Imaiso

Imaiso is a four-star seaside resort in Kawazu, on Japan’s Izu Peninsula, with 53 rooms and a direct connection to the beach. The setting suits you if your idea of a proper break involves salt air, a hot bath, a decent meal and very little fuss between the two.

The resort was renovated in 2024. Its character is more coastal retreat than urban base: you can walk along the shore, use the garden, settle into the sauna or book a massage when the day has taken its toll. English, Korean and Chinese are spoken by the hotel team, which makes the practical side of your stay easier to manage.

You are in Kawazu, Shizuoka Prefecture, with Imaiso set directly on the coast beside Imaihama Beach. The sand is right outside the resort, so reaching the water does not involve a shuttle, a road crossing or a heroic march in flip-flops.

Kawazu town centre is about 2 km away. That keeps the hotel close enough for a look around while leaving the immediate surroundings focused on the shoreline. A golf course is around 3 km away, and the hotel can help arrange excursions when you want to see more of the area.

The room choice is broad, but the useful dividing lines are simple. Solo travellers can take a single room with a private bathroom, while couples can choose between double rooms and versions with a sea or bay view. Twin rooms make more sense when you want separate beds, and the larger triple, quadruple, quintuple and family categories give groups somewhere to put themselves without turning the room into a game of luggage Tetris.

Views vary considerably. Several categories face the sea, ocean, bay or water, while others keep things more straightforward. There are also economy rooms with a private bathroom and standard rooms using a shared bathroom, so checking the exact category matters before you book.

Air conditioning is available at the hotel, and selected larger room categories include a fridge, hairdryer and safe. Private bathrooms are common across the range, with a shared-bathroom option in one standard category. A suite adds a safe, telephone, toiletries, towels and a mirror, for those who prefer their room to arrive with a few more practical details already covered.

Dining is centred on one restaurant, Dining ‘Saika’, where breakfast, lunch and dinner are served buffet-style. The kitchen uses selected ingredients from Izu and elsewhere in Japan, so the appeal is less about a long menu and more about having a proper spread waiting when you come back hungry.

Breakfast runs from 07:30 to 09:30, while dinner is served from 18:00 to 23:00. The restaurant is indoors and air-conditioned, a useful detail when the weather outside has been doing its best to turn you into soup.

An all-inclusive meal plan is available. Room service is not, so the restaurant is the place to plan around rather than a backup option for eating in bed. A food dispenser and kitchen facilities are also listed among the hotel services.

The sandy beach is the obvious starting point, with direct access from the resort and snorkelling available in the area. The hotel can also arrange a snorkelling experience at Imaihama Beach or Shōbuzawa, giving you an option that asks rather less of the legs than a full day underwater.

For a change of scenery, excursions include canyoning at Kawazu Seven Waterfalls. Hiking and fishing are also available as activities, while the garden gives you somewhere to sit when the most ambitious plan of the afternoon is remaining horizontal.

The recovery department is well represented: sauna, spa and massage services are available. There is also a children’s games room, making the resort workable for families when not everyone wants the same pace from morning to evening.

Free Wi-Fi covers the hotel, and free parking is available if you are driving. Airport transfer services can be arranged for an additional charge, while car hire is also available. A 24-hour reception, lift, luggage storage, laundry service and safe are among the practical facilities, and the property provides wheelchair-accessible facilities.

Check-out is at 11:00. Early check-in and late check-out can be requested, subject to arrangement. International guests must provide their passport number and nationality at registration, and the passport is copied for hotel records, as required in Japan.

Japan uses 100-volt electricity with both 50 Hz and 60 Hz frequencies depending on the area. The sockets are Type A and Type B, so pack an adaptor if your plugs do not fit. Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, UnionPay, Suica and PASMO are among the accepted payment methods, alongside several Japanese mobile and electronic payment systems.