Kurokawa Onsen Okunoyu

Okunoyu

Okunoyu is a traditional ryokan beside the Tanohara River, set among trees at the edge of Kurokawa Onsen. We chose it for the range of baths and its kitchen, then stayed two nights: one without dinner and one with half-board.

Outdoor baths

The open-air baths were the highlight of our stay. Between the indoor onsen and the outdoor baths is an old wooden Turkish-style bath. Outside are three baths — two smaller pools and one mixed bath — set among trees beside the river, away from the road and neighbouring ryokans.

Rooms

Our Japanese-style room had futon beds and a view over the forest. It was simple, clean and comfortable; the reason to stay here was the setting, the baths and the meals rather than an elaborate room.

Breakfast and dinner

Breakfast and dinner were kaiseki-style and served in a large room facing the garden. At breakfast, Okunoyu also put out homemade marmalade, yoghurt and muesli alongside the traditional dishes — an unusual touch among the ryokans we have stayed at.

Kurokawa Onsen town

Kurokawa Onsen sits among forested hills between Aso and Kuju. The remote setting and concentration of ryokans have made it one of Kyushu's better-known onsen towns, but the properties are spread through the trees and our baths still felt private rather than crowded.

We also used the town's onsen-hopping pass at Hosantei, where the open-air bath sits beside a small river. It is a useful way to compare another bath without booking a second overnight stay.

Most ryokans here are built in wood and have stone rotenburo in the surrounding forest. Picking one comes down to the baths, rooms and meal plan you prefer rather than a single obvious best choice.