Dogo Onsen boasts an abundance of hot spring water

The “BETEI Oborogetsuya” is a hidden inn tucked away in the midst of the bustle of Dogo Onsen.It is a traveler-friendly inn that combines the elegance of pure Japanese style with the comfort of modern architecture.All of the seven guest rooms are suite-type rooms with an open-air bath.In addition, the inn has a hot spring building called “Ochaya,” which boasts the largest volume of hot spring water in Dogo Onsen, so you can enjoy the silky smooth waters of Dogo even more luxuriously.Here you will find a rock open-air bath and a cypress open-air bath.
The cuisine is a monthly changing menu specially prepared by the chef.The cuisine is Japanese cuisine that makes the best use of the rich flavors of Ehime’s mountains and seas, and is not only pleasing to the palate, but also to the eye.The chef’s casual but warm hospitality is also very heartwarming: “Warm food should be served hot, and cold food should be served cold.
In the lobby lounge, there is a free drink corner and a listening corner, and the esthetic salon “Moon Sleep” offers full-body oil treatments, providing a relaxing experience.This is an inn where you can open up your mind and body and enjoy a time of high quality and elegance.

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Unexplored region Shirakawa “Takefue”

Shirakawa Onsen in Kumamoto is a small collection of onsen located to the north of Aso Kuju Park in Minami Oguni-machi. The water consists two of the three elements known as “bijin senshitsu” or elements creating beauty. Shirakawa water source is also located nearby, one of the top sources of quality spring water, making Shirakawa Onsen a very popular spot.

One of the traditional Japanese style ryokans in the area, Takefue is a hideaway known to very few. 12 guest rooms are scattered about the very large property with tens of thousands of bamboo trees.

The guest rooms are very serene, designed like traditional Japanese homes with different varieties of bamboo used throughout. The color tones and lighting are also carefully chosen to ensure that the view of the beautiful bamboo trees stand out. Bamboo is used for the furniture, décor and even the wine cooler. Every room has a Japanese style room, an “irori” or open hearth for dining, and a uniquely designed hot spring bath that has an expansive view of the bamboo forest. 8 of the independent guest rooms also have outdoor baths where you can immerse yourself in the beauty of the bamboo trees.

Takefue also has their own pâtissier who makes the Baumkuchen served as a welcome sweet. The light sweetness and moist texture is a wonderful pairing with the stone ground coffee available in the room.

Dinner is served in the guest rooms by the “irori” and includes bounties from both the ocean and land. Fresh seafood is delivered from Beppu Peninsula and combined with Kumamoto Kuroge Wagyu to create an appetizing Japanese style “kaiseki” course dinner. For breakfast, enjoy rice cooked in a pot, eggs, local delicacy “gojiru” and fish grilled in the “irori”.

Beautiful outdoor bath surrounded by bamboo groves

There are 3 baths that can be reserved for private use as well as a special bath reserved for exclusive use by guests staying in the adjacent villa, Chikujo no Ma. It is a large outdoor bath measuring 7m x 5m with magnificent views of the grand bamboo trees which are lit up at night. Guests can enjoy a thoroughly relaxing moment in this expansive bath which also has a room with speakers and glass light fixtures, or even float in the hot spring using the inflatable boat.

There are special touches scattered all throughout as you wander the halls connecting the guest rooms, hot springs and spa. Enjoy the free ramune drinks or local ice cream which are free to guests. As they check out, guests also receive a complimentary copy of a book about this enduring ryokan along with the Baumkuchen served at arrival. Not only is Takefue a premier hot spring, it is definitely a ryokan that you will want to visit again.

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Open-air bath overlooking the Seto Inland Sea from the terrace

Yumesenkei Villa Amahara, located on the east coast of Awaji Island, is the newest addition to Hotel New Awaji’s villa, Awaji Yumesenkei, whose symbolic phrase is “The sea you wanted to see is here.
Awaji Island is the birthplace of Japan and the birthplace of the nation as described in the beginning of the Kojiki, the oldest extant chronicle of Japan. Inspired by the passage “Takamagahara, the place where the gods reside,” the inn was named “Amahara” (meaning “heavenly field” in Japanese), and is a place where you can spend your time as you please.
All 18 guest rooms have deck terraces and private open-air baths, and all rooms have views of the Seto Inland Sea. Two separate maisonette villas, “Matsuki” and “Umisaki,” have deck terraces leading to a private pier, allowing guests to go directly down to the beach from their rooms.

Enjoy the hot springs and relax at your leisure.

Spa Terrace Suigetsu, a facility shared by Hotel New Awaji and Awaji Yumesenkei, draws in hot springs of different qualities from the “Furumoe Onsen,” a naturally nigori hot spring with a source on the premises, and the “Sumoto Onsen,” with a source on Mount Mikuma, allowing guests to enjoy the two hot springs. In addition, the Garden Lounge, available only to guests of Amahara, offers after-dinner digestif service, a library, and Internet access. You can freely choose where and when to spend your time at “Tianyuan” according to your own mood. There may be something you have not found yet, something you have always wanted to see.

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Enjoy the gastronomy and “onsen”

Dogo Onsen is Japan’s oldest ”onsen” located in Matsuyama. This hot spring town, which has also served as the stage for Soseki Natsume’s famous novel ”Botchan” and is mentioned in old documentation such as Manyoshu and Nihon Shoki, and boasts a history of over 3000 years. The symbolic building of Dogo Onsen is the ”Dogo Onsen Honkan”, which is an architecture of pre-war modern Japanese style, and is designated as an Important National Cultural Property. ”Yumekura” which we introduce to you today, is situated adjacent to it, on the east side. From all seven rooms, one can see the exotic building of ”Dogo Onsen Honkan”, with its red glass works. All guest rooms are decorated in different tastes, and are thoroughly luxurious, each room having ”onsen” bath with hot spring water pouring directly from its source.
As for the meals, the food is served in ”kaiseki” style, and one can thoroughly enjoy the Japanese cuisine and the blessings of each season. It is a five-star gastronomic hotel, worthy to be in such a historical ”onsen” town.

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Fully Enjoy the flowing hot spring bath

Kotengu Sanroji is an exclusive restaurant accommodation located in “Kawatana Onsen”, a hot spring that has been pouring since the Edo period. Only 8 rooms are available each day.
The guestrooms are aligned like boxes on a path located in the mountains. All rooms have open air hot spring baths, and the flowing bath water is drawn straight from the source at the hot spring. Guests can enjoy the hot spring bath 24 hours a day.
The menu is Kaiseki course with abundance of materials from the Sanin region.

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Concept of a modernized “hot spring treatment”

The concept of Bettei Otozure is “modern hot spring treatment”. Based on the origin of a hot spring accommodation being a “treatment house”, combined with the refreshing atmosphere of an Asian resort and the functional beauty of a hotel, it is a remarkable hot spring resort in Japan.
There are only 18 rooms on the spacious premises. All rooms have a private open-air hot spring bath.
The bath tubs are made of either white cedar or ceramics, with varying shapes including squares, circles, ovals and even octagons.

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Filled with special touches

Walking past the heart of Hagi’s old samurai residential area where the streets are lined with white facades and stone walls, Hokumon Yashiki is located within the Hagi Castle Sannomaru Preservation Districts for Groups of Historic Buildings. It welcomes guests with a variety of delights such as ”Hokumon English Garden”, a garden full of European ambience decorated with many kinds of flowers; “Shouyou Tei” dining hall made entirely of ”keyaki” wood; “Shiki No Hana Meguri no Yu” hot springs; and “Shirakabe No Yu” outdoor hot spring. They are exclusive places only to be found here at Hokumon Yashiki.

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A hotel where you can experience making bread

”Fukahoritei” is located in the middle of the Chikugo Plains, on a vast property of 13,000 square meters, with trees which reflect the colors of the season, inviting you to forget your every day life.
All the guest rooms are private rooms with natural hot spring water open-air baths. The main building is a restored 180 year old traditional family home, and the garden is full of fruit trees such as persimmon, lemon and other citrus fruits, ”yuzu”, mulberry and plum.
They serve natural, ”kaiseki” style dishes with freshly harvested organic vegetables, prepared by the head chef who is very selective about using freshly picked local produce without any additives. For breakfast, they serve steamed rice cooked in a pot, plenty of organic vegetables from the vegetable garden in the back, and fresh eggs, with hospitality that is warm and comforting.

You can also make your own bread at ”Fukahoritei”. Knead cereals and fruit into the hard dough to make the bread of your choice. Nakata also had a try, and the taste of freshly baked bread was exceptional. They also have ping pong tables as well, so you can get some after dinner exercise.

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A famous hot spring, known as “kamasaki for wounds”.

The nature of Unzen has been carefully preserved from the olden days, and it is a treasure trove of wild birds and alpine plants. Unzen was the first to be designated as a National Park in the 9th year of Meiji (1934). Between Koyu and Shinyu of Unzen, there is an area covered with white soil called Unzen Jigoku (Unzen Hell). Hot steams blow out from everywhere, and the air is filled with the strong smell of sulfur, and the sight of the steam and fumes conjures images of hell; thus the name Unzen Jigoku.
The quality of Unzen’s hot spring water is acidic sulfur with strong acidity. The hot springs can become as hot as 98℃, and the main components are iron, aluminum, and sulfate ions, and is effective against rheumatism, diabetes, and skin diseases. The gasses that erupt can go up to temperatures of 120℃.

A tour of Unzen Jigoku is perfect for sightseeing

The area was also the site of ancient Christian martyrdom, and on the hill looking down on Jigoku, there stands a cross as a monument to the story of persecution of Christians. There are about 30 Jigoku, such as Oito Jigoku which is said to have erupted at the execution of an adulterous woman, Oito, and Daikyokan Jigoku, where hot spring water of nearly 100℃ and steam blow out. We recommend you visit them all.

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Enjoying a holiday of luxury

“Sakurajima” can be seen from the open-air bath

Secluded in the epic nature of Kirishima, all guestrooms of the onsen inn look like a traditional private house and are separated from one another.
Each of the guest rooms, each based on themes of flowers, forests, birds, water and wind, has three or more baths and is tasteful in different ways so visitors can enjoy the atmosphere of each. The open-air bath, also isolated, commands a view of Kirishima Mountains and even Sakurajima sometimes.
For culinary experience, the inn offers modern ”kaiseki” prepared with fresh local ingredients and carefully-selected seasonal ingredients from around the country. Each of the meals entertains guests “visually” as well as with its taste.
The guest rooms are filled with nostalgic atmosphere. The inn limits its service to a minimum level so that guests can fully relax. They are kindly left unattended unless otherwise required. This kind of hospitality makes guests happy. Indeed the inn is worth visiting to spend your holidays in a superb way.

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