[Fukuoka] Go on a relaxing girls' trip. 6 Recommended Hotels and ryokan for Sightseeing in Chikugo

Even if you have never been to Fukuoka, you may have heard the name "Chikugogawa" at least once. The Chikugo River is the largest river in Kyushu that flows slowly through the southern part of Fukuoka. Heading south from Fukuoka City, across the Chikugo River is an area called "Chikugo". You'll find lush green mountains, pleasant riverside scenery and idyllic countryside.

Sightseeing in the Chikugo area is full of attractions, such as water sightseeing "kawakudari" in Yanagawa, fruit picking in Kurume, and walking around the town of Yame admiring the traditional white-walled buildings. After enjoying sightseeing that is typical of Chikugo, which is rich in nature, why not stay at a relaxing and soothing inn and enjoy "Chikugo time" to the fullest? This time, we will introduce some relaxing inns that we recommend for sightseeing in the Chikugo area.

NIPPONIA HOTEL Yame Fukushima Shokamachi is a decentralized hotel that opened in 2020 in Yame, Fukushima, where white-walled streets remain. Take a Nishitetsu bus from JR Kurume Station, take a leisurely 40-minute ride, and get off at Nishitojinmachi. From there, it's about a 10-minute walk. The hotel, which was renovated from an old house, blends into the old streets of Yame and is full of atmosphere. The hotel is based on the concept of Yame tea, known for its high-quality gyokuro green tea.

The guest room building was renovated from former sake breweries and tea storehouses scattered around town. You can feel the depth of history in the beams and ceilings, and you can immerse yourself in an extraordinary experience. There are no televisions or clocks in any of the rooms. It might be nice to spend some quiet time every once in a while, feeling like you've traveled back in time.

The rooms are equipped with authentic Yame tea, tea leaves to float in the cypress bathtub and enjoy a tea bath, colorful yukata robes, organic amenities, and other carefully selected items. After changing into your yukata, make some tea and take a break. Your soul will be soothed by this gentle time.

meal are served in a restaurant renovated from a sake brewery. The high ceilings and earthen walls create a tasteful space. Dinner is creative cuisine made with local ingredients. The menu includes items unique to Yame, a tea-producing region, such as those made using tea leaves extracted to extract flavor. You can also enjoy tea pairings and tea cocktails.

"Funagoya onsen Hotel Higuchiken" is a onsen inn located on the banks of the Yabe River. It is about an 8-minute taxi ride from "Chikugo Funagoya" Station on the Kyushu Shinkansen or JR, and is close to the Shinkansen station, so it is very accessible. It is conveniently located as a base for sightseeing in places like "Yame" and "Funagoya onsen." It is also nice to walk to the inn through the large park along the river instead of using a car from the station.

All rooms have a balcony. It's nice to sit by the window with friends and enjoy chatting while watching the river flow. The rooms are decorated with a modern Japanese interior, creating a calm atmosphere. Try changing into a yukata, lie down on the tatami mats, and relax to relieve your mental fatigue.

Relax in the hot springs at the open observation baths overlooking the clear waters of the Yabe River and relieve the fatigue of your travels in an instant. The onsen are open late at night and early in the morning, so you can enjoy a blissful time at any time you like, such as after a long night of chatting or before heading out in the morning.

In this stylish and relaxed restaurant decorated with traditional Yame paper and bamboo crafts, you can enjoy creative Japanese cuisine based on bonito stock and soy sauce. For dinner, we serve a full course of Japanese cuisine that is also beautifully presented. Conversation with friends will be even more lively with this delicious food.

After getting off at Nishitetsu Yanagawa Station, walk for about 15 minutes while admiring the scenery of the castle town, and you will see the modern exterior of Hakuryuso. The Japanese garden, which changes its appearance with each season, can be seen from all rooms, the restaurant, and the wooden deck, and you will feel soothed by the greenery no matter where you are in the inn.

There are 20 rooms in total, mostly Japanese-style rooms, all with garden views. Some rooms can accommodate up to seven people, so they are recommended for large group trips. Spending time relaxing together in a tatami room is something you can only do on a trip. Relax while gazing at the garden and have some girl talk.

For dinner, enjoy local ingredients and seafood from the Ariake Sea. Depending on the season, you can enjoy dishes unique to this area, such as a course that allows you to taste the flavors of the Ariake Sea, such as "mutsugoro" and "kuzoko (flounder)," or a course that features Yanagawa's specialty eel. This is especially recommended for those who are interested in local cuisine.

When you wake up in the morning, head to the bright restaurant overlooking the garden. Start your day with a breakfast made with local ingredients. Even if you stay up late the night before and feel a bit sluggish, having breakfast here will put you in the right mood to go out.

Hatago is a charming inn that was renovated from an old house built over 80 years ago. It is about a 10-minute walk from Yanagawa Station on the Nishitetsu private railway line. The first floor has a lobby, dining room, and shared bath and toilet, while the second floor has only three Japanese-style rooms, making it a cozy place where you can feel as if you were back home. You'll want to take a look at the attention to detail scattered throughout the building, such as the Japanese chests and retro decorations.

Only three groups are allowed to stay per day. The rooms, with their tatami mats, sliding doors, and shoji screens, give the feeling of being transported back in time. Because it is a traditional Japanese house, you can't have a lively girls' night out late into the night, but it might be a wonderful night where you can whisper and share secret stories that you normally wouldn't be able to share.

Although it is an inn that has a sense of history, the bathrooms have been beautifully and stylishly renovated. It's nice to be able to enjoy the best of both worlds: the atmosphere of travel and modern comfort.

Breakfast is served in the dining area on the first floor. The well-balanced Japanese breakfast, based on one soup and three side dishes, is healthy and gently soothes the stomach and intestines that may be tired after a succession of delicious meals. After enjoying breakfast in a homely atmosphere, you'll naturally find yourself saying "I'm off" when it's time to leave.

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"Tennen Denen Onsen Fukahoritei" is a renovated old house located in a rural landscape. It is about 5 to 10 minutes by car from the nearest JR and private Nishitetsu stations. The building was renovated from the Edo period, and the old beams, pillars, earthen floors and earthen walls remain, giving a sense of how it has been cherished for a long time and making you feel a sense of gentleness. The smooth hot spring onsen, which flows directly from the source, and meal made with organic vegetables are also popular.

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All the rooms are detached and scattered across the vast grounds of about 13,000m2. You can enjoy a girls' trip without worrying about the people around you. Natural materials are used abundantly on the walls and other parts, so you will be gently enveloped in their warmth even inside the rooms.

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Each room has an open-air bath and an indoor bath with natural hot spring water, which is truly luxurious. You can enjoy the hot onsen all to yourself while feeling the cool outside air. It feels like time is passing more slowly than usual.

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meal at "Tennen Denen Onsen Fukahoritei" are made with local ingredients and contain no additives. They're filling and healthy, which is great. The vegetables are grown on the inn's own farm, and for breakfast they serve eggs from chickens raised on the premises. Just imagining that the eggs might be from the chickens that crowed this morning is a unique pleasure of this inn surrounded by nature.

It is about a 10-minute taxi ride from Nishitetsu Yanagawa Station. "Yanagawa Tachibana Residence Ohana" is a splendid Japanese-style inn and ryokan that was originally the villa of the Tachibana family, the feudal lords of Yanagawa. The magnificent garden, "Shotoen Garden," is also designated as a national scenic spot. You can also enjoy meal at the restaurant, where you can enjoy seasonal ingredients from Chikugo, such as seafood from Ariake.

There are both Japanese and Western-style rooms, and from each one you can see the lush Shotoen or Higashi Teien gardens. You'll want to sit by the window and gaze out at the view forever. Each room has a bath, but you can also use the natural onsen observation bath at the nearby ryokan Kanpo no Yado Yanagawa. It's also nice to go for a walk around the town of Yanagawa and relax in onsen.

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For breakfast, start your day off right with nori seaweed from the Ariake Sea and soft, melty tofu cooked in carbonated water. You can also enjoy Yanagawa's local delicacy, "steamed eel," for lunch. Plumply steamed eel in a bamboo steamer is topped with a special sauce, and the fragrant aroma will whet your appetite the moment you open the lid.

At night, the cultural asset "Ohiroma" is open to guests only. Shotoen Garden is lit up, creating a fantastic view before your eyes. It might be nice to just relax and enjoy the view without saying a word, and enjoy the special time and space.

We have introduced recommended lodgings where you should definitely stay when sightseeing in the Fukuoka and Chikugo areas. Surrounded by beautiful nature, enjoying local cuisine and chatting with close friends will help you relieve your daily fatigue and frustrations. Why not invite your close friends and spend some time relaxing in Chikugo?