Wafuryokan Misato

The sulfur-scented water was pleasantly hot, and I liked the landscaped setting around the bath. The onsen is enclosed on nearly every side, so there’s very little view of the surrounding nature. I visited on the onsen-hopping pass at 11am on Christmas Eve, and it was almost empty. Misato is one of six fully tattoo-friendly onsen in Kurokawa Onsen, so there’s no need to cover tattoos. There’s one open-air bath for women and one for men. Kurokawa Onsen has a winter light-up, which includes Misato, so I imagine the bath and its surroundings look lovely at night.

The sulfur water is distinctive and really nice, and the woman at the counter was lovely. The upkeep could have been better, though. I spotted some hairs around the bath and in the water. Maybe it was only dirty on the day I visited.

I visited with the onsen-hopping pass. It’s one clear-water pool, and I thought the place was cute, with thoughtful little details and shampoo and conditioner. The rocks had small, sharp-looking formations where the water had shaped them, which was interesting to see. I imagine the place feels quite intimate at night.

We booked two rooms for five people, and both were spacious and cozy. The hotel also left us tasty little snacks. Before we came, I emailed to confirm the reservation, and the staff kindly asked about food allergies and any other arrangements. They drove us to the bus stop when we left. On arrival we walked from the Kyushu Odan bus station instead, since the weather was nice. It was an easy walk of about nine minutes. The sulfur salt (SP) hot spring was great for the skin, and the food, service, location, room, and hot spring all made us happy. I’m glad we stayed at Misato with my family and would definitely come back.