Ryokan Wakaba — Hotel in Minamioguni

We traveled modestly on most of our Kyushu trip, but splurged on a night here. It was totally worth it!

After a long day of adventuring, we pulled into the beautiful town of Kurokawa Onsen. Word to the wise: if you’re driving, preview which way to get to this place. I drove on a long, winding one lane road full of tourists. When we left the next morning, we went the much easier way!

We were greeted like we were the most important VIPs the staff had ever seen. What a wonderful welcome after a long day. I had corresponded with the staff in advance, and they had addressed every concern (the size of my yukata, our dietary preferences ).

Before settling in, two of us walked the warabi nobori path in the hills. It was beautiful, if steep. There are loads of little shops in the village, which are fun for snacks, souvenirs, clothes, and drinks.

Our room was spacious and traditionally Japanese. We had a private onsen in the room, and a member of our party who had tattoos was able to reserve a spot in another private onsen. Very pleasant, relaxing, and convenient.

The kaiseki dinner was wonderful, and the staff provided top notch service. I usually enjoy tea or sake, but tried the local beer, which was great. The food was delicious. I didn’t want it to end.

We slept soundly on futons and tatami mats, and a few baths later, breakfast was served. It was also delicious, and got us ready for more Kyushu adventures.

I didn’t want to leave. I would love to come back again and spend more time here. The whole experience exceeded my...

This was my second trip to the charming and rustic Onsen town of Kurokawa. I decided to stay at a different ryokan, and the decision turned out to be an excellent one indeed. This was a small, cozy and charming ryokan. The staff was very friendly and polite. I stayed in room number 100 on the ground floor separated from and connected to the main building by a small and short walkway. The room was quite large with western style bed and a raised traditional Japanese sitting area, which made it easier to sit down and get up. There was a small outdoor sitting area, which provided natural light and fresh and cold air to cool me down after visit to the Onsen. The Onsen was nice, and I preferred the outdoor one. The water was very hot, probably the hottest that I had been in. So be careful when entering and take time to allow your body to adjust to the hot water. My room also had a private bath, whose water was just as hot as the main bath’s. However, you could adjust the water temperature. I had my dinner by the traditional Japanese hearth and breakfast in the main dining room. Both meals were delicious. I give this cozy ryokan my highest...

We had a wonderful stay at Ryokan Wakaba. The staff were all so friendly and helpful, and spoke English which was very convenient. They sent a shuttle to pick us up from our bus stop, which we didn't expect, and allowed us to store our luggage before checkin so we could explore the beautiful town and visit onsens. When we returned, our bags were neatly placed in our room. The room itself was spacious and had several amenities, such as a kettle with tea and a fridge. In addition, our room had a private bath fed by the hot spring! It was so luxurious.

I highly recommend opting for dinner and breakfast. The dinner was very creative and themed for fall/Halloween. It consisted of several appetizers, courses, and dessert! You will not leave hungry by any means. During dinner, the hotel offered a turn down service where they straightened the room and set up our slepping quarters. It was such a nice touch.

At every point during our stay, the amazing staff made sure we were able to relax. We were very comfortable and wish we could have stayed...