Ryokan Yumotoso

I was there for a higaeri in November 2024. This was my first ryokan in Kurokawa, and I immediately got a morning “life hack”: I arrived right after the bus, while the previous guests had already left and the new ones had not checked in yet. In the end, I soaked in the onsen all by myself, and even took a couple of photos. The view is of the forest, with a river murmuring below, maples, and steam over the water. Very atmospheric, without any grand scale, but this is exactly what a cozy ryokan should be. At the entrance, a watermill covered in moss catches the eye, like a living postcard.

Kaiseki dinner (in the photo). Each group of guests is invited to a separate small room, where dinner is brought. In addition to what is shown in the photo, rice is also offered separately. For breakfast, you can choose the style, Western or traditional Japanese. 21.06.2026

I stayed overnight. A very pleasant ryokan with several floors. I was placed in a room on the first floor with a wonderful view of the river from the window. The room has everything needed, plus a thermopot, a TV (I did not use it, but maybe that matters to someone), and a toilet with standard fixtures. Yukata are provided, and when checking in you can choose an obi sash. The younger staff speak English more or less, but the older staff only speak Japanese. For guests there is a smoking room and a coffee point on the first floor, and entry is only allowed after check-in. As for the baths, I tried the mixed-gender indoor bath, which is available only to guests and alternates by gender every day, one private bath, and both mixed-gender open-air baths, which are available for day-use visitors and also alternate by gender every day. There is no need to reserve the private baths in advance, it works on a first-come, first-served basis. The enclosed indoor bath seemed fairly ordinary, with a ledge and a window. Very pleasant water in all the baths. It was easy to breathe in all the open-air baths, while in the enclosed ones I had to open the windows. What impressed me most was the open-air bath with a view of the river. At 6:00 in the morning, in the cool air, it was great to hang out and just stare at nature. 21.06.2026

11. Ryokan Yumotoso, Kurokawa Onsen ★★ I visited for a day trip; it is located almost in the center of the village. Usually, day-trip access is available from 08:30 to 21:00 for public baths and from 08:30 to 19:30 for private baths, with occasional closed days during the week. The public baths alternate between male and female, and are part of the Kurokawa tegata (bath ticket) system. There are three options for private baths, priced at 3000 yen. Guests staying overnight have access to an indoor bath. There was a funny story at this ryokan. Early in the morning, I entered the men's bath, but while I was there, they changed the curtain at the entrance, and in fact, I ended up leaving from the women's bath. About the onsen: 1. The first option alternates the baths by gender. The outdoor bath is made of stone. It used to be more open, but now the small roof was removed and the large upper outdoor roof was extended, so the bath became semi-open. The view includes forest, bamboo, and stones. The water is clear with a slight tint. Temperature is 40.5°C. 2. The second option alternates the baths by gender. 2.1. Wooden bath. View of trees and the opposite riverbank. The water is clear, temperature 41°C. 2.2. Stone bath. View of the river, trees, and opposite bank. The water is clear, temperature 38°C. It's comfortable to lie forward on the edge of the bath and relax with the beautiful view. 3. Private indoor bath Kamaburo. The bath is shaped like a stone coffin. The water is clear, temperature 41°C. The air inside is good to breathe, and you can open the window. A cool place with very strong baths, recommended for visiting. 27.12.2023 08.04.2025 30.12.2025