Originally Posted by
Sheep
2 questions for an upcoming Kyushu trip:
1. Sanso Murata (Yufuin) - My wife and I will be visiting in November and have already booked (Sou type room), Hou is still showing available. KI-NRT I believe you did a review where you had both rooms booked, any preference between the two?
2. Takeo/Ureshino - We are transiting from Nagasaki to Fukuoka so figured either Takeo or Ureshino were our best bets to book 1 more night at a Ryokan with Private Onsen. We are having trouble finding another option easily accessible by public transit (preferably train) or PT+ short taxi outside of the unavailable benchmark Onyado Chikurintei. I found Kaiseki-yado Ougiya as a possible back-up but have not seen it or another alternative mentioned anywhere.
If we had more days available or if I was comfortable driving on the other side we would have likely looked at Kurokawa or Unzen, is there anywhere else I could be looking that hasn't been mentioned in the last few posts?
Thank you!
At Sanso Murata, I slightly prefer Hou, but it's a matter of design taste. If memory serves me correctly, Hou had slightly higher ceilings and the Japanese tatami living room is on the 1F rather than 2F. It's also slightly less dark.
There is nothing that is up to the level of Onyado Chikurintei, but Shiiba Sanso and Ureshino Yadoya - both in Ureshino - are well regarded and decent alternatives. Both draw praise for their food. Accommodation wise, Yadoya's higher-category rooms (Premium Suites and Luxury Suite) are nicer and with larger Onsen baths, although they are open-plan (junior suite) style in layout. For the lower-category rooms, I'd take Shiiba Sanso, as all rooms there have onsen and are more spacious than the non-"Suites" at Yadoya.