Minamioguni Hotels with Wi-Fi

"The onsen was wonderful. This was our third visit, but our first time staying overnight, and we came with our 8-year-old child. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. Our room was traditional Japanese style, complete with tatami mats and authentic decor. There was a separate alcove with a hot water dispenser (thermo pot) for making tea. The windows overlooked the courtyard, offering a beautiful view of maple tree branches. Dinner was a kaiseki meal, served course by course, featuring 9 different dishes – we particularly enjoyed the charcoal-grilled river fish, sashimi, and beef steak. The portions were quite generous. Breakfast was also excellent. The staff were very friendly. A young man who showed us around, upon learning where we were from, mentioned his love for Tchaikovsky and even added a 'thank you'. The hotel also has a souvenir shop on site. Both indoor and outdoor baths are available, offering views of the river and forest."

"## Fumoto Ryokan, Kurokawa Onsen - A Northern Kyushu Trip From Yufuin to Kurokawa Onsen, there are three daily bus services: 9:00 AM, 1:50 PM, and 2:50 PM. A quick note on bus reservations: While online booking is available, it requires credit card payment beforehand, which isn't ideal. We don't recommend it unless it's peak season and you need to secure a seat days in advance. Our suggested method is to ask the front desk at your accommodation (like Yufuin Sansuikan, where we stayed) to call and book for you upon check-in. This typically secures a seat for the next day, and it's usually successful unless it's peak season. Phone reservations don't require pre-payment; you can simply pay on the bus. The contact number is 0570-09-3533 (9:00 AM - 5:00 PM). The bus ride takes a little over 1.5 hours and costs 2200 JPY. (Refer to Photo 1 for the timetable.) The bus also makes a brief stop at a rest area just before reaching Kurokawa Onsen. The ryokan provides a pick-up service from the bus stop. If you're unable to contact them beforehand, don't worry – it's an easy 10-minute walk to the ryokan from the bus stop using Google Maps. It's not far, and you can enjoy the charming onsen town scenery on your way. The ryokan's main entrance is located directly opposite a cream puff shop, which coincidentally shares the same name, 'Fumoto.' Be aware that the entrance can be easily missed, as many tourists often gather in front of the cream puff shop, potentially blocking the view of the ryokan's discreet, Japanese-only sign (see Photo 4). There's no need to use the ryokan's public baths; the women's outdoor section, in particular, tends to be quite cold. Instead, the ryokan boasts a large number of private baths, ranging from small to large. As the ryokan has a limited number of rooms and is generally not overcrowded, you'll almost always find an available private onsen. A highlight is the unique 'Tachi-yu' (standing bath), where you can literally stand in water up to 1.6 meters deep. Kurokawa Onsen is a very compact town, so booking a plan that includes both breakfast and dinner is highly recommended; otherwise, finding dining options can be challenging. The meals provided by the ryokan were excellent and definitely worth trying. Although we were a group of three, there wasn't a specific room option for that number of guests, so we regrettably ended up paying for an 'extra person's fee'. Our rooms were quite spacious. We stayed in rooms named 'Taka' (Hawk) and 'Kiri' (Mist), which offered views of the mountains and a pleasant stream flowing right outside the window. The ryokan staff were all young and extremely friendly, with some even being Chinese speakers. Overall, if you're looking to experience the charm of a traditional onsen town, Fumoto Ryokan is an excellent choice."

"Serve in buffet style and lots of choice. Room size is good and new renovated. There has private onsen for couple and families without additonal charge. Close to the shopping street. But need to check with the restaurants, most of them close on Tue or Wed"

"The room is big and clean! The staff are very welcoming, and the open-air bath in the hotel is also very comfortable. The environment is great, very quiet, and there is a green outside the window. I highly recommend the one-night stay and two meals, the food is exquisite, and the horse meat sashimi is delicious!"

"Located in a rural area, the hotel may not offer the convenience of a nearby convenience store, but it serves as an excellent retreat to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. The food's presentation is visually pleasing, although its taste is somewhat ordinary. On a positive note, the hotel provides the delightful experience of both indoor and outdoor onsen facilities, which we thoroughly savored."

"A small villa with its own door and yard. The room we booked this time faces a rice field. The experience of the private hot spring in the room and the public hot spring are different, but both are special enjoyments. Recommended!"

"The staff picked us up on time and was very polite. The room was large and comfortable. You can watch YouTube on the TV. The hot spring facilities were complete. The dinner and breakfast were also good. Recommended for self-driving tourists because there is nothing nearby if you don't have a car."

"Incredible experience of a very authentic ryokan! Good location - in the center of Kurokawa, right on the river bank. Spacious room in traditional style. Extremely clean. It was warm enough thanks to the air conditioner, despite the fact that it was cold and snowing outside. The room has its own bathroom. The kaiseki dinner did not leave me indifferent - it was like a special event - everything was very beautiful and very tasty. Breakfast is also good. The hotel has wonderful baths - one of them is in a cave. The water is moderately hot. Everything was very clean. Many thanks to all the hotel staff for a wonderful holiday - I will come again with pleasure."

"The reserved pick-up time was full when we arrived on the first day. When we checked out the next morning, it was raining heavily. We asked the luggage storage area at the bus station how to get there. As a result, a hotel gentleman drove us to the luggage storage area. They also took us to the bus stop in front and introduced us to where to take the bus. Thank you very much. We didn’t have to push our luggage in the wind and rain. The hotel's breakfast and dinner are very exquisite, with delicious set meals. Dining will be arranged for each guest in an exclusive room. There are many kinds of hot spring houses to choose from, and you can experience different styles."

"Kurokawa Yumeng Rindan Hotel is the most satisfactory and comfortable hotel I stayed in during my trip to Kitakyushu. The hotel has an excellent location. It is the first hotel after the station. From the moment I stepped into the hotel, the warm and thoughtful service made me feel comfortable. The front desk staff was smiling, and the beautiful girl who could speak Chinese carefully introduced the hotel's facilities and services. The hotel's rooms are unique. The layout of the room we stayed in is full of Japanese style. The tatami is soft and comfortable. When you open the curtains, the river view outside the window comes into view. Make a cup of hot tea, sit on the chair on the terrace, listen to the gurgling water, and feel comfortable. And the room is very clean and spotless. The hotel dinner is Kaiseki cuisine. I ate different dishes for two consecutive nights. Hot springs are also the highlight. There are lush forests next to the outdoor hot springs. When taking a bath, it seems to be integrated with nature, and the body and mind are greatly relaxed. The most noteworthy thing is their thoughtful service. The bus tickets we booked for our trip were suspended due to heavy snow. The beautiful Chinese-speaking girl immediately contacted the taxi company to book a taxi for us after understanding the situation. While waiting for the taxi, the hotel decided to use their material vehicle to send us to Aso Station, which solved our urgent need. In general, Kurokawa Yumeng Longdan Hotel is very cost-effective, whether it is hot springs, accommodation or dining, it can bring a good experience. If I am lucky enough to come to Kurokawa again, I will definitely stay at their house, highly recommended."