Tanegashima Iwasaki Hotel Deluxe Twin Room

#EmotionalAccommodation Day 2 of our 3-night, 4-day Kagoshima trip: A 40-minute flight from Kagoshima Airport, then a 40-minute taxi ride to Tanegashima Airport. This beachfront resort is a must-visit for Japanese families with children on summer vacation. All rooms have ocean views and balconies, with standard rooms starting at 45 square meters and going up to the Deluxe Room. With approximately 70 rooms, nine per floor from the 3rd to the 8th floor, this is a premier hotel in Tanegashima. Iwasaki Hotel also operates in Yakushima and Ibusuki. I heard from a friend from Kagoshima that this is a local brand hotel, a source of pride for the locals. Tanegashima has virtually no public transportation, and aside from the Nishinoomote area, it's a remote island close to Shigoru. A rental car is essential, and for backpackers like me, it's not easy to get there without a specific purpose. There's nothing within 4 kilometers of the hotel, save for the space center itself. One of my reasons for coming to the island was to visit the space center. So, I booked this hotel, about a 10-minute walk away. There's no hotel shuttle, so the only way to get there is by taxi. The one-way fare from the airport is 9,000 yen. You can also get to the island from Nishinoomote Port, which costs 16,000 yen. If you make a reservation in advance via phone or Line, you can use a local taxi. It costs 1,600 yen + 300 yen, requires one transfer, and takes about two hours. However, I missed the reservation deadline. It was absolutely impossible to get one on-site, so I had no choice but to take a regular taxi on my way back. The next day, I booked the airport transfer via Line, using the reverse fare of 300 yen + 1,600 yen. I got a room on the 7th floor. Stepping out onto the balcony, you can enjoy the breeze and the sound of the crashing waves. There are two outdoor pools. The hotel has a private beach and a swimming pool, but there are no lifeguards on duty, so the hotel cannot take responsibility for them. Guests seem to use the outdoor pool, while the ocean seems to be occupied by surfing students and locals. Surfing is included in the hotel's activities, and equipment rentals are available. I rented a bicycle, but there are no electric bikes. It's a regular bike, so the uphill and downhill sections are endless. I rented it for two hours, but I was exhausted after only 30 minutes and had to return it. 🤣 Except for the hotel itself, there's no food around. Including dinner, the price difference is about 7,000 yen, so I only booked breakfast. You can make a reservation at the restaurant upon check-in, so I reserved a table and ordered on-site, which included two nama (Korean traditional tea) drinks for around 3,500 yen. At 9:00 PM, all the hotel staff leave, and the hotel plunges into darkness, devoid of amenities. The night is filled with the sound of rough waves and the stars. I go to bed around 10:00 PM. At 5 o'clock, the hotel building's pink hue seeps into the clouds. Although the sky is cloudy, the pink clouds reflecting the sunlight and the sea create a spectacular scene, as if sprinkled with pink muhly. It's as if I'm watching a live-action version of 5 Centimeters Per Second, which is set here. It's a dazzlingly beautiful morning in Tanegashima. I laze around in my room until 8 o'clock and then head to breakfast. Since I'm leaving for the space center by 10 o'clock, I take advantage of the morning. I enjoy a leisurely breakfast, taking in the breathtaking view of the beach and rocks. After checking out, I leave my luggage and head to the space center. Since I had already explored the area by bike the day before, I walk there just in time. After the tour, I pick up my luggage and board the Minamitate shared taxi I'd reserved. Thank you.