静 — THE SHIZUKA EXPERIENCE
A Japanese welcome, from the very first moment.
Australia's only ryokan, set in the bushland of Hepburn Springs. There are two ways to experience Shizuka: an overnight stay, or a day immersed in the Japanese bathing ritual or treatments. Each offers its own complete experience.
静での過ごし方 — TWO JOURNEYS
Two ways to arrive
One is for a night or more. One is for a day. Both a complete Japanese experience.
Staying at Shizuka
The Sample Stay Experience
A stay at a ryokan follows a different rhythm. Tatami beneath your feet, a low table for tea, a garden beyond the window, and a deep bath to sink into slowly. Arrive in the afternoon, slip into a yukata, and let the day unfold at its own pace. There is nowhere to be unless you choose to be.
| 2.00pm | Arrive — welcome green tea & matcha shortbreads |
| 4.00pm | The Japanese Bath — the hinoki bath, wash first, then a long, hot soak |
| 5.00pm | Massage — perhaps shiatsu or aromatherapy |
| 6.15pm | Omakase dinner — one seating, the chef’s menu from the day |
| Evening | Your room — the futon laid while you dined, the garden beyond the shoji |
| 8.30am | Breakfast — teishoku |
| 11.00am | Check-out — unhurried, when you’re ready |
A day visit
The Sample Day Experience
No overnight stay required. Spend a few quiet hours immersed in the Japanese bathing ritual, a spa treatment or perhaps yoga and meditation, followed by green tea. The ryokan, distilled into an afternoon. Many guests staying in Daylesford or Hepburn Springs return regularly.
| On arrival | Reception — a warm welcome |
| 4.00pm | The Japanese Bath — the hinoki bath, wash first, then a long, hot soak |
| 5.00pm | Massage — perhaps shiatsu or aromatherapy |
| After treatment | Relax — with Green tea & matcha shortbreads |
| 6.15pm | Omakase dinner — one seating, the chef’s menu from the day |
静旅館の想い — OUR STORY
The name Shizuka means quiet.
Not silence, but the kind of quiet that settles when life slows to its natural pace.
Shizuka was created to bring the traditions of a Japanese ryokan to Australia. Not by recreating Japan, but by embracing the values that have shaped ryokan for centuries: thoughtful simplicity, genuine hospitality, and time to slow down.
Here, days are measured differently. You bathe before dinner, wander the garden in a yukata, sleep on futons laid over tatami, and wake to a traditional Japanese breakfast. Nothing is hurried. Nothing asks you to hurry.
At the heart of Shizuka is our team. They welcome guests in the spirit of omotenashi—the Japanese tradition of wholehearted hospitality. It isn’t formal or theatrical. It is simply the quiet satisfaction of caring well for another person. A warm greeting at the door. Tea waiting in your room. A bath prepared for your arrival. Dinner served at an unhurried pace. The small acts of care that allow you to stop thinking about the details and simply enjoy being here.
Food is part of that same welcome. Our Japanese chefs cook with the seasons, preparing meals that are nourishing, balanced and deeply satisfying. There is no need for unnecessary complexity or showmanship. Just honest ingredients, treated with respect and served with generosity. It is the kind of food that leaves you feeling cared for.
Outside, the garden follows its own rhythm. Cherry blossoms signal the arrival of spring. Japanese maples glow crimson and gold in autumn. Between them, moss, stone, water and evergreen trees offer something beautiful in every season. With just six guest rooms, a traditional outdoor hinoki bath and a dining room that welcomes only a small number of guests each evening, Shizuka has remained intentionally intimate, allowing every stay to feel personal.
If you leave with a little of what the Japanese call yasuragi—a deep, settled sense of calm that stays with you long after you’ve gone—then we have shared something of what a ryokan has always been.
お客様からの声 — WHAT GUESTS SAY
What guests say
It was an amazing experience. Japanese style hotel (Ryokan) in Australian nature. The room was very clean and the huge bath was very impressive! There are beautiful handmade bath salts, lavender soaps as well. We can’t forget lovely staff members’ Omotenashi( hospitality).
— Setsuko
Would love to come back again
Booked a little getaway for my birthday and it was honestly one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had. We started with a 1-hour hot spa bath, followed by a 1-hour deep tissue massage—everything from start to finish was just perfect. The place itself is absolutely beautiful, and the massage was incredible. Highly recommend!
— S H
The meal was superb especially in regional Victoria and was very reasonably priced. Service was excellent, personal and professional. Presentation of the dishes were on par with the best fine dine in Melbourne.
— Check
Highly recommended. We will be back for the summer menu