Onsen stays
Stayed in this newly opened (5 months old) 5-star onsen hotel in Beppu. Due to its location, it has panoramic views of the city and Beppu Bay below.
Onsen is sourced from nearby Kanawa onsen, though not as smooth as earlier onsens in this trip. Rotenburo also has nice views. Our room is spacious with a balcony (70 sqm).
After checkout on the next morning I drove eastward to Yufuin, about 160km away – D1 of using the KEP. Dropped by Hida town for breaks and lunch along the way. It was raining and probably snowing on the expressway. Snow was on mountains/trees but not on roads.
Went for Unagi and ordered Hitsumabushi-style – our fav on a cold day.
Strolled around the small town after lunch but not for long as it was cold around 2C and drizzling.
Returned to Yufuin (5th time) and had coffee in Snoopy Cafe again before checkin.
Checked into an onsen hotel in Yufuin – in a small mountainous area where onsen is in slight bluish colour (2nd stay) and also smooth for skin complexion ! Elsewhere in Yufuin onsen is transparent.
Booked an Italian dinner course for a break. The restaurant was in the onsen town so had to meander slowly downhill via narrow road allowing 1+ car to pass thru’.
Dinner was delicious using local and Italian sources. Apart from us it seemed there were other customers though seated in a separate room. Had more than enough privacy and good service.
checked out on the next morning with clear views of Mt Yufuin and head to Kunisaki Peninsula.
Before leaving Takeo onsen, we dropped by the Takeo gate (Chinese style).
Headed north to Okawachiyama (大川内山) in Imari (伊万里) – a famous porcelain town less than 1 hour by national road.
While we visited Arita – another porcelain town in Saga more than 2 years ago, this porcelain village is tucked inside mountains. At the entrance is the Nabeshima-Hanyobashi (Clan Kiln Bridge) decorated with porcelain. There are pottery workshops and store-fronts inside the village, easily visited on foot.
The small Nabeshima Oniwayakikan displayed some precious and beautiful wares, where the abdicated Heisei emperor and other Japanese royal family have visited.
Next we headed further north to coastal town Karatsu for lunch, also dropped by the renovated Karatsu Castle.
Finally we returned to our next onsen ryokan in Ureshino where we stayed 2 years ago. One of its annexed ryokan (15 min drive) has a large rotenburo by a mountain stream. We soaked in it before having dinner. The onsen was also smooth and good for skin complexion.
Dinner was sumptuous as expected. The ryokan is famous of its in-house “yu-tofu” (tofu in soup). The pot of yellow Ume (plum) on my back was fragrant.
Visited northern Kyushu for 1 week to enjoy onsens in winter and sightseeing (6th visit). Picked up rental car upon landing at Fukuoka airport.
In my planning, have budgeted to buy a 6-day KEP @JPY7.6k for the entire car rental period. However during car pick-up, the car rental staff advised that it’s possible to activate the KEP at a later date, thus saving 2 days and paid JPY5.6K for the last 4 days. On the first two days (national holidays), toll fees were charged at 30% less using ETC card.
Arrived at Takeo onsen town about 85km away in 1 hour+, expressway was less busy after passing by Tosu IC. Before checkin we dropped by a cosy coffee house. Apart from us, another local couple were chatting while locals were buying cakes/bread.
When we first stepped into the lobby, we took a step back – we thought we went to the wrong place. It was dark though decorated by lightings akin to teamLab.
Nice, renovated rotenburo and onsen was nice to skin complexion. Selected dinner course serving Saga A5 beef and seafood. Room and onsen areas where refurbished with a tint of modern design. Overall it was a nice stay. Service was meticulous and sincere.
After check out on next morning, we visited the Mifune-Rakuen (with free entrance as overnight guests). It was built over 150 years ago by the 28th Nabeshima Lord in Saga. It has an area of 50 thousand square metres below a cliff.
Though it was in winter, we walked around the garden in about 1 hour. Some red Tsubaki (Camelia) was in full bloom.
Stayed in this historical ryokan in Naka Senbon of Yoshinoyama. Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣 秀吉) had stayed more than 400 years ago for sakura in its landscape garden. The utensil that he used – cha bento was on display.
Later when we were staying in another onsen hotel in Nara/Tenri, a documentary by a local Nara TV mentioned that the recent three generations of Japanese emperors had also stayed. The room that they had stayed with views of the landscape garden, historical artifacts were shown in that program.
Note that the onsen served in that ryokan is not sourced locally but transported from nearby onsen.
Stayed in Koroukan (鴻朧館) – an annex hotel of Gekkoen (月光園) in Arima onsen for the second time (3rd time for my wife). Having stayed in plenty of traditional ryokans, we prefer to stay in modern onsen hotels/ryokans from time to time.
Picked a Semi-suite room of 31 sqm with dinner serving Kuroge-wagyu. Turned out it was a right call. Apart from being spacious and on high floor, peak koyo was right outside the window.
Before dinner, we soaked in public onsen (as usual) in both ryokans. Views from the rotenburo in Koroukan was nice, though it was less gorgeous (on lower floor) than from our suite. On the other hand, the rotenburo in the main ryokan was on the other side of the valley, accessible by a short bridge. This is akin to Kurokawa onsen in Kyushu.
After breakfast, we strolled around both ryokans and the onsen town again before checking out. Took express bus to Kyoto station direct in 1+ hour.
3rd stay in Yufuin onsen.
Picked this luxurious onsen resort for spacious flat with ensuite onsen, and open deck for distant views of Mt Yufu.
Sumptuous Kaiseki dinner, professional service.
2nd stay in Kurakawa onsen.
Picked this onsen ryokan for its famous and huge Senin rotenburo (onsen for fairies). Kashikiri onsen (private use) is free though on a first-come-first-served basis.
Kaiseki dinner course. Service was less impressive.
Stayed in Iya onsen hotel, which is perched on a cliff overlooking a deep valley below. Its rotenburo is 170m downhill connected by a private cable car. Koyo was at peak in the valley below.
Sumptous Kaiseki dinner served with local river fish Amego, grilled Tokushima beef and abalone etc.
Our room #503 Aioi, means couple growing old together, has an ensuite rotenburo. As the public rotenburo (downhill) was just lukewarm, we soaked in our own rotenburo on next morning prior to breakfast.
Stayed in this onsen hotel of more than 70 years in Hitoyoshi, with room overlooking the Hitoyoshi castle ruins and Kumagawa. Nice Kaiseki dinner was served.
