Onsen Glamping Shima Blue

The spacious hinoki bathtub in the onsen was amazing, with plenty of room to stretch out. As advertised, the BBQ hamburger at dinner was the most delicious. We stayed in a room called "Island Blue," and the wood stove provided a warm and relaxing atmosphere. The autumn leaves from the room and the view of Hosen Gorge within the property were stunning. This time, we used our trial Diamond membership, so late check-out went smoothly; however, it was slightly disappointing that we had to confirm during dinner to receive the Chivas Regal benefit. It seems improvements have been made compared to reviews from a few years ago, so there’s still potential for further growth.

It was my first glamping experience, and I chose Shima Blue among various glamping facilities. Recently, some rooms have been renovated. Previous reviews mentioned issues such as complete darkness during nighttime bathing and inconvenient toilet access, but I could feel that Shima Blue had worked to address these problems. The bath area was well-lit at night, and the river was illuminated too, making it a fantastic experience to bathe while enjoying nature. The room layout also didn’t bother me much, allowing for a comfortable stay. However, one thing I noticed was that there was only one bath mat when going from the shower to the open-air bath, which made the floor wet. During check-in, it was sleeting outside and I wanted to use the café shared with the facility; however, possibly due to limited staff availability, I couldn’t use it at that time. Overall though, the meat, vegetables, and bouillabaisse soup were delicious and very satisfying! I’d love to visit again in a different season.