Satonoyu Waraku

黒川温泉里の湯和らくくろかわおんせんさとのゆわらく

Lodging

Kurokawa Onsen

Kyushu & Okinawa·Kumamoto

0967-44-0690 satonoyu-waraku.jp

Day Use

Yes

10:00–14:00, 15:00–19:30

Day-use bathing closes on an irregular, unannounced basis, so it is worth checking before you visit.

¥600

Adult 600 yen, child (age 3+) 300 yen. Last entry 13:30.

Bathing & Water

Natural onsen water

Uses natural hot spring water

Outdoor BathYes

Open-air outdoor bath

Indoor BathYes

Enclosed indoor bathing area

SaunaNo

Dry heat sauna room

Capabilities

Private BathNo

Private bath available for day-use visitors or hotel guests to reserve

Room OnsenYes

Private onsen bath in guest rooms, for overnight guests only

Mixed BathingNo

Shared bathing area for all genders

Policies & Services

TattooNo

Allows entry with visible tattoos

KidsNo

Welcomes children and families

Adults-only stay, maximum 2 guests per room; children not accepted.

WashingNo

Shower, wash stations, soap and shampoo provided

Applies to the shared outdoor/cave bath used for day-use bathing; no shower, shampoo, or dryer there.

ParkingYes

On-site or nearby parking available

Water treatment

Treated and recirculated

from Article 18 disclosure

Added water
Yes
Reheated
No
Recirculated
No
Disinfected
No
Bath additives
No

里の湯和らく

Satonoyu Waraku

Operated by · 里の湯和らく

黄

Sulfur

Hot source · 83°CSulfur-rich

Known good for

Skin conditionsatopic skin, eczema
Circulationtired legs
Aches & jointsstiff shoulders

Sensitive-skin cautionbroken or dry skin

A simple sulfur spring of the hydrogen-sulfide type, carrying the characteristic rotten-egg note of H₂S. The source emerges at a scorching 82.7 °C, among the hottest natural waters in Japan, yet the on-site posting describes it as gentle and silky, low in irritation on the skin. Apart from a very small amount of water added purely to hold the source temperature steady, it is served free-flowing (kakenagashi) with no heating and no recirculation, constantly overflowing the cave bath (anayu) and open-air pools with fresh water.

Sampled at wellhead

Explore the water

Views

Forest

River

Mountains

Highlights

Cave Bath

Programs

About

Satonoyu Waraku is a small ryokan in a quieter, inner part of Kurokawa Onsen, where each of the eleven rooms is a separate cottage with its own semi-open-air bath. Guests also share two communal baths among the trees by the river: an outdoor bath built around large rocks and a cave bath called ana-yu (穴湯), which swap between men and women on a set schedule. The water has a faint sulfur note. Rooms are booked for two adults only, with no children, and the whole place is built around that kind of quiet, couples-only stay.

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5.0

4 reviews

from 1 reviewer

Sergey M

1 year ago

421. Satonoyu Waraku, Kurokawa Onsen The rotenburo (outdoor bath) looks great on a sunny April day as well. 09.04.2025

Sergey M

1 year ago· edited

421. Satonoyu Waraku, Kurokawa Onsen (pt.1 - general information and room) ★★★ Stayed overnight. It is located far from the center of Kurokawa - about a 30-40 minute walk. I took dinner and breakfast, served in a separate area on the second floor behind standard chairs; for breakfast, there is a choice of Japanese or Western style. They served a double kaiseki - I liked the food. The ryokan has a small number of rooms. Mine had a bath in the room. The service was excellent and I liked it. During dinner, the chef was present behind the counter at a short distance, and the waiter passed feedback to him, which resulted in responses. For the achievement with the black towel, all the staff were in on it - when I showed the towel, they called a few more people to see it. When I left, they gave me a matryoshka doll as a gift - I gave a return gift with an umbrella featuring Kumamon (it had just started snowing, and visually I had no umbrella). After the stay, Booking.com asked if everything was satisfactory, and upon my reply, they also thanked me for the matryoshka gift. The onsen is usually available for day use from 10:00 to 14:00, with occasional days off during the week. It is included in the Kurokawa tegata (onsen pass). The onsen issues Toreco cards. The ryokan has its own branded towels with a cat design. There is a daily rotation of the main baths by gender. 14.01.2025 15.01.2025

Sergey M

1 year ago· edited

421. Satonoyu Waraku, Kurokawa Onsen (pt.2 - onsens and conclusion) ★★★ 1. One bath for men/women. Cave onsen. The water is clear, slightly cloudy. Temperature about 43°C. Comfortable to breathe. There are three steam cabinets. A cool, atmospheric place. 2. Another bath for men/women. Outdoor stone bath with Kurokawa lanterns. The water is clear, with a bit of white lime. Temperature ranges from 40-42°C, varying in different parts of the bath. 3. Private bath in the room, water is clear but slightly cloudy and somewhat white. Temperature 44°C, there is a faucet to dilute, breathing is normal, has the proper onsen sulfur smell. Great place: high service, delicious food, alternating powerful baths for men/women, spacious room with private bath. Recommended both for accommodation and day visits (though slots and location are challenging). 14.01.2025 15.01.2025