Ryukeien

The hosts were so kind. I accidentally damaged the rental car, and they drove us to the bus station. The private spas were perfect for relaxing during the trip, and the place is much less crowded than Kurokawa village, making it a great spot for enjoying the hot springs. Dinner and breakfast were excellent and one of the highlights of our stay.

The service was excellent, the meals were great, and the view was amazing. I’d give it six out of five if I could! Just watch the bus schedule. At least when we went, there were only two direct buses a day. If you miss your booking, the next one might not come for six hours, and you need to reserve at least a day ahead. We missed ours, but the owner at Ryukeien drove us to the nearest station in Minamioguni. That was great service. We were lucky to meet wonderful people all through Japan, everyone we met was friendly and willing to help. Great country, great people.

This is a lovely family-run onsen with five rooms and space for up to 15 guests. The baths are behind the house in the woods. There are two public onsens, and the others work on a first-come, first-served basis. You can use one and mark it as occupied.

The onsens themselves were beautiful, and the futons were very suitable. One heads-up for anyone used to a Western bed: there are no feather pillows for your sleepy head.