First time visitors to Kyushu will quickly fall in love with its nature and friendly, laid-back people. The island’s extensive mountain ranges and fertile green forests owe their beauty to the considerable volcanic activity in the area. The volcanic activity is also responsible for one of the best tourist attractions and traditional aspects of Japanese culture: onsen.
About Onsen
Onsen are hot spring baths whose natural waters are full of minerals good for skin and relaxation. One of the most popular, yet traditional hot spring towns in Japan is located at Kurokawa.
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Visitor Information
Kurokawa Onsen (黒川温泉) is located in the middle of Kyushu, around 20 kilometers north of Mount Aso. With 300 years of history, Kurokawa greets visitors with modest wooden buildings, stone stairs, and a naturally-occurring landscape of forests and rivers. Under the protection of the Kurokawa Hotel Association, the town expanded as a tourist resort while refraining from constructing huge hotels and advertisement billboards, like the kind seen in the highly commercialized Beppu.
Instead, the streets of Kurokawa are lined with ryokan, which are inns with bathhouses for guests. The town center is small, explorable by foot. This allows visitors to walk from one ryokan to the next to sample each one’s onsen as well as to enjoy some of the shops, cafes, and shrines located in town. Guests staying in one of the ryokan can explore the town while wearing yukata and geta sandals for a truly Japanese atmosphere.
Onsen Hopping Guide
One of the main attractions of Kurokawa is that most of the hotels offer open air baths called rotenburo. Guests can rest in a steaming hot bath, enjoying sake and the sounds of nature as the river flows by.
Bathing Etiquette
1 No cloths or accesories
Remove all clothing and jewelry in the locker area. Do not wear a swimsuit to the onsen. Ryokan should provide a small “modesty” towel, which can be used to cover oneself. While not allowed inside the water of the bath, it can be worn in the locker room and bathing area.
2 Wash and clean yoursel first
Rise yourself at the showers next to the bathing area, using the bowl and shampoo available at the washing area. This is an important step, as the Japanese do not use onsen while dirty. Instead, they first shower, then use the waters of the onsen to relax. For these reasons, do not enter the onsen dirty, nor allow soap or shampoo into the water of the onsen.
3 Shower after bathing
After bathing, some guests like to rinse themselves off in the washing area. However, the mineral-rich water of the onsen is also good for skin, so some guests feel comfortable without showering afterward.
An important note: No food or drink is allowed in the bathing area, unless otherwise noted. Instead, there is a resting room located in the lobby, where guests can buy some beverages. Also, most ryokan’s baths are separated by sex. The entrances for men and women will be clearly marked, so keep an eye out for the following symbols: 女性 (Women), 男性 (Men). Some ryokan offer family or mixed baths. Guests interested in using one of those need to check either at the visitor center or at each onsen to see if they offer such baths.
Staying Overnight at Kurokawa Onsen
While many guests come only for a bath and a meal, or for onsen-hopping, it is also possible to stay at one of the ryokan for a more specialized experience. An overnight stay will cost between 14,000 to 20,000 yen a night, including 2 meals at the ryokan. Guests can enjoy traditional and filling Japanese cuisine. There are some restaurants located outside the ryokans as well.
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Getting to Kurokawa
By Car
The easiest as well as most flexible way to get to Kurokawa is by car, as public transportation is still relatively scarce in Kyushu. From Kumamoto City, take Route 57 toward Aso, following the edge of the caldera to Route 212 followed by Route 442.
By Bus
There are three buses available daily from Kumamoto Station. The trip costs 2060 yen one way. The final return trip each day leaves Kurokawa at 16:25.
Those leaving from Fukuoka City can catch the twice daily bus leaving from either Hakata or Nishitetsu Tenjin Bus Terminals. The one way trip is 3000 yen.
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