. A water garden (for lack of a better term) lies between the reception, lounge, dining area, and guest villas, with a covered walkway hovering above the water. Combined with the mountain views behind Isshin’s structures, it creates a charming atmosphere, especially at night when the pool and walkways are lit up. Each of the eight private dining rooms features floor-to-ceiling windows that look out over this water garden.

We stayed in Tokubetsu Shitsu (special room) Kobai, the top-category accommodation and the most recently refurbished (2023). It was a genuinely impressive villa, with a large deck and a pretty garden outside the living room, plus a dry rock garden on the other side by the bedroom, styled in a way reminiscent of Kyoto’s famed Ryoanji Temple. Kobai has both indoor and outdoor onsen baths. The bedroom and living room are tatami-matted, and the sunken table lets you sit with your legs comfortably lowered, which is always appreciated. Numerous chic but tasteful touches throughout Kobai made it feel a bit like spending the night inside an art exhibit. Overall, it ranks among the nicer accommodations even when compared to top rooms at the best luxury ryokans.


Tokubetsu-shitsu (special room) Kobai - indoor and open-air outdoor onsen


Tokubetsu-shitsu (special room) Kobai - open-air outdoor onsen

The spring quality in the baths deserves special mention. Natural onsen water is pumped from 1,200 meters directly below the property and flows abundantly into the tubs. The water is distinctly slick and somewhat slimy due to its moisturizing properties, to the point where we skipped lotion entirely afterwards. Note that there are no other onsen options on the premises: Isshin has neither a large communal bath nor a private rental bath. The in-room furo are, however, large enough for two or three people and should satisfy even the most discriminating onsen aficionados.


An assortment of appetizers during dinner


Delectable Kagoshima A5 Kuroge Wagyu shabu shabu

We had dedicated servers for both dinner and breakfast, and their knowledge and engaging personalities, combined with the private koshitsu setting, made for easy, enjoyable conversation about the area, the food, and their lives. The kaiseki dinner was satisfying, with a good balance of classic dishes like shrimp tempura and a grilled vegetable platter that also included pressed shrimp sushi and marinated Pacific saury; the presentation of the latter looked a bit busy on the plate but was well executed. The Kagoshima Kuroge Wagyu beef shabu shabu (thinly sliced beef and vegetables in a hot pot) was outstanding. The beef itself was predictably superb (Kagoshima is famed for its A5 wagyu), but the dipping sauces - a salt-dashi sauce and a sesame ponzu - were equally impressive and paired perfectly with the beautifully marbled meat. Breakfast was less memorable, though still tasty and filling; everything hit the spot, but a more premium grilled fish option instead of standard salmon would have been welcome.


Japanese breakfast at Isshin

The one real blemish on the stay was their policy of charging for extra bath towels. Mrs. KI-NRT likes to fold large towels under her back in bed to relieve pressure on her back and shoulders, and when we requested extra towels, we were surprised to learn they charge 440 yen (roughly $3) per towel. After explaining our situation, the manager simply responded, “Well, we provide two bath towels per guest per room; we feel that is generally sufficient.” To me, it’s not about whether that amount is usually sufficient. In an outlier case like this - and for guests who might want to take several dips in their private onsen - it really wouldn’t be a big burden to offer extra towels as a courtesy. This was the first time we had ever encountered such a policy, and it came across as cheap and petty on Isshin’s part.

Aside from that, Isshin delivered almost everything we hoped for from a quality onsen ryokan stay in the Kirishima area. Unless they revise that towel policy, however, we would almost certainly choose Ishiharaso or Wasure no Sato Gajoen over a return visit to Isshin.