Asaba

We absolutely loved our time at Asaba. As a luxury travel advisor, I would confidently send my clients here without hesitation. Everything was truly outstanding. The peacefulness of the hotel was so special. We loved that it felt serene and tucked away with the beautiful waterfall in the background, yet still close to town. The rooms and bathrooms were immaculate, the onsens were wonderful, and the food was lovely throughout our stay. The bedding was especially incredible. The comforters were so fluffy and comfortable, and we slept wonderfully. The pajamas were also such a thoughtful touch. Most of all, the team was exceptional. Everyone was so kind and helpful, especially assisting us with arranging taxis for our transfer to another hotel and allowing us a slightly later check out. It was a truly wonderful stay and one we will remember for a very long time.

Definitely gorgeous courtyard and maintenance. But the food quality is so poor that I won’t expect to see in any 20000+ kaiseki restaurant in Tokyo

There are some reviewers that, in my opinion, unfairly criticize this ryokan. They expect a typical Michelin starred dining experience that you can get in New York, Paris or any other major city. If that’s what you’re after then maybe this isn’t the place for you. However, if you are looking for an authentic, beautiful ryokan experience, you will love this place as much as we did. The Asaba it has been owned by the same family for almost 500 years. I did not have the pleasure to meet them but it’s obvious that they care deeply about the traditions and standards that have made this ryokan endure. We were lucky enough to stay in the recently renovated Hagoromo room. It definitely has zen qualities with beautiful finishes, tatami flooring, and a location overlooking the pond. We were also lucky enough to be there when they had outdoor performances of traditional Japanese music/story telling on a stage that floats in the pond itself. The food is a draw for many guests and I would say it’s excellent, served by charming staff that wants nothing more than to make you happy. Meals are brought to your room. I have never experienced cuisine of this level served in my room. I can’t imagine the logistics so I suggest giving some grace when reviewing that aspect of the culinary experience. The town itself has a lot of personality. Lots to do if you like hiking and taking in nature. I highly recommend this place.

We are now staying at the Hagoromo room in asaba ryokan and i must say while we were initally in awe of the room and beautiful surroundings, the whole experience was marred by the totally underwhelming kaiseki dinner tonight Given the rave reviews i had read and the 3 michelin star on its dining experience, i must say i am flabbergasted. While the taste was relatively good and simple (i guess to jive with the zen theme of the ryokan) the whole presentation left us absolutely positively dissapointed! I understand the need for 'zen' but from cutler to plating to food presentation... The only word that comes to mind is dissapointing! Made worse by all those wonderful reviews from other guests. And the dessert... A scoop of so called cherry blossom ice cream that tasted more like vanilla ice cream thats not even trying hard to look like anything but!! Seriously! And btw for a place that charges upwards of usd 2.5 to 3k i do feel somewhat cheated and taken for a ride. Views and room aside... Also for that amount... U dont even get body lotion in the bathroom and i had to request for one! Go figure. Extremely disappointed

An architect’s vision, Asaba is a modern style ryokan panelled in light wood with rooms overlooking a pond stocked with fish and a waterfall, as well as a stage where performances occur in certain seasons. There are small indoor baths and a very pleasant outdoor bath. Our room had a nice Japanese tub to enjoy a private soak. Dining is in room, breakfast and dinner included, and our meals were Kaiseki style. Each meal was delicious and relaxing, served by friendly attentive staff. Futons are set out after dinner for a very comfortable sleep. Lots of power plugs, good wifi, flat screen tv and refrigerator. There is a tea and coffee station as well as some complimentary drinks including bottled water. Great toiletries are provided. The lounge has coffee, and tea, and a fine view of the pond especially in the evening when lanterns are placed outside. Service is outstanding! The town of Izu is a pleasant place to wander about and visit the many tiny shops. There’s a pleasant walk through a bamboo garden that will take you from Asaba to the commercial area. A side note: during our stay a group of tourists in the outside bath was ignoring or was unfamiliar with, proper bath etiquette, with loud talk, laughter and other behaviour disrespectful of other guests. Much like the hot tub at a Florida spring break hotel. I encourage first time ryokan visitors to read up on bath etiquette in advance for everyone’s enjoyment.

From the moment we arrived, we were taken away by how stunningly beautiful this ryokan is. Everything is tastefully designed and at times it feels more like a museum than a ryokan. We loved our room Hagi which faced the pond. We also absolutely loved the food that was served here - the ingredients were very fresh and the dishes, to our palate, were better than the ones at Fufu (and mind you, food is a strong point across all Fufu properties). Our room attendant, Yoko, was also friendly, knowledgeable on a lot of things and had a cool personality. The tatami was also plush and very comfortable, possibly the best futons we have ever slept on. What wasn’t so great for us, however, was the lack of proficiency in English. There were a couple of service lapse, which we assume is due to language barriers despite what we thought was clear communication and acknowledgment. We feel that it should be better for Japanese speaking guests. We also feel that most staff here were a little bit old and feel that we might be a bit too young to be a guest, I’m not sure how we got the feeling but just didn’t click for us. For the room, it lacked the normal skincare amenities of an onsen ryokan and the hairdryer was very weak, which would pose an issue for the ladies or gents with long hair. Service here, while good, was not great per se. In the end we had a good stay here but were not blown away. Room: We stayed at Hagi room, which is adequately sized for two and enjoyed a great view of the garden. Would happily stay there again if we return. One night would be enough given the very small size of the Shuzenji town.

My husband and I just spent a glorious two nights at Asaba Ryokan and we loved it start to finish. Everything was spotlessly clean, the service was attentive but understated, and the peace, quiet and relaxation were the perfect antidote to jet lag. All that said, there are customs and etiquette specific to ryokans and hot springs bathing, so do your homework. If you are expecting to be able to choose your meals or not get naked to enter the communal baths (segregated by sex), you will be disappointed. If, however, you’re open to the experience and especially the bathing culture, you can’t do better than Asaba. If your goals are to relax, bathe and eat well, Asaba will tick every box. We can’t wait to go back!

While the property itself is undeniably beautiful, my experience fell short of expectations, especially considering the high nightly rate. Unfortunately, the meals were disappointing, and to make matters worse, I noticed red mold in the bathroom, which was concerning. The initial welcome staff was warm and attentive, but the service during our meals was quite the opposite—our server seemed unengaged, and the service was consistently slow. I was also surprised that alcohol wasn't included, not even the first round, given the price. When I requested an extra bottle of water, I was told it would incur an additional charge, which seemed excessive for something so basic. Another drawback was the lack of a comfortable place to sit together in the room. There was only a small bench that could barely accommodate one person. Aside from the bath, there were no amenities or activities offered on-site, which limited the overall experience. For the price we paid, I expected a lot more in terms of service, comfort, and offerings.

The staff at the hotel is truly excellent - friendly and welcoming, and communication prior to our stay was perfect. The kitchen accommodated my food allergies and the dinner and breakfast were delicious. Yoko, who served us our meals, is a delight and we loved her. The room was very spacious and quiet. The beds were really comfortable, and the onsen/shower room was wonderful. Our teens slept on futons on the floor in a tatami room, which worked really well. Asaba sits in a very pretty spot, with lovely views. My only complaints are that there was no lotion in the room (but there was in the common indoor batha reas), that nudity is required in the hot spring baths (I had thought it was optional to wear a swimsuit, so perhaps this was my fault), and that the hotel is very expensive. Although we really enjoyed our stay and the experience we had, I do not think it is a good value, although I have no other ryokan/onsen experience to compare it to. Also, the nudity rule makes it a bit uncomfortable for families with older children or teenagers.