Hot Springs Hotels in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan

My family had a wonderful stay at this hotel. It is conveniently located on the upper floors of AMU Plaza, right next to Kumamoto Station, with a dedicated elevator on the ground floor that takes you directly to the lobby. The rooms are clean and comfortable, and the staff are consistently friendly and polite. The only minor downside is that the breakfast selection is a little limited. That said, the hotel’s excellent location more than makes up for it, as there are plenty of cafés and restaurants just steps away in and around AMU Plaza.

## 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.

The hotel just opened in August this year, the well-known chain hotel, every time I come to Japan, I find a way to live once. I feel good to take off my shoes and enter the hotel. The open-air bathing pool is a bit small. The room is too new and can also detect a little decoration. The taste, overall is still very satisfactory!

I really like this hotel. From the moment I parked my car, there were staff members helping to guide and confirm the parking space, accommodation name and country of the traveler. They also helped with the luggage. When I checked in, there was a staff member who could speak Chinese to help confirm (seemed to be *********). There were many staff members who seemed to have different nationalities. When I went in to confirm the reservation, they also gave me matcha and snacks. We booked the Hongye room on the first floor. The room was great and had its own hot spring, so I didn't have to go to the public hot spring. I could soak in it 24 hours a day. There was hot spring water circulating so I could soak in it whenever I woke up. The hotel has two hot spring houses that can be reserved, 40 minutes each time, and each room can make one reservation. The public bath is available at any time without reservation. However, since I have my own hot spring, I didn't go to the public bath or the hot spring house, so I don't know how it works. In addition, I have my own private room for dining and I have to write my name. It feels very noble (but it seems that only some room types have private rooms). Dinner was great, every dish was delicious (except dessert XD), the appetizers were exquisite and delicious, the sashimi was also very sweet, I thought the grilled fish would have a lot of bones, but it was not separated well, and finally we had the red beef shabu-shabu, the meat was tender and the soup was sweet. Breakfast is a large grilled salmon set with salad and hot spring tofu. There is also a self-service beverage bar and natto seaweed desserts outside. There is also all-you-can-drink Aso milk. Remember not to buy it here, just drink it for breakfast XD. The overall stay was great, the staff were friendly, I strongly recommend booking a room with one night and two meals and a hot spring, it's not much different, the hot spring and dinner are worth it. I regret not leaving more time to enjoy this hotel because my schedule was too full. Next time I come to Aso, I will definitely come again and leave more time to enjoy it.

Location : good Room : (Japan style ) two people is ok Food: yummy !!! Fresh ingredients and rich food Dinner (BBQ)and breakfast ( Japan style) price is including Staff ：  lovely and helpful When we checking out, they prepared delicious salmon rice balls for lunch (free) Amazing!!!

The tatami room is definitely worth experiencing. While the room itself has a toilet, there are no private showers, as guests primarily use the hotel's excellent communal onsen facilities. These fantastic facilities boast numerous hot spring pools, opening as early as 6 AM. Although the room rate might seem a bit steep, the overall experience and amenities provide incredible value. You get to enjoy spacious lawns, beautiful mountain views, two generous buffet meals daily (breakfast and dinner), and, of course, unlimited access to the rejuvenating hot springs. All things considered, it's genuinely great value for money.

The hotel is very close to the bus station and can be reached on foot. This trip was to see the lights, which were really beautiful. It was worth the trip. I also visited the Kurokawa Onsen town. The weather was slightly cool and I arrived a little late, so I didn't buy a hand card to open other hot springs.

The staff is friendly and provide good service. The bath house is normal, but can tell its age. I feel the room is very dusty, it’s making my hand itchy and nose sneezy all the time. The bathroom is also old with water marks and mould. I am a fan of Dormy Inn and have stayed in Dormy Inn branches at Aomori, Hachinohe, Tokyo, and Osaka before, but this Kumamoto branch has the most room for improvement. The hotel is in walkable distance to the castle, so it is great.

When you arrive by car, the waiter is already waiting in the parking lot and you can communicate in Chinese, which speeds up the check-in process. The room faces the Kuma River and the scenery is beautiful. However, there are many residential areas nearby, and most shops and restaurants close very early, so you need to make reservations in advance. The downside is the hot spring. The outdoor hot spring on the 5th floor has a bathtub-like shape. The water is very dirty. I don’t know if it has any special ingredients, but it looks like dead skin. I saw Japanese little girls were scared by the hot spring water. Although the hot spring faces the river, it is next to the road with only a small shelter, so it can be easily seen by people on the street, and the privacy is not very good. Breakfast is a set meal. Rich and flavorful. There is sake tasting and the lounge area is very comfortable. And…slippers

This is a fantastic resort! With the dinner and breakfast package, you practically don't need to leave the hotel for meals. The resort offers a wide range of entertainment facilities, including a swimming pool and a mini lazy river. The onsen (hot springs) are also excellent, with each bath providing a different scenic view. It's conveniently located about 1 km (a 15-minute walk) from Aso Station, making it very easy to get to the volcano crater.