Yufuin Katsuragi Sanso

The host, Jin, was gracious and hospitable. He speaks English and Japanese, picked us up at the station on our first day, and would drop us off there if we asked. When the private onsen at Yufuin Sunday was occupied, he let us use the one next door at Yufuin Monday. I loved the thoughtful decorations, the little touches, and the music playing in the lobby at a volume low enough that I couldn’t hear it from our room beside it. We stayed in a large tatami room with a separate toilet and sink, though the bathroom is shared. There was a full-length mirror, a coffee table with floor cushions, a TV, air conditioning, clothes racks and hooks, and towels. You can get a yukata if you follow them on Instagram. The futons were comfortable, and there was a foot massager that was extremely painful, but we used it anyway. The space for our two large suitcases was a bit too small. It’s a small two-floor building, and the second floor has a great view of the surrounding area. There’s a fully equipped shared kitchen, toilet, and bathroom. The spacious private onsen is in a little shack outside, and you can book it whenever you like as long as no one else has reserved it. The guest house is a 15-20 minute walk from the station, with lovely views of Mount Yufu and the rest of Yufuin. There’s a small shrine within walking distance where you can see a 1000-year-old tree. The neighborhood was very quiet, apart from the frogs and crickets getting pretty loud in the evenings. It was a nice area for a stroll. My only complaint is that there are no convenience stores nearby, and the closest one is in town. A lot of places in Yufuin close really early. I didn’t use the shared bathroom because I went to the onsen instead, so I can’t comment on it. This place was such a gem, and I got more than my money’s worth. I highly recommend staying here.