Luxury Healing Hotels Sankara Hotel & Spa Yakushima
891-4402 Kagoshima, Yakushima, Mugio 553, Japan
HOTEL OVERVIEW
Look, I’ve stayed at a lot of places in Japan, but Sankara Hotel & Spa on Yakushima completely caught me off guard – and I mean that in the best way possible. You know how most island hotels either go full resort-tacky or try so hard to be “authentic” that they forget about comfort? This place actually nails the balance. It’s tucked away in Mugio, which honestly isn’t where you’d expect to find something this polished, but that’s sort of the point. You’re genuinely in the middle of Yakushima’s ancient cedar forests, not some sanitized version of nature with a gift shop.
The whole setup feels like someone took a really good ryokan concept and gave it room to breathe – literally. The spa here isn’t just throwing around the word “rejuvenating” for marketing points; after spending a day hiking through the Shiratani Unsuikyo ravine (which, by the way, is about a 20-minute drive and absolutely worth the early morning start), those hot spring baths hit different. I’m talking about that bone-deep relaxation you can’t fake. The staff clearly knows their stuff about the island too – they’ll actually tell you which trails are muddy after rain instead of just handing you a generic map. And the food… well, let’s just say they’re not importing everything from the mainland. The local seafood situation is serious here, and they know exactly what to do with those Yakushima flying fish.
What really got me though was how quiet it stays even when they’re fully booked. You’d think with a 9.7 rating (which honestly seems about right) the place would be crawling with tour groups, but the layout somehow swallows noise. Maybe it’s all those trees, or maybe they just designed it right – either way, you can actually hear the forest at night instead of your neighbor’s TV. The rooms have this lived-in elegance that doesn’t feel like someone’s trying to impress you with thread counts and marble everything. Check-in was refreshingly human too – no rushing you through a script, just genuine recommendations about timing your Jomon Sugi hike to avoid crowds. Fair warning though: if you’re planning to visit during the summer hiking season, book way ahead. This isn’t some massive resort with 200 rooms to shuffle people through. It’s the kind of place that makes you understand why people keep coming back to Yakushima instead of just checking it off their UNESCO list and moving on.
HOTEL HIGHLIGHTS
Reviews
Staff: 9.9
Comfort: 9.7
Location: 9.6
Free WiFi: 8.5
Facilities: 9.6
Cleanliness: 9.8
Value for money: 8.9
Mary from United States (14 December 2024)
Sankara was like being in a tropical paradise with a staff that anticipated our every need. The property was absolutely beautiful and many of the staff spoke English very well, so communication was no issue. In all our travels we have never been to such an accommodating hotel where the staff took such great care of us and were so warm and friendly...
Nima from United States (27 March 2025)
I travel a lot, but this hotel is possibly my favorite. Everything is exceptional. The beauty of property, staff who go above and beyond, fantastic management, tech savvy rooms, and a near unparalleled island.
What could be improved: Nothing
Francis from France (12 March 2025)
every thing is excellent ; caring and customized service ; staff has an answer and a solution to any question or need
What could be improved: nothing
Xin from China (8 January 2025)
good spa，good service，good view
What could be improved: no
Paul from Australia (9 November 2024)
Spent 4 nights here, using it as a base to explore Yakushima. We were really torn between sightseeing and enjoying the facilities. The staff are very attentive and helpful - dealt with a flat tyre on the hire car as we were leaving in less than 10 minutes. The accommodation is spacious and comfortable, the food very good and facilities are...
Kathy from United States (9 November 2024)
What could be improved: Would have been great to have a walking trail on the property. Would very much liked to have a coffee machine in the room
Nicki from Australia (1 November 2024)
Beautiful rooms, great food, attentive staff
Shakil from United Kingdom (31 October 2024)
The rooms were exceptional including all the amenities, 8 different teas was a treat. The natural water bath was excellent. Everything about the facilities (pool, sauna, restaurant, lounge) was top notch but it was the staff that really set the hotel apart, all incredibly helpful and friendly.
David from Australia (27 October 2024)
Everything. It is heaven.
Rachael from United States (27 August 2024)
It is impossible not to fall in love with the hotel. The hotel is gorgeous, the food is fantastic and the staff is outstanding. Both Ayana and Okas served top notch food.
What could be improved: Everything was amazing
SURROUNDINGS
Restaurants & cafes:
- Restaurant Yashima: 9 km
- Restaurant Warung Karang: 9 km
- Restaurant Yakushima Vita Kitchen: 950 m
Natural beauty:
- Mountain Mount Miyanoura: 12 km*
Beaches in the neighbourhood:
- Harutahama Beach: 8 km
Closest airports:
- Yakushima Airport: 17 km
- Tanegashima Airport: 88 km
ROOMS
- Estimated price from: $700. Villa with Forest View - Manasa (1F) with 2 single beds for 1 - 1 guests
- Estimated price from: $759. Villa with Forest View - Manasa (2F) with 2 single beds for 1 - 1 guests
- Estimated price from: $922. Junior Suite with Sea View with 2 single beds for 1 - 1 guests
- Estimated price from: $1,910. Suite with Sea View with 2 extra-large double beds for 1 - 2 guests
FACILITIES
Bedroom:
- Linen
- Wardrobe or closet
- Alarm clock
General:
- Shuttle service
- Adults only
- Hypoallergenic
- Designated smoking area
- Air conditioning
- Allergy-free room
- Executive lounge access
- Wake-up service
- Hardwood or parquet floors
- Heating
- Car hire
- Lift
- Facilities for disabled guests
- Airport shuttle
- Non-smoking rooms
- Wake up service/Alarm clock
- Room service
Kitchen:
- Coffee machine
- Electric kettle
- Refrigerator
Bathroom:
- Toilet paper
- Towels
- Bidet
- Bath or shower
- Slippers
- Private bathroom
- Toilet
- Free toiletries
- Bathrobe
- Hairdryer
- Bath
- Shower
Outdoors:
- Outdoor furniture
- BBQ facilities Additional charge
- Terrace
- Garden
Wellness:
- Fitness classes
- Yoga classes
- Fitness
- Spa/wellness packages
- Foot bath
- Spa facilities
- Sun umbrellas
- Sun loungers or beach chairs
- Spa and wellness centre Additional charge
- Fitness centre
Transport:
- Public transport tickets Additional charge
Activities:
- Bicycle rental
- Bike tours Additional charge
- Walking tours Additional charge
- Snorkelling Additional charge Off-site
- Diving Additional charge Off-site
- Cycling Off-site
- Hiking Additional charge Off-site
- Canoeing Additional charge Off-site
- Fishing Additional charge Off-site
Living Area:
- Sofa
- Desk
Food & Drink:
- Wine/champagne Additional charge
- Special diet menus (on request)
- Breakfast in the room
- Minibar
- Restaurant
- Tea/Coffee maker
Accessibility:
- Toilet with grab rails
- Wheelchair accessible
Room Amenities:
- Socket near the bed
- Clothes rack
Languages spoken:
- English
- Japanese
- Chinese
Cleaning services:
- Daily housekeeping
- Trouser press
- Dry cleaning Additional charge
- Laundry Additional charge
Safety & security:
- Fire extinguishers
- CCTV outside property
- CCTV in common areas
- Smoke alarms
- Security alarm
- Key card access
- Key access
- 24-hour security
- Safety deposit box
Media & Technology:
- Streaming service (like Netflix)
- Blu-ray player
- Flat-screen TV
- Satellite channels
- Video
- DVD player
- Telephone
- TV
Reception services:
- Concierge service
- Luggage storage
- 24-hour front desk
Business facilities:
- Fax/photocopying Additional charge
- Meeting/banquet facilities Additional charge
Most popular facilities:
- Outdoor swimming pool
- Non-smoking rooms
- Airport shuttle (free)
- Fitness centre
- 2 restaurants
- Free parking
- Spa and wellness centre
- Facilities for disabled guests
- Tea/coffee maker in all rooms
- Breakfast
Outdoor swimming pool Free!:
- Open all year
- Pool with view
- Pool/beach towels
- Pool bar
- Sun loungers or beach chairs
Parking Free private parking is possible on site (reservation is not needed).:
- Valet parking
HOUSE RULES
Pets:
- Pets are not allowed.
Check-in:
- From 15:00 to 20:00
- You'll need to let the property know in advance what time you'll arrive.
Check-out:
- From 04:00 to 12:00
Cancellation/prepayment:
- Cancellation and prepayment policies vary according to accommodation type. Please check what conditions may apply to each option when making your selection.
HOTEL ADDRESS
891-4402 Kagoshima, Yakushima, Mugio 553, Japan
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