Migiwatei Ochi Kochi
A · 8.5 / 10anchor a leg
A modern 17-room adults-only ryokan on the water's edge in Tomonoura, every room facing the Seto Inland Sea with its own deck onsen bath, where the first night's dinner ranked among the best of KI-NRT's ryokan-going life. He would place the inn around his top twenty nationally, and Japanese guests near-unanimously agree. Book one of the four Upper Suites, the only category with in-room dining, and know that it stands on a working harbor, so ferry and port sounds come with the view.
Scores
Food 4.5 / 5
The first night's kaiseki was otherworldly, one of the top ten ryokan meals KI-NRT has eaten: conger eel sashimi with its raw liver, a two-tofu and usui pea custard that was spectacularly creamy without being heavy, and pepper-grilled Takehara wagyu cooked just right, every course explained in detail. The second night was less spectacular and only very good, and later web reports describe the same dip, so one night may be the ideal length.
Bath 4 / 5
Every room has an open-air onsen bath on its sea-facing terrace, and the two private rental baths (free of charge and larger) made a nice change of pace for KI-NRT. The water is a radium mineral spring that comes out cold and is heated and circulated, so it is real mineral water but not a hot spring at source; he found it soothing on the skin. A January 2025 guest reported the rooftop rental baths closed from December to February.
Service 4.5 / 5
The staff are warm, knowledgeable and on the ball, and they explain each kaiseki course in detail (in Japanese, in KI-NRT's case). Guests in the four Upper Suites have all their meals served in the room, which he loves and which is slowly disappearing even from the top ryokans.
Room 4.5 / 5
KI-NRT found his Upper Suite (#203, Shien) terrific, a wonderful blend of old and new with Western beds, a dining area where all the meals were served, a living room and a wide terrace with its own onsen bath and amazing sea views, styled in warm earthy tones without clutter. The building dates from 2010 and was renovated in 2024, so there is very little sign of wear. There are four Upper Suites, three on the second floor and one on the fifth.
Place 4 / 5
There is no garden, because the building stands on the coast, and every room and the common areas look out over the Seto Inland Sea to Bentenjima and Sensuijima islands, with the boat dock for Sensuijima steps away. Tomonoura is a working port that oozes history and charm, good for a slow day of temples and island boats, though KI-NRT ranks it below Takayama, Tsumago and Gion as an old town, and ferry and harbor sounds are part of a stay.
Getting there
- Hiroshima — 1h10, 1 transfer. Reverse of: From the Inland Sea finale to Hiroshima (~1h).
- Kyoto — 2h10, 1 transfer. Shinkansen Kyoto→Fukuyama (~1h40), then ~30-min car/shuttle to the Tomonoura waterfront.
- Tokyo — 3h45, 1 transfer. Reverse of: San'yō/Tōkaidō Shinkansen Fukuyama→Tokyo (~3.5–4h).
- Fukuoka — 2h30, 0 transfers. Sanyo Shinkansen 'Sakura'/'Hikari' Hakata→Fukuyama (~1h25; Nozomi skips Fukuyama), then a ~30-min inn shuttle/taxi to the Tomonoura waterfront (reserve the shuttle — fixed times).
Sources
FlyerTalk review #1 · TripAdvisor 5★ (March 2022) · Ikyu 4.77 / 5