Originally Posted by
numbah
Like several folks above, I'm hoping to get recommendations for Kyushu ryokans when I visit with my wife this September. Our challenge is finding memorable places to stay that are in the $600 or less per night price range.
Thank you all for this thread! It was your wisdom + feedback that helped us choose Wanosato and Sui Suwako when we visited Japan earlier this year -- trip of a lifetime. We'd like to have a similar experience visiting Kyushu, but the frontrunners like Takefue, Gekkoju, and Sansou Murata are out of our budget. Are there lower price alternatives that offer onsen, excellent food, and a potentially magical experience?
We will be flying in from Tokyo and can rent a car. I've read your feedback that Yufu and Kurokawa will likely be less commercial and more pleasant than Beppu. However, I haven't seen much consensus on which ryokans to target. I saw KI-NRT mention Miyama Sansou in Feb '23 but not sure if it's still recommended. Myoken Ishiharaso, Takachiho Ryokan Shinsen, and Yoyokaku look interesting if we venture farther out from Oita. Any other thoughts or suggestions?
With a budget of $600/night maximum (about 95,000 yen/night), that opens up lots of high-end properties to you. Are you simply interested in a classical-style ryokan with onsen (hot water bathing only) or would you prefer a ryokan with an onsen that has a spa with sauna, cold water baths, etc? For me, that is important, but for others maybe not. Onyado Chikurintei in Takeo is a good example of the latter type, which supposedly has the best sauna in all of Japan (a bit of overhype in my opinion). It also has a large and beautiful garden/park next to it, which you can wander through at your leisure. You might search this site using town names such as "Takeo", "Yufuin", "Karatsu", "Ureshino", and "Unzen", as there are several reviews you could check out. KI-NRT also has some excellent reviews of many of these properties including some in Kyushu. At the moment, Booking.com is showing Ryotei Hanzuiryo, a normally expensive and difficult-to-book onsen ryokan in Unzen going for only $469/night (without meals) in mid-September. It is of a classical style, which many foreign visitors would find appealing. Unzen also has the Mt. Resort Kyushu Hotel, which is upscale but affordable, though it is more of a fusion of East and West, both in its design and cuisine, which may not appeal to you if you are looking for a purely traditional Japanese onsen ryokan experience. Unzen is surrounded by a national park, so it's within nature and you can go hiking. If you would prefer a town experience, Karatsu is scenic and with more to do. As I'm assuming you're flying into Fukuoka, then Takeo, Karatsu, and Ureshino would be most convenient if you don't wish to drive too far.