Last checked: October 9, 2026
At Kairakuen (海楽園), a seaside ryokan in Toba, Mie, the rooms are built out over the water. From a first-floor room you can drop a line straight out of your window, and every guest can fish from the inn’s floating raft and pier. The inn will cook some of your catch, and after dinner there’s an open-air bath that mixes hot spring water with seawater.
Facts come from the inn’s Japanese and English websites and its Q&A page, plus the Klook listing and a route planner. Where sources disagree or we couldn’t confirm something, we say so.
KANSAI REGION
Kairakuen, Toba, Mie
Getting there: About 10–13 minutes on foot from Kintetsu Toba Station
At a Glance
- Room fishing: first-floor rooms only. Other guests fish from the raft or pier
- Gear: a rod, rig and bait set is ¥1,500 (as of October 2026)
- Your catch: the inn cooks about 2–3 fish per person if you ask by 17:30
- Baths: an open-air bath with seawater, plus indoor hot spring baths
- Access: about 10–13 minutes on foot from Kintetsu Toba Station
- Check-in: 15:00, check-out 10:00
Room rates and available dates vary. Check the booking page before you book.
Is This Ryokan Right for You?
✅ Great if you…
- want to try fishing without joining a boat trip
- like the idea of fishing, a hot spring and a seafood dinner in one stay
- are visiting Ise Grand Shrine or Toba Aquarium
- are new to fishing. The rental rods are simple poles with no reel
⚠️ Think twice if you…
- want to fish at night. The inn doesn’t recommend it because there are no lights
- want serious tackle. The rental rods have no reels, so bring your own if you want more
- can’t get a first-floor room. Only first-floor rooms allow fishing from the window
- are traveling with children. Klook’s policy section says children aren’t allowed, so a Klook booking is for adults only
How Fishing at Kairakuen Works
From your room
Drop a line from your window. This is possible only from first-floor rooms, and a shorter rod works best.
From the raft
The inn has its own floating raft for guests on any floor. Some fish, such as flounder and black sea bream, are caught only from the raft.
From the pier
The inn also has a private pier where you can fish facing the open sea.
⚠️ Before you fish, know these limits.
- Room fishing is for first-floor rooms only, according to the inn’s Q&A
- At low tide, rocks are exposed and fishing from your room gets harder. The inn suggests the raft instead
- The inn doesn’t recommend night fishing, because there are no lights
What You Can Catch
The inn lists these fish on its website:
| Fish | Where | When |
|---|---|---|
| Largescale blackfish (gure), scorpionfish (gashira), rockfish (mebaru), greenling (ainame) | Room or raft | All year |
| Flounder (karei and hirame), black sea bream (chinu), mullet (bora) | Raft only | All year |
| Mackerel (saba), Japanese whiting (kisu), horse mackerel (aji) | Raft only | May to September |
Source: Kairakuen’s official website, checked October 2026. Nothing is guaranteed.
Gear Rental and Fishing Times
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Fishing set: rod, rig and bait | ¥1,500 |
| Rod only (telescopic pole, no reel) | ¥600 |
| Rig only | ¥600 |
| Bait: rock worms or krill | ¥600 each |
| Ice | ¥300 |
Source: Kairakuen’s official website and Q&A, checked October 2026. Bait can sell out when the supplier runs short.
- Rental and bait sales start at 15:00
- Before check-in, you can fish from the raft from 13:00 if you bring your own gear and bait
- After check-out, you can keep fishing from the raft until noon
- You’re welcome to bring your own rod
Having Your Catch Cooked
Take your catch to the front desk by 17:30 if you want it cooked. The inn cooks about 2–3 fish per person, and it may not cook fish that are too small or not in good condition. It can also make a gyotaku, a traditional ink print of your fish, if you bring it by 20:00. The inn’s website doesn’t say whether cooking costs extra.
A note on raw fish
Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare warns that Anisakis larvae live in seafood such as mackerel, horse mackerel, sardines and squid. Eating them raw can cause severe stomach pain within hours. Freezing at −20°C for at least 24 hours, or cooking at 70°C or higher (or 60°C for 1 minute), kills them. Vinegar, salt, soy sauce and wasabi do not. Let the inn’s kitchen decide how to serve your catch.
Can I eat what I catch for dinner?
Yes, if you hand it to the front desk by 17:30. The inn cooks about two or three fish per person.
Hot Springs and Meals
| Bath | Hours |
|---|---|
| Indoor baths | 15:00–24:00 and 6:00–9:00 |
| Open-air bath (seawater mixed with hot spring water) | 15:00–19:00 |
| Private open-air bath (book after check-in) | 30 minutes from 19:30, free on dinner plans |
Source: Kairakuen’s Q&A and English website, checked October 2026. On breakfast-only and room-only plans, the private bath costs ¥2,000 for 30 minutes.
Dinner is a multi-course meal of Ise-Shima seafood, which the inn says features spiny lobster and abalone. Breakfast includes grilled or simmered fish.
Getting to Toba
From Nagoya
1 h 43 min · ¥3,410
Kintetsu limited express, direct to Toba
From Osaka-Namba
1 h 59 min · ¥4,100
Kintetsu limited express, direct to Toba
From Tokyo
3 h 36 min · ¥13,970
Shinkansen Nozomi to Nagoya, then the Kintetsu limited express
Source: Yahoo! Japan Transit, searched for Wednesday, October 21, 2026, around midday. IC card fares.
From Toba Station to the inn
The inn’s English website says it’s a 10-minute walk from Toba Station. Klook lists 800 m, about 13 minutes on foot.
The inn’s Q&A says that from September 1, 2026, its shuttle bus picks up guests once a day at 14:50 at Kintetsu Toba Station and drops them off at 10:30. For check-ins from January 12, 2027, there will be no shuttle bus. If you drive, there’s free parking for 25 cars.
Booking on Klook
Klook lists sea-view Japanese-style and Japanese-Western rooms, but it doesn’t say which floor they’re on. If you want to fish from your room, tell the inn after you book that you’d like a first-floor room. We can’t promise it will be available.
Klook’s policy section says children aren’t allowed, so book through Klook only if everyone in your group is an adult. The same section also lists check-in hours that don’t match the inn’s own site (check-in 15:00, check-out 10:00). Check the times on the booking page before you book.
Check Kairakuen on Klook →Paying at the inn
The inn accepts cash, credit cards and QR code payments. Toba’s lodging tax of ¥200 per person is paid at check-in, according to the inn. If you leave early in the morning, settle your bill by 17:00 the day before.
Does the inn speak English?
It has an English website, but we couldn’t confirm English-speaking staff. A translation app will help at the front desk.
What to Bring
🎒 Your packing list
- ☐ A short rod, if you have one. The rental rods are simple poles without reels
- ☐ A towel and clothes you don’t mind getting a little fishy
- ☐ A cooler bag if you want to take fish home
- ☐ A phone with data for translation and maps
For data on the road, see the best eSIM for fishing in Japan.
FAQ
QCan I fish from every room?
No. Only first-floor rooms allow fishing from the window. Guests on the second floor fish from the raft.
QDo I need a fishing license?
No. We found no license system for rod fishing in the sea in official sources. Follow the inn’s instructions. For more, see do you need a fishing license in Japan?
QCan I fish at night?
The inn doesn’t recommend it because there are no lights.
QCan I fish before check-in?
Yes, from 13:00 on the raft, with your own gear and bait.
QCan I bring children?
Not on a Klook booking. Klook’s policy section says children aren’t allowed at this hotel.
QIs there a shuttle?
One pickup a day at 14:50 from September 1, 2026, and none for check-ins from January 12, 2027.
QWhat fish can I catch from my room?
Largescale blackfish, scorpionfish, rockfish and greenling, all year, according to the inn.
Ready to Book?
If you want a lazy afternoon of fishing from your window, then a seafood dinner and a seawater bath, Kairakuen is an unusual stay near Ise and Toba. Book a first-floor room if you can.
