Lovely Stays at 15 Ryokan in the Famed Kurokawa Onsen - a Must for Adult Getaways
Kurokawa onsen in Kumamoto is onsen with around 30 ryokan lined up around the Tanohara River. Each ryokan has different spring water, making it an irresistible place for onsen lovers. The townscape has a uniform and tranquil atmosphere, making it perfect for a relaxing trip for adults. In this article, we will introduce a carefully selected ryokan recommended for adult trips to Kurokawa onsen.
table of contents
Coordinator for this trip
I best!
koji
Editor in charge of the icotto editors
I'm an editor from Kumamoto. Kurokawa onsen is one of my favorite places. I'll introduce you to some great ryokan.
*The information listed is current as of July 2024. Please check the official website for the latest information when making a reservation.
Yamamizuki is ryokan located at the foot of the Kuju mountain range, a short distance from Kurokawa onsen town. It boasts an open-air bath with a spectacular view along a mountain stream. The Tanohara River flows right next to the open-air bath, allowing you to feel at ease as you blend into nature. The water is a sodium chloride sulfate spring that is said to be effective against neuralgia and muscle pain. The indoor bath reminiscent of an old-style house and the private bath made of cypress are also attractive. After touring the baths, you can relax in a Japanese-style room or a Japanese-Western style room and forget the hustle and bustle of the city.
GALLERY
Read reviews from guests who stayed here
The room was quiet and the view of the trees along the stream from the window was lovely.
There are lots of bathrooms, which is great!
meal is delicious and the value for money is good.
Detailed information
Kurokawa onsen Yamamizuki
Kumamoto /Aso, Kurokawa onsen / ryokan
- address
- Kumamoto 6392-2, Manganji, Minami-Oguni-machi, Aso-gun
- access
- About 70 minutes from Oita Expressway Hita IC on National Route 212 toward Kumamoto Aso / About 10 minutes by car from Kurokawa onsen bus stop (reservation required)
ryokan Ichinoi is a 5-7 minute walk from the center of Kurokawa onsen. It is recommended for those who want to relax in nature and those who want to stroll around onsen town. There are traditional Japanese-style rooms and modern Japanese-Western style rooms, so you can relax in the room of your choice. onsen is a sulfur spring that has a soft texture and a unique scent. The temperature is slightly warm, about 40-42°C. Relax in it and relieve your body's fatigue. There is also an open-air bath made of mountain stones, where you can spend a luxurious time while feeling the nature.
GALLERY
Read reviews from guests who stayed here
I was traveling alone, but the room was spacious (10 tatami mats) and I had a comfortable stay. (Omitted) The price was also reasonable for Kurokawa onsen, and I would definitely recommend it to people who don't like small rooms.
Detailed information
Kurokawa onsen ryokan Ichinoi
Kumamoto /Aso, Kurokawa onsen / ryokan
- address
- Kumamoto 6630-1 Manganji, Minami-Oguni Town, Aso-gun
- access
- About 1 hour by car from Hita Station or Aso Station, or by car from Hita IC
Shinmeikan is a long-established ryokan founded in 1902. It is located in the center of Kurokawa onsen town, making it the perfect base for exploring. The famous cave bath was hand-dug by the owner over a period of about 10 years! There is also an open-air bath where the water sometimes appears cobalt blue, and a spacious family bath where you can have the bath all to yourself. For dinner, enjoy ingredients that have long been loved in the area, such as fish and wild vegetables. Enjoy onsen and meal to soothe your daily fatigue.
GALLERY
source
2nd photo: Posted by Clint Higashigi (https://4travel.jp/dm_hotel-10219621/pict)
Comments from icotto editors
Detailed information
Kurokawa Shinmeikan onsen
Kumamoto /Aso, Kurokawa onsen / ryokan
- address
- Kumamoto 6608 Manganji, Minami-Oguni-machi, Aso-gun
- access
- From Tosu JCT to Oita Expressway. 1 hour from Hita IC to Kurokawa
Kurokawa Onsen onsen Okunoyu is located along the upper reaches of the Tanohara River. It is a quiet and comfortable ryokan where you can feel the murmuring of the river and nature. The 6,690m2 site is dotted with nine types of baths, including an open-air bath, a large bath, a cave bath, and a private bath, so you can enjoy bathing in all nine of them. All nine types of baths are natural hot springs. There are 26 guest rooms, each with a different atmosphere, including a detached building surrounded by bamboo with a semi-open-air bath. The inn offers views of the four seasons, from deep greenery to autumn leaves to snowy landscapes, so you can enjoy a day out walking or soaking in onsen.
GALLERY
Comments from icotto editors
Detailed information
Kurokawa onsen Okunoyu
Kumamoto /Aso, Kurokawa onsen / ryokan
- address
- Kumamoto 6567 Manganji, Minami-Oguni Town, Aso County
- access
- [Car] About 100 minutes from Kumamoto IC, about 60 minutes from Hita IC. About 70 minutes from Yufuin IC.
Ryokan Sanga is located in a forest of oak trees, a little way from onsen town. You can truly relax surrounded by beautiful nature. The hot spring water is directly drawn from the hotel's own source, and you can enjoy two types of water: Yakushi no Yu (simple sulfur spring) and Bishou no Yu (sodium chloride, bicarbonate, sulfate spring). There are seven types of baths, so you can enjoy the hot onsen to your heart's content, bathing in different baths. After onsen, try some authentic Japanese cuisine. You can enjoy seasonal flavors made with local ingredients, such as "Aso Akagyu beef" and Kumamoto's specialty "horse sashimi."
GALLERY
source
1st photo: Posted by Kishiyume (https://4travel.jp/dm_hotel-10038665/pict)
2nd photo: Posted by Eriko (https://4travel.jp/dm_hotel-10038665/pict)
3rd photo: Posted by hamamoooooo (https://tabelog.com/rvwr/004909237/visited_restaurants/list)
Read reviews from guests who stayed here
There are many tasteful baths with two different spring qualities, and it's hard to decide which one to take, so it's nice that there are free private baths available.
Detailed information
Kurokawa onsen Ryokan Sanga
Kumamoto /Aso, Kurokawa onsen / ryokan
- address
- Kumamoto 6961-1, Manganji, Minami-Oguni-machi, Aso-gun
- access
- 50 minutes by bus from Aso Station
"Yukyou no Hibiki Yuusai" is ryokan located in the center of onsen town. The guest rooms have a modern Japanese atmosphere, combining the comfort of a Japanese-style room with the ease of use of a Western-style room. There are various baths in the building, and the atmosphere changes completely depending on the location. "Bamboo Forest Bath" is a bath surrounded by a bamboo forest. It is lit up at night, creating a fantastical atmosphere. The natural onsen and beautiful scenery will soothe your tired mind. The hotel also has a wide range of facilities ◎ You can relax in your favorite place, such as karaoke, a bar, or a library.
GALLERY
Read reviews from guests who stayed here
There are two private baths, each with a different atmosphere.
For our family, the private bath at Suginoyu was great because it had the warmth of wood!
Detailed information
Sound of Kurokawa Onsen onsen Yusai
Kumamoto /Aso, Kurokawa onsen / ryokan
- address
- Kumamoto 6554 Aza Kitakurokawa, Manganji, Minami-Oguni Town, Aso County
- access
- About 50 minutes by bus bound for Beppu from Aso Station on the JR Hohi Line Get off at Kurokawa onsen and walk 10 minutes
Hozantei is ryokan located at the very top of Kurokawa onsen. All of the guest rooms on the extensive grounds are luxurious detached buildings with both open-air and indoor baths. All rooms have 100% natural hot spring onsen, so you can enjoy your private time without worrying about others. Another attraction is the choice of room to suit your taste, from a Japanese-style room reminiscent of an old folk house to a Japanese-Western room with a view of the star-filled sky from the ceiling windows. The food and hospitality are also comfortable, making for a luxurious stay.
GALLERY
Comments from icotto editors
Detailed information
Kurokawa onsen headwater inn Hozantei (detached lodging)
Kumamoto /Aso, Kurokawa onsen / ryokan
- address
- Kumamoto Minami-Oguni Town, Aso County Higashioku Kurokawa onsen 6346
- access
- About 50 minutes from Hita IC on the Oita Expressway Shuttle service available (conditions apply) *Shuttle bus to Kurokawa onsen bus stop (prior reservation required)
With a thatched roof, hearth, and thick wooden beams, Ikoi ryokan is ryokan that has preserved the traditional Japanese scenery. The water is a free-flowing spring containing salt, sulfur, and hydrogen sulfide. You can enjoy a wide variety of 13 types of baths, including beauty baths and foot baths. The standing bath is an unusual style of onsen that is about 1.5 meters deep. Enjoy the feeling of floating in onsen while holding on to a bamboo pole. The food is a Japanese kaiseki meal made with seasonal local ingredients. You can enjoy Aso's "Akagyu" beef and wild sweetfish from Oita.
GALLERY
Read reviews from guests who stayed here
It was my first time experiencing a standing bath supported by two bamboo stalks. The foot bath and hearth in front of the entrance were also very atmospheric.
Detailed information
Kurokawa onsen Ikoi ryokan
Kumamoto /Aso, Kurokawa onsen / ryokan
- address
- Kumamoto Kawabata Street, Minamioguni Town, Aso District, onsen Prefecture
- access
- About 1 hour by car/bus from Aso Station on the JR Hohi Main Line
Located in Kurokawa onsen town, Oyado Noshiyu is ryokan where you can enjoy a stay as if you were living in the country. There are 11 guest rooms, all with their own unique features, such as lofts, tea rooms, and courtyards. You can spend a relaxing time in your room, of course, but you can also take a break in the courtyard with its hearth, or enjoy tea in the lovely coffee shop with its antique wood. The dinner menu changes monthly, so you can enjoy seasonal dishes. You can also look forward to the open-air baths and private baths.
GALLERY
Read reviews from guests who stayed here
The best thing was the private bath. If it was available, you could use it whenever you wanted. The indoor bath, which you can use all night, was so comfortable that I ended up soaking in it until late at night.
Detailed information
Kurokawa onsen Inn Noshiyu
Kumamoto /Aso, Kurokawa onsen / ryokan
- address
- Kumamoto 6591-1 Manganji, Minami-Oguni Town, Aso-gun
- access
- Two and a half hours from Fukuoka Airport and one and a half hours from Kumamoto Airport by car. Bus service available (Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Oita) Free shuttle to the bus stop for those who come by bus
Sato no Yu Waraku warmly welcomes all visitors with its thatched roof mountain gate. The main building of a traditional Japanese house, built about 180 years ago and relocated from Niigata, is wonderful, and you can enjoy your stay with the feeling of having traveled back in time. All guest rooms have a semi-open-air hot onsen bath, which can be transformed into an open-air bath by opening the window. The outside air comes in and it feels cool and refreshing. On cold days, you can close the window and bathe while the air is still warm. In the evening, you can enjoy a drink in the bar lounge and think about today's trip.
GALLERY
Comments from icotto editors
Detailed information
Kurokawa Onsen Satonoyu onsen
Kumamoto /Aso, Kurokawa onsen / ryokan
- address
- Kumamoto 6351-1 Manganji, Minami-Oguni Town, Aso-gun
- access
- ■ 60 minutes from Kyushu Odan Expressway Hita IC ■ 60 minutes from Yufuin IC ■ 70 minutes from Kumamoto Airport ■ 100 minutes from Oita Airport ■ 150 minutes from Fukuoka city
Oyado Nonohana is located in a quiet area a short distance from Kurokawa onsen. ryokan with its old interiors is a space where you can feel nostalgic and warm. The open-air bath "Ginnezu no Yu" with a view of the mountain stream, and the indoor bath "Hinoki Bark no Yu" with ashlar stone baths and tub baths are attractive. All six of the two rooms have open-air baths. It is perfect for couples and families who want to spend time without getting in the water. Dinner is served in a private meal room. Kaiseki cuisine made with plenty of local ingredients allows you to enjoy the taste of Aso. Breakfast is also a Japanese set meal using seasonal vegetables. Let's enjoy the bath and food and spend a relaxing time.
GALLERY
Read reviews from guests who stayed here
There are only eight rooms on the vast property. Because each room has its own bath, you won't meet anyone in the large open-air bath, and you will hardly ever meet anyone inside the hotel either.
Detailed information
Kurokawa onsen Oyado Nonohana
Kumamoto /Aso/ ryokan
- address
- Kumamoto 6375-2 Manganji, Minami-Oguni Town, Aso-gun
- access
- About 5 minutes by car from the center of Kurokawa onsen. Shuttle service to the onsen town is available (free). Please enjoy Kurokawa's specialty "Yu Meguri".
Yamabiko Ryokan is located in the middle of nature in Kurokawa. You can spend a quiet and relaxing time feeling the nature in the open-air bath, the largest in Kurokawa onsen, and six private baths, each with its own unique character. Enjoy the beauty baths to your heart's content. There are Japanese-style rooms and Japanese-Western style rooms, both of which have tatami mats where you can stretch your legs and relax. There are also rooms that can accommodate large groups, so you can choose a room that suits your travel needs. For dinner, we serve kaiseki cuisine centered around local ingredients such as horse meat tataki and beef from Kumamoto. Please enjoy your meal at your leisure in a private room.
GALLERY
Comments from icotto editors
Detailed information
Kurokawa onsen Yamabiko Ryokan
Kumamoto /Aso, Kurokawa onsen / ryokan
- address
- Kumamoto 6704 Aza-Kurokawa, Manganji, Minami-Oguni-machi, Aso-gun
- access
- 40 minutes by car from JR Aso Station. 60 minutes by car from JR Hita Station. There are 4 round trip buses from Fukuoka, including the Kyushu crossing bus.
Kurokawaso is located in the mountains away from onsen town. ryokan has a Japanese-style exterior, but the atrium lobby has a retro Western atmosphere. onsen water is milky green. There is an open-air bath and an indoor bath, both of which are enjoyed by men and women on alternate days. The open-air bath offers a spectacular view of the Byobu Rock rock towering before your eyes. Enjoy a luxurious time surrounded by nature. For dinner, enjoy a Japanese kaiseki dinner in a private room. You can savor the carefully prepared cuisine, starting with the appetizers, made with local produce and seasonal ingredients. You can also enjoy relaxing in the Japanese-style rooms in the main house or annex.
GALLERY
Read reviews from guests who stayed here
This is one of the recommended inns for those who want to spend a relaxing time with an emphasis on privacy. (Omitted) The open-air bath in the guest room and the room (building) I stayed in were truly amazing, and it was a luxurious space where the only sound I could hear was the murmuring of the river.
Detailed information
Kurokawa onsen Kurokawaso
Kumamoto /Aso, Kurokawa onsen / ryokan
- address
- Kumamoto 6755-1, Manganji, Minami-Oguni-machi, Aso-gun
- access
- There is a direct bus to Kurokawa onsen from Fukuoka.There is a cross-Kyushu bus from Kumamoto.
Miyama Sansou is ryokan with eight separate accommodation buildings, with separate dining and lodging facilities. The rooms are far from the front desk, but there is a shuttle cart available, so you don't have to worry if you have a lot of luggage. There are various types of rooms, including Japanese-style rooms, Western-style rooms, and rooms with open-air baths. If you want to spend a luxurious time in a completely private space, we recommend a room with an open-air bath! Dinner is served at the on-site restaurant, Miyama Dining Azu. The restaurant serves creative kaiseki cuisine, made with plenty of ingredients from Kumamoto and seasonal ingredients. You can spend a peaceful time away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
GALLERY
Read reviews from guests who stayed here
Located at the back of the mountain, there are a number of single-story buildings lined up, but they are spaced apart so you can enjoy a relaxing stay.
The meal was delicious and the spring quality was good, so I'd like to go again.
Detailed information
Kurokawa onsen Miyama Sansou
Kumamoto /Aso/ ryokan
- address
- Kumamoto 6393 Manganji, Minami-Oguni Town, Aso County
- access
- If you arrive by bus, there is a free shuttle from Kurokawa onsen bus stop (reservation required)
"Gosho Gosho Gekkoju" is a luxury ryokan located on a hill in Kurokawa onsen. There are only eight guest rooms on the vast grounds of about 15,000m2. All rooms have outdoor baths and indoor baths with natural hot spring water. It's perfect for a special trip with your loved one. At the top of the mountain on the premises, there is a spacious open-air bath in the sky. The view from here is so beautiful it will blow away all your fatigue and worries. Reserve in advance for exclusive use So, enjoy the impressive scenery with your loved ones.
GALLERY
Comments from icotto editors
Detailed information
Kurokawa onsen Gosho Gekkoju
Kumamoto /Aso, Kurokawa onsen / ryokan
- address
- Kumamoto 6777-2 Manganji, Minami-Oguni Town, Aso-gun
- access
- 2 hours by car from Fukuoka Airport using high speed
Kurokawa onsen has a catchphrase: "The whole town is one inn. The streets are the corridors, ryokan are the guest rooms." If you walk a little further, you can enjoy onsen with completely different spring qualities, making it an irresistible place for onsen lovers. Each ryokan has its own unique character. Relax and enjoy Kurokawa onsen at ryokan that catches your eye.