Wasureno Sato Gajoen

The hot spring water here is superb. It kept me warm for hours. This inn sits beside the Amagurikawa River in Myoken Onsen, Kirishima City, across from Ishiharaso, and is among Kagoshima’s top-class hot spring inns. They grow their own pesticide-free vegetables and serve them here. Two chickens wander freely around the grounds as mascots. Dinner was a highlight. The assorted sashimi included silverside fish, local chicken thigh, and breast. The silverside was exceptionally fresh with no fishy smell, and the chicken was delicious, especially the thigh, with its rich flavor. The homegrown organic salad was so tasty it felt like a meal of its own. The local chicken hot pot had a broth simmered for three hours, full of rich chicken flavor. I enjoyed tasting the broth on its own first. The chicken was tender enough to come off the bone with chopsticks, and the fluffy potato starch dumplings went especially well with it. We also had chicken, pork, and vegetables grilled with Kagoshima barley miso. Its particular sweetness suited the ingredients, especially the pork, eggplant, lotus root, and fried tofu. The Kagoshima Black Wagyu beef was tender, with a nice springy texture and plenty of rich flavor. Even Kobe beef calves are often raised in Kagoshima, which speaks to the area’s reputation for beef. Country-style soba came as thick, short noodles, a local Kagoshima style, and paired nicely with the sweet broth. Breakfast had a fun touch: in the old-fashioned kitchen just outside the dining hall, you can choose horse mackerel, sardines, mackerel, or sea bream, grilled over charcoal. For eggs, there’s fried egg, rolled omelet, or egg soup. Choosing before the meal made me look forward to breakfast. The sweet potato rice and brown rice were both worth seconds with the side dishes, and the fluffy sweet potato was delicious.