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Kurokawa Onsen

熊本県

4.5

Tourist Information of This Area

general.prefecture.

A healing hot spring village where unique hot springs gather.

Known as one of the most popular hot spring resorts in the country, it was featured in the 2009 edition of the Michelin Green Guide Japan with an unprecedented two stars for a hot spring resort. Enjoy the Kurokawa Onsen village, surrounded by lush green mountains and consisting of thirty inns!

Features & How to Enjoy

Classic Onsen

Highlights

Point 1

Memorable Open-Air Bath Tour with Hot Spring Passes

At Kurokawa Onsen, there is a system called "Nyuto Tegata" which allows you to freely tour the open-air baths of each inn, based on the community concept of welcoming customers throughout the region. With this system, you can choose three hot springs from the open-air baths of the 27 inns in Kurokawa Onsen and bathe in them with one pass. Additionally, one of the three hot springs can also be used for food and souvenirs, making it a great way to enjoy a gourmet food tour while touring the open-air baths.

Point 2

Enjoy a Lovely Time in the Warm Glow of Hot Springs on Winter Nights

During the winter season, around 300 "maru-toro" lanterns, which are spherical lanterns that blend into the landscape, and "tsutsu-toro" lanterns, which are about 2 meters tall, light up the hot spring town with a gentle glow from sunset until 10 pm. The bamboo used for the lanterns in this event is cut from a nearby abandoned bamboo forest, reflecting a commitment to environmental conservation. Why not spend a special, warm space that only those who visit Kurokawa Onsen in the cold season can enjoy with your loved ones?

Point 3

Enjoy Local Specialty Food while Walking Around

画像引用：黒川温泉公式サイト

Although Kurokawa Onsen is a small hot spring town, there are plenty of gourmet foods to enjoy while strolling around, along with hot spring hopping. There are many attractive gourmet foods, such as cream puffs made with local specialty product, Oguni Jersey milk, and horse meat menchi-katsu, a Kumamoto specialty made with horse meat. If you have reserved a ryokan with dinner included, you'll want to be careful not to eat too much and spoil your appetite for dinner!

Point 4

Be Careful When Driving in the Hot Spring Town!

In Kurokawa Onsen, the buildings are close together, creating a unique atmosphere typical of hot spring towns. Accessing Kurokawa Onsen is most convenient by car, but if you do come by car, be careful. The roads are narrow and there are many places where only one car can pass, so it's recommended to come in a slightly smaller car, such as a compact car.

Point 5

Enjoy Local Alcohol with the "Kappo Ticket"

画像引用：黒川温泉公式サイト

The "Kappo Ticket" is a type of bar-hopping ticket where you can choose three preferred locations from participating inns and shops to enjoy a set of alcohol and snacks three times. You can have a variety of alcohol such as sake and shochu served in bamboo cups and toast with everyone while holding a snack in your hand. Soft drinks and non-alcoholic beverages such as sweet sake are also available for those who are not good with alcohol or for children. Conversations are sure to flow with alcohol and snacks!

Point 6

Experience Negative Ions at Nabegataki Park

About a 20-minute drive from Kurokawa Onsen, there is Nabegataki, which became famous through a tea commercial. It is said to have been created by a huge volcanic eruption that formed the caldera of Aso, and the waterfall that flows down like a curtain is attractive. The best point of this waterfall is that you can view it from the backside. It's a bit of a challenge to get there as you have to go up and down stairs, but the negative ions from the waterfall will blow away your fatigue!

Sightseeing

Spend a Sophisticated Time in a Charming Hot Spring Town

Kurokawa Onsen is a natural hot spring village located deep in the heart of Aso. Its catchphrase is "Kurokawa Onsen Ikkairyokan," meaning that the entire town has a unified atmosphere like that of a single ryokan (traditional Japanese inn). As a result, you can experience a sense of otherworldliness no matter where you walk in the hot spring town. It's a hot spring town that maximizes the charm of the countryside, so why not take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city and spend a relaxing and sophisticated time?

Basic Information

	Address	6961-1, Manganji, Minamioguni-machi, Aso-gun, Kumamoto, 869-2402, Japan
	TEL	0967-44-0906

Average Review

4.5

5 Reviews

とある記念に、以前職場の同僚に聞いた「今まで泊まった中でいちばん良かった旅館」の話を思い出し、旅行することにしました。山や川の姿を綺麗にお庭に表現されていて、何時間でもずっと眺めていられる素晴らしいお宿でした。「國破山河在」仕事や生活に追われて「癒されたい」と思ったとき、自然豊かなこの旅館のお庭や温泉［山河］に浸って日頃の疲れをデトックスできる。良い場所を見つけられた！と思いました。実は同僚に薦められたのは「離れ」でしたが、今回は「母屋」の方に泊まりました。館内の森の中の各所に配置されている温泉を巡ったり、お庭を散策したり、黒川温泉街の方まで足を伸ばしたりしていると、部屋にいる時間が限られるため、私のような利用方法の方は少々安価な「母屋」もおすすめです。館内の温泉はいくつか貸切のお風呂があり、現地で予約が必要です。たくさん回るには時間に余裕を持って、早めに予約された方が良さそうです。食事は夕食朝食ともに当然素晴らしかったですが、ここはやはり九州熊本なので食事のお供の焼酎が美味しかったです。球磨焼酎5種の飲み比べを注文しました。湯呑み？くらいの大きめのお猪口にロックの氷が入らないくらい注いでもらって、とてもリーズナブル価格でした。

妻が一度行ってとても良い宿だったと言っていたので行きました。おもてなし溢れるお宿で素晴らしいの一言でした。お風呂も良いと聞いていたので楽しみにしていました。ちょっと熱めのお湯でしたが、外気の寒さとも相まってゆっくり入れました。風呂後もしばらくぽかぽかして芯から温まったんだなと感じました。夕食も写メで載せたような料理が出てきて、どれも美味しくお酒ともよく合いました。スタッフの方々も話しやすかったですし、夕食の際は都度お酒を紹介して頂いてそれをひたすら飲みました(笑)帰る際も車を入り口まで持ってきて頂きましたが、待っている際も写真撮りましょうか？と言ってくださりお気遣いがとても気持ちよかったです。立地が山の奥で細い道を通って急坂を下ったところにあるので、唯一そこが気になるところでしたが、そこを差し引いても圧倒的に魅力あふれて満足感の高いお宿だったので、九州に行った際はまたお伺いしたいと思います。

三度目の黒川温泉は、旅館山河さんで宿泊しました。2ヶ月程前に予約しましたが、温泉付部屋は1部屋しか空きがありませんでした。黒川温泉の奥に位置し、周りが緑で囲まれていて静かで落ち着いています。真冬の宿泊な事もあり部屋が中々暖まらずでしたが、こたつもありゆっくり過ごす事ができました。部屋の切石風呂は、ちょうどいい温度でゆっくり入ることができ体が温まりました。食事は、全体的にお出汁が美味しかったです。山女の塩焼きが臭みが一切無く、身がほくほくで塩加減も絶妙で美味しかったです。朝食は、品数はそこまで多くはなくシンプルないおかずですが朝食に心地よい満腹感で終えれます。ゆっくり過ごす事ができ大満足でした。次回は内風呂と露天風呂が楽しめる離れに泊まってみたいです。

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