Guesthouse Kuju No Kura Reviews

I decided to go after seeing posts on Xiaohongshu, and as soon as I arrived, I knew I made the right choice! Regarding transportation: First, the guesthouse owner has another job, so if guests don't have a car, he can only provide shuttle service between 'Kurokawa Onsen main street ~ guesthouse' at fixed times. When I went, it was a pick-up from the main onsen street at 7 PM on the night of check-in, and on check-out day, the owner could drop guests back to the main street around 8 AM on his way to work. So, the fixed shuttle times generally depend on the owner's work schedule. And a warning about transportation ⚠️: Travelers without a car are not recommended to drag their suitcases/backpacks up by themselves! Unless you are super confident in your physical strength and think you could compete for a superhero 🦸♀️ job, because it's an uphill climb all the way from the main street to the guesthouse, and there are quite a few insects in the mountains! Regarding accommodation environment: Please see the pictures. Those who love nature will absolutely adore this place! And ladies, no need to worry! The men's and women's restrooms are separate, and in the dormitory, there are three super-large foam boards, almost as tall as the walls, separating the male and female spaces! Overall, privacy is very reassuring... Regarding showering: I stayed in early summer and had to pay 100 yen for a shower, but I felt it was reasonable and acceptable (what more could you ask for at this price for a night?).

How to start to describe Kuju No Kura It was such a special experience. Four days that felt like a great lifetime! Watanabe is so easy going, chilled and helpful. He solves problems and makes sure your travel is smooth. But besides that, he wonders you with all the incredible things that are to do around! In my first day I was ENCHANTED with sunset, but the sun was setting behind some trees, and then Watanabe took me to chase the best spot to see it! He was driving like speed racer through the mountains and we went to an observatory that is gorgeous and really closeby by foot too, and then he showed me my favorite spot, the hill next to his house where the deers live and the sun shows his best splendor when saying goodbye for the day! I'm going to really miss my time there. Waking up for sunrise ( right outside the door), followed by a good warm breakfast with great tea. Although his house is far from shops he was always asking if I wanted to go to a market.. there were so many opportunities to buy things if I needed. But I had everything I needed since day one. And I recommend you to do that, get bread, egg, cheese and fruit for breakfast and enjoy early slow mornings. Everyday the mountains were different! There are three paths to get to his house. The first is the one he does by car, it's great to go down from his house to town, but you should only go up in case you are practicing resistance to get to the avengers team or the military, REALLY steep! The second one is a continuation of the path to ichikoi onsen, there's only two steep short parts. And the third, and my favorite, is the path to the onsens that are a bit far from town, like yamamizuki or wakata ( both are only open from 10-3pm, beware). I really liked hozantei as well. This path is great to go to his house, go to town, go to these other onsens or go even farther to explore the mountains and rock formations. I didn't go back at night because I wanted to see the sunset with my deer friends everyday, but I believe it would be super ok, there are no dangerous animals in the forest, no dogs or bears. There's lots of indications and it's paved. On a clear full moon it would be a treat to walk home!!! Just take a head lamp (he has it as well) and enjoy! I was lucky to be there in their annual event of Noyaki- burning the fields. It was IMPRESSIVE, and the next day everywhere was covered in ashes, and the next day everything was covered in snow! WOW! I thought my trip was going to be all about onsens (in 6 days - I've stayed two nights in town before moving to Watanabe's Sanctuary of Wellbeing- i've been to 15 onsens in total!) but it was much more! I wish I had stayed more days! Also Watanabe thought me a lot of words in Japanese!! Arigato, Watanabe!!!! Yoi ichiniti o!!!

Watanabe san is the best !!! So far, his hostel was by far the best experience I’ve had in Japan :) He’s really kind and offered to drop us off at and pick us up from the onsen. Everyone was really friendly; we watched Ghibli films on both evenings I stayed there. The place reminded me of the film Heidi: I loved that too. I can’t recommend this hostel highly enough :)

Watanabe was super friendly and the guesthouse was lovely. Other guests were very sociable and the house is 4 min drive out of kurokawa onsen - easy to go for the baths there!

Despite our language barrier, the owner loves conversing with people, which is why he decided to open his guesthouse. He even recommended a little path that shows a great sunrise. I was greeted with some deers hopping in the distance at 6.30am. Truly magical and breathtaking. This is THE place for solo travellers. There’s a saying that it’s the people that makes the trip enjoyable and this place is proof. He charges for accommodation cheaply but offers beyond the cost, within his means happily. He loves anime like Attack on Titan and has watched Laputa 21 times. His hobbies include biking, hiking and has hiked Mt Kuju several times, Mt Aso too. He travelled to Vietnam Cambodia and Thailand solo trip too, and wants to do it again 3 years later. As my first time doing solo travelling, I couldn't be luckier than this to have met this wonderful host. I would say so far, my time spent in Kurokawa Onsen and together with the host is my whole trip’s highlight. I felt very safe and comfortable in this living space and truly enjoyed the nature surrounding it as well. I love the location of the guesthouse because I love walking and hiking. The main area of Kurokawa Onsen is quite a walk itself, so walking to the guesthouse was just extra leisure for me. Just make sure to follow google maps and the various sign boards he’s put up along the way! He offers a ride back and forth at 8.10am and 5pm to the main area anyway and to the supermarket if needed, very generous of him! Make sure to not be shy and chit-chat a lot with him! It was so much fun. The room was very cozy and with the 6 beds arranged, an extra 100 yen per night for the heater is totally reasonable to me! it felt like I was back to school and enjoyed the cleanliness and casualness of everything. Damn, this place has great interior design too. The lights have motion sensors, pretty cool! He also has his own little beautiful hot spring which you should pay extra if you want to bathe at night. Personally did not find the need after bathing at the town haha. Thank you for the comfort of home and lovely company!! I hope many people who enjoy company and nature stay here!! Highly recommended for at least 2 nights! The onsens are all very good and beautiful. I want to come again.

It's the cheapest accommodation in the village, owner friendly and place was warm. I found it without problems, location is correct and it is a 20-30 minutes hike a bit uphill. Recommend it.

If you visit Kurokawa just for onsens, Guesthouse Kuju No Kura might not for you. If you want to enjoy not only onsens but also tracking, this is for you. The altitude of the guesthouse is pretty high, so that you could enjoy a great view. The guesthouse is about 2 kms away from the Kurokawa Onsen Information Center. The host provided rides to and from the center.

I honestly wished I had known the location of this place. I had a rental car so I was able to drive up the mountain... however, it was terrifying. I cant imagine if you had to walk it. Its quite a distance, but the price point balances it out if thats whats important to you. If you do NOT plan on leaving the place at all, I suppose its fine. However, I knew that I would be going to the onsens and going to dinner. The road that leads up and down is 1 lane for both directions. I came across 1 car along the way, and I waited for the other person to back up. There was NO way I was going to do it with that windy road. Granted, its not a highly travelled road. I was petrified of having to drive up and down the place during the day, so I knew that I wouldnt be able to do it in the evening/night. There is barely any street lights and you are driving on the edge of a cliff. Truth is, as a female, unfamiliar with the area and the roads - the moment I got to this place, I booked a hotel right away. I did not even step foot inside so I cant comment on the accommodation. This is strictly a review for the location of the place.

All Good

Great

There are private rooms and dormitories. The kitchen and bathroom are all very clean, so if you're feeling a bit overwhelmed by ryokans, I highly recommend this place. I had a wonderful, relaxing time, boss. The horse meat was truly amazing! ㅜㅠ! Next time, I'll bring a friend, and I'll treat you to some delicious Korean food. Definitely!! Stay healthy! It was so much fun.

Beautiful and pleasant environment

The location was a bit challenging at first, as it was a long, uphill road from the hot spring village, but everything else was great. Thank you. If you send us an email in advance of your first visit, they'll come pick you up in a car, so if you plan on staying here, please contact them! It's incredibly difficult to walk.

A place suitable for solo female travelers. I stayed with my boyfriend, but the owner clearly separated the male and female areas. The bathroom and sleeping areas were shared, but the shower was shared. We felt it was private. On the day we went, there were 4 of us, including the owner. We rented a car and drove there. There's parking about 100 meters before the walkway up to the accommodation, which was very convenient. If you don't have a car, he works at a gas station on the way to the Onsen Village. You can catch his ride. He gets off work at 5:00 PM every day and leaves at 8:00 AM. The owner is very kind. He provides free drinking water and hot water. It's not far from the Onsen Village. For those who love nature and relaxation, this is the place to stay. My first time here was very impressive. This is a place we'll definitely return to. The house accommodates 6 people. Next time we have 6 people, we'll definitely stay here. Contact him via email. He's very responsive. Or, you can ask at the gas station.