Welcome to your home away from home on Ōmishima island! “Benton Guesthouse” is a former abandoned ‘akiya’ that we’ve lovingly renovated into our Shōwa-era private guesthouse vacation rental. You can experience slow life in the ‘inaka’ Japanese countryside. Just minutes from the Shimanami Kaido bridge network spanning the Seto sea.
Coming up on our year of operation in 2027, we’ve been happy to host over 350 guest groups, including over 1,000 guests! We’re happy to be’ve been recognized with AirBnB Superhost status, as well as the ‘Gold Level’ Guest Favorite. We are currently the only rental listing on the Shimanami Kaido islands to earn Top 1% Guest Favorite! We’ve also received the Traveller Review award on Booking, and recently joined the Preferred Partner Program, which is by invitation only.
Stay with us! Benton Guesthouse is on these reservation platforms:
Benton Guesthouse is a true Shōwa-era style countryside home. Built in 1953 with traditional Japanese joinery, this house was formerly an ‘akiya’ abandoned for 10 years. Many of the antique belongings were carefully restored and used to decorate this house. We hope guests will enjoy stepping back in time, with a few modern amenities. The furnishings are simple, era-appropriate, and true to the history of the home.
This is a true private full-house rental, so there are no “shared spaces”. We only rent to one group of guests at a time. If you are a solo traveler, or a large group, the whole house is private just for you.
We’re attentive hosts, but we do not live on-site. Our house is just around the corner, so we’re easily available when needed. We enjoy meeting guests, and have a lot of love for Ōmishima and the surrounding area, so we’re happy to answer questions! We help almost all of our guests by making restaurant reservations in advance, so they’re sure to have a delicious meal after a long day cycling. Our ‘ryokan’ license ensures that we can rent to guests 365 days a year.
Ōmishima is essentially the center of the Shimanami Kaido, making it a perfect location for cyclists. It’s a great halfway point for an overnight stay. Or even better, stay in our guesthouse as a base for exploration of Ōmishima and neighboring islands, over multiple relaxed days. Some fun day-trips include cycling to the Setoda neighborhood on Ikuchijima, cycling to the viewpoint on Hakatajima, and of course, taking the nearby ferry to Rabbit Island to feed the bunnies.
We’re in the process of renovating the building next-door to Benton Guesthouse into a retro shop and tiny taco kitchen. The former garage building needs a lot of work to bring it back to life, but we hope to have a soft opening over winter 2026, with a grand opening spring 2027. We currently have a small assortment of vintage items listed online, but once the shop is open, it will be stocked full of cool stuff from the 1940s to the 1980s. We will also serve a small Mexican food menu, including our homemade salsa with homegrown tomatillos and spicy peppers. Coming soon!
We’ve been documenting the entire remodeling process on our YouTube channel and our photo blog, so you can watch us bring this ‘akiya’ back to life! We have the blessing of the former owner’s son, who was the only child to grow up in the house; he’s now an elder who still lives in the neighborhood. We’re doing our best to honor this home’s history, while solidifying its place in Ōmishima’s future.
Benton Guesthouse maintains a 5-star rating across all platforms:
Location: Ōmishima island, Imabari, Ehime, Japan.
Neighborhood: Kamiura-cho Inokuchi. We are located close to the Tatara Bridge, and Ōmishima Bridge. Our neighborhood has some delightful restaurants within 10 to 15 minute walking distance. We’re happy to make reservations for you!
Address (English): 2290 Kamiura-cho Inokuchi, Imabari-shi, Ehime-ken 794-1402
Address (Japanese): 〒794-1402 愛媛県今治市上浦町井口2290
Private Groups: You can enjoy the whole house, with a group of 1 to 10 guests.
Bedrooms: 1 Western-style bedroom suite (double bed), 2.5 Japanese-style bedrooms (10 futon floor mat beds), fully equipped kitchen, living room, bathroom (bathtub and shower room, laundry room, 2 toilet rooms), ‘doma’ entrance room, and traditional ‘engwa’. The whole house is private for you.
Parking: Our driveway has parking for 1 or 2 vehicles. We have outside covered space for bicycle storage.
Watch Benton Guesthouse renovation from the very beginning: