Me and my wife have stayed in this lovely Ryokan for 2 nights 7-8 April 2008. The owner Shinko and her sun Teppe were very friendly, helpful and generous. The room was beautifully decorated and very comfortable. The food (we have ordered Japanese dinners and Western breakfasts) was superb, actually the best we had in Japan. We wish we could spare the time staying longer at Shinko's place.

This is a lovely traditional family-run ryokan with great atmosphere. While not as high-end as some of the other guest houses on Miyajima (in amenities or price), this was a great choice! The hotel is very quiet and in a great location just across the street from the ferry terminal. It is also convenient for an evening stroll to view the famous torii gate.

The ryokan has a restaurant on the first floor, with the family's rooms and guest rooms on the 2nd-4th floors. Our room was really two rooms, one area with a low dining table/chairs and a huge tatami mat room for sleeping. There were two bathrooms and a small balcony area. No onsen, but a nice deep soaking tub in the bathroom.

We reserved dinner sets when we booked our stay - one $30 set and one $50 set. The $30 set had more veggies and less expensive meats, so a great option for the more vegetarian-inclined. :O) Both dinners were delicious and beautifully presented. Breakfast the next morning was just as delicious and elaborate. Both meals were some of the best of our entire trip!

The owner was very gracious and friendly. She was really fun to chat with and spoke great English. She explained all of the meal items, told us about her cat, and was generally very pleasant!

Overall, wonderful stay. This ryokan is one of those "gems" that you think about months later.

I loved this little place, which is not a 5 star resort, it's a little B&B right by the ferry terminal and handy for Miyajima's sights. The food is fantastic! There's restaurants and sushi bar on floor 1 and 2 of this little place. The staff are extremely warm, extremely helpful and overall lovely people. So genuine it makes your eyes water. The owner, Shinko and her son do a great job, I wish them every success and am envious of their life among the wild deer and monkeys.
Be aware: The rudest people you meet in Japan are western tourists - don't become one of them! Do as the Japanese do and you'll have a much nicer time.

My husband and I spent three nights at Yamaichi Bekkan as part of a tour of Japan in March 2008. That stay was the best part of our trip. The hostess, Shinko-san, made us feel so much at home. She speaks good English, gave us good advice on climbing Mount Misen and visiting Hiroshima, and served great Japanese breakfasts and dinners. The three breakfasts were all different (and all very good), and our 8 or 9 course dinners were delicious. We had a large comfortable tatami mat room, with small bathroom. Very friendly and great value for money.