Naoshima Ryokan Roka

Our stay at Ryokan Roka was truly a highlight of our recent trip and the nicest place we stayed while in Japan. The service, food, and atmosphere far exceeded our expectations and the Roka was the perfect combination of traditional and modern Japanese design and hospitality. Our only regret was we couldn't stay longer but we will definitely return!

The kaiseki dinner was by far the worst meal i had in all Japan, we have been here for two weeks traveling around the country and we had never experienced a bad meal, they only have two set menus and one of them is horrible, maybe tomorrow we have a different opinion with sushi

Couldn’t fault our experience here. It was an unforgettable and very special stay. Amazing and personalised service from all the staff. The room was outstanding - with a private onsen and beautiful view looking out over vegetation and art. The atmosphere was calm and peaceful. The food was excellent and top quality. Each meal was a memorable experience. I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a unique stay in Naoshima. It’s amazing value for money with the experience that we had. I don’t think you could stay anywhere better on the island. Fantastic base to explore.

Naoshima Ryokan Roka (henceforth referred to as "Roka") is a stylish new luxury ryokan that was established in 2022 April by a person whose family runs the well-renowned Kifu No Sato, a luxury Onsen ryokan in Okayama Prefecture. Roka opened to great fanfare, with a massive marketing blitz along with inclusion in the Ryokan Collection portolio of properties. It is a Japanese-style modern, artistic take on a traditional ryokan with some very nice artwork that evokes the artistic spirit of Naoshima itself. It's in a secluded area of Naoshima, and has a rock garden in front of the entrance of the main building. To the left is an outdoor hearth whose bonfire is lit-up at night, and serves as a gathering place during the warmer months. While the property grounds won't blow anyone away (especially compared to some of the famous ryokans in Japan, it does establish an air of tranquility and character to an otherwise nondescript area. Speaking of area, it's not centrally located to any main tourist site, although a 10 minute walk will get you to Honmura Village, which is home to the various Art House Projects as well as the Ando Museum. It is not, however, close to Miyanoura Port or Benesse House/Chichu Museum/Lee Ufan Museum, so you'll either need to rent a bicycle or a car to fully explore everything that Naoshima has to offer. We booked the Roka Suite, a 106m² unit and the top room at the property. It has a tatami room, a Western-style living room, a dining table with 6 chairs, a bar counter, a semi kitchen, two sinks/vanities, a bedroom and a separate shower/bath... it's very spacious for 2 guests; I'm guessing this Suite is also intended for extended-stay visitors as well as families. The one drawback of Roka has to do with the lack of an Onsen bath anywhere, which is a curious thing given that Kifu No Sato is in a world-renowned hot-spring hotspot - I would've somewhat expected that Roka would carry on the tradition of offering hot springs baths in its property. To make up for this, Roka does offer a large jar of Onsen concentrate that you add to the bath. Nice, but still not the real thing in my book. The second knock against Roka's rooms has to do with the amenities, or lack thereof. By luxury ryokan standards, Roka has a very limited repertoire of toiletries. No moisturizer, no face cream, no hand cream, no cotton swabs, no shower cap. Only a toothbrush, toner and razer (but no shaving foam/gel.) Compare that with many top properties that provide all of the above, and offered in personal travel sizes so that you can take them home with you. Service wise, everyone was friendly and accommodating; however, we felt that it was a bit too "corporate" for a ryokan with just 11 guest rooms. The uniforms were black and bland, check-in and check-out formalities are done in a lounge area that is next to the kitchen, guests are not assigned a butler and there is no private dining option. For the prices that Roka charges, I feel they can do better. Food w

A Naoshima per vedere l’arte contemporanea che caratterizza l’isola. La nostra agenzia ci ha prenotato cena-pernottamento-prima colazione al ryokan ROKA Per descrivere i dettagli e la cura non basterebbero 10 recensioni. A cominciare dal servizio navetta che ci ha prelevato al porto di Miyanoura e, presi i bagagli, ci ha accompagnato nel centro città. Per poi tornare a prenderci e portarci al ryokan. La stanza è una suite. Curata nel più minimo dei dettagli. Per la prima volta dopo 20gg in Giappone ho trovato pigiama, ciabatte e t-shirt della mia taglia. La dotazione della stanza è completa sotto ogni punto di vista: dal mini bar all’ altoparlante bluetooth. Dalle amenities del bagno alla teleria e agli asciugamani. Cena e colazione sono a livello Michelin (che infatti li menziona per il 2024). Lascio la parola alle foto.

Un soggiorno speciale al Roka. Grande cura dei dettagli, fin dal momento dell’accoglienza. Bellezza e design degli d’oasi comuni e delle camere. Queste ultime ampie, comode e con un bellissimo bagno in legno circondato da vetrate e affacciato su patio privato. Pazzesco