4-Star Hotels in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan

The room was very spacious, and breakfast was decent. You can even see Kumamoto Castle from the 12th floor. The public bath was also quite good. The location is excellent, just a short walk from the bus station, making it super convenient for shopping and dining.

Really nice place to stay in, exclusive experience, you don’t really need to do any onsen hoping if you stay here, one private onsen booking per day which means 2 booking for one night stay and you have got guest only public onsen which alternate each day. They were kind enough to accommodate our vegetarian diet even though they weren’t too happy about that because they had to change their whole menu, so I would suggest checking with them before making the booking. Overall, definitely worth it.

The hotel's front desk service was excellent. They quickly and helpfully resolved a bug with the parking lot access, which was very thoughtful. The room was small, a typical Japanese-style room. The location is quite good. The image shows the information for the hotel's partner parking lot.

The whole experience was fantastic! The inn lives up to its name, surrounded by mountains and forests, with the sound of the river and the aroma of burning longan wood, taking the sensory experience to another level! Every service was incredibly attentive! Unfortunately, I couldn't eat much, but both dinner and breakfast were absolutely delicious! After a hot spring bath, you absolutely must try the Kurokawa milk and coffee milk! It was superb and so enjoyable! The only downside is that it's a bit far from town, but having the shuttle service is really great! I'll definitely visit again if I get the chance, and staying for a few nights would be even more enjoyable!

The hotel is quite new, and the room is spacious with a separate wet and dry area in the bathroom. We had no problem opening two 28-inch suitcases. It's right next to the JR station, just a 1-minute walk via a covered walkway, so bad weather isn't an issue. Being connected to a mall makes dining and shopping very convenient. The breakfast, however, was just average with limited choices. You'd find more and better options at the downstairs coffee shop or inside the JR station itself, and they're not expensive. The top floor only has an indoor hot spring, no outdoor one. The service was excellent, and the lobby is grand and bright with floor-to-ceiling windows, which was very pleasant to look at.

An excellent hotel. The location is very convenient, a 20-minute walk from Kumamoto Station or a 10-minute tram ride. The reception staff are courteous and attentive. Essential items can be collected on the ground floor. The room was on the very top floor. The beds are large. The cleaning service is excellent, with towels changed daily. Perhaps the only drawback is the lack of sufficient space to open a large suitcase, you have to jostle about to do so. At one point, the room became quite stuffy, the air conditioning didn’t help with the air circulation, and the window couldn’t be opened. I realise this has been done for everyone’s safety.

It was raining when we arrived, so we skipped our planned itinerary and checked into the hotel early. Turns out, it was a smart decision! We got to quietly enjoy the hotel's facilities. The staff saw us parking and immediately came over to help with our luggage; we just handed them the car keys. We were able to go explore before check-in time. When it was time to enter our room, our luggage was already neatly placed inside. The hotel staff were incredibly professional, explaining all the onsen facilities, dinner, and breakfast arrangements. They even had staff who spoke English, so communication was never an issue. On the second day, it was pouring rain, and they still helped us with umbrellas and saw us off to the car. Because of the heavy rain and poor visibility, along with a narrow exit and oncoming traffic, a staff member proactively offered to switch with me and move the car to a more suitable spot. I'm very grateful for that. If I had one piece of feedback, it would be that the food taste might not suit everyone's palate. We ended up having some waste. I hope the hotel can create some dishes that appeal to a broader taste. Oh, and the dessert shop at the hotel entrance has delicious treats and good value for money. Highly recommend!

I love almost everything about this ryokan - the facility, the room( it’s a massive suite with living room, Bedroom, private onsen and private bathroom etc. very spacious) the outdoor onsen, the private onsen… The highlight is the food! Absolutely amazing! It’s seasonal and high quality with horse sashimi,tuna toro, even the starter is delicate and delicious; and two types of local wagyu beef - melt in your mouth. We have been to many ryokans over the years, with some charging double the price than we paid here, and I would say this is one of our favourite. Our waiter was a lovely young man who can speak good Chinese and tell us about his recent trip to HK. We adore him. I used the massage chair a lot every time after the onsen bath. It’s heavenly. We went to another ryokan (深山山莊）afterwards in the same area and it can’t compare to this level of comfort or food quality. The only one slight con is that our room has no view as it’s surrounded by the walk path and buildings, and we have to keep it shut the whole time. Maybe because I booked last minute and can only have the last room. But the public outdoor onsen is looking into the stream, it’s beautiful. Another highlight is the massage chair in the suite.

To be honest, this hotel is located right above the bus station, which is super convenient. You can easily walk to Kumamoto Castle, and shopping and dining in Kumamoto are also within easy walking distance. It's especially time-saving if your next destination is Kagoshima or Hitoyoshi, as Japan's infrastructure has been a bit disappointing lately – the railway is still damaged from a flood and hasn't been repaired, so you have to take a bus! To get to JR Kumamoto Station, it's just three or four stops by tram. A crucial tip: you can't use Tokyo/Osaka IC cards on Kumamoto buses, but you can use them on the trams! 😇😇😇

This is definitely a fabulous and fantastic experience living in a Ryokan, and this Ryokan is also reputable among local people, which means it is highly recognized by Hitoyoshi residents. Some local residents also spend their time in this Ryokan as a relaxing journey. I ordered the room with breakfast served, and it looked so amazing and delicate. I hope to visit here again in the near future if there will be any chances. I absolutely love this little town.