Ota Onsen Hanareyado Yamasaki

The peaceful, remote setting and the polite, friendly staff made our stay wonderful. We loved the pretty room and private outdoor onsen too. Even the small touches were nice, like iced water in the room and pretty little amenities to take home.

A nice place to relax and recharge.

The food was generous, and the red beef shabu-shabu at the end was lean, easy to eat, and satisfying. We started with tender horse sashimi, a Kumamoto staple, with no strong smell or chewy tendons. Breakfast came with a soy milk hot pot and freshly made warm yuba, which was delicious. The foreign staff members we met were very friendly, and I enjoyed talking with them. As we left, they waved back until we could no longer see each other in the mirror. That made me happy. We stayed in Yusuge, the room closest to reception. Its bath was big enough for two adults, and the water was pleasantly warm, so we didn't need to add water. We also tried the large public bath, but it didn't have a particularly impressive view, so the bath in our room was enough for us. Since the rooms are in separate buildings, the corridor was cold. I would have appreciated an in-room dining option. We came from the crater of Mt. Aso, and Google Maps sent us the wrong way. Instead of staying on the Yamanami Highway, we took a shortcut along a very narrow forest road, weaving through gaps in a cowshed, and lost a lot of time. If you're going there, head toward Kurokawa Onsen on the Yamanami Highway. This was the fourth night of our honeymoon.

The hot springs were wonderfully soothing, and the staff were so kind to our young child. We stayed with our child and my pregnant wife, and the team was thoughtful about the meals. The room, service, and food were all great. We'd definitely come back.