Kurokawa Onsen | Where to Stay, Soak and Eat in Kyushu’s Idyllic Onsen Town
An atmospheric onsen town nestled in a forested valley and dripping with old-world charm, Kurokawa Onsen is dotted with traditional ryokans with natural hot springs and is seemingly made for rest and rejuvenation.
After hiking at Mount Aso, I knew I needed an idyllic escape where I could simply be a lazy potato, nourish my body and soul, and soak my aches and worries away. Thankfully, Kurokawa Onsen delivered on all fronts and ended up being one of my top Kyushu destinations. Better yet, I had a wonderful experience there without paying top-dollar ryokan prices!
In this guide, I share what to expect when onsen-hopping, an accommodation find that offers fantastic value, and where to savour surprisingly excellent food in this tiny mountain town. Let’s dive in!
This post is not sponsored & reflects my personal opinions.
One. Getting to Kurokawa Onsen by Public Transport
While there’s no train station at Kurokawa Onsen, buses run there from popular tourist destinations such as Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Aso, and Yufuin.
Check out the bus routes and timetables for the Kyushu Odan Bus (English) (Kumamoto → Aso → Kurokawa Onsen ← Yufuin ← Beppu) and the Fukuoka-Kurokawa Bus English (Fukuoka → Fukuoka Airport → Kurokawa Onsen).
Each runs a few times daily in each direction and reservations are required. I’ve only booked through the official Japanese pages for the Kyushu Odan Bus (Japanese) and Fukuoka-Kurokawa Bus (Japanese), but there are also English booking websites like Japan Bus Online and Willer-Travel.
This information is current as of December 2025.
WoWa Tips
Paying on board after reserving online? I suggest bringing the exact fare in cash. I encountered a ‘cash only’ situation even though payment via credit card seems to be available now (fortunately, the driver had spare change!).
Traveling often by bus in Kyushu? Consider the SunQ pass.
Prefer to drive? Find access information at the Kurokawa Onsen Ryokan Association's website.
Note: Some of the links in this guide will be to Japanese websites (translate via browser) or PDF docs (screenshot and use the Google Translate app).
The welcoming sign at the entrance of Kurokawa Onsen, just around the corner from the bus stop where I arrived.
Two. Getting Around Kurokawa Onsen
Navigating the Heart of Town
Compact and a little hilly, the town centre can be easily explored on foot by most. Most ryokans, restaurants, and shops are conveniently clustered there, while some quieter ryokans sit a few kilometres outside of town.
The steep slope that cuts through the heart of town, and leads me to delicious food (keep scrolling for that).
Exploring the Outskirts
If you’re keen for a walk outside the town, check out this walking map. I'd also recommend grabbing a hard copy from the information centre for the most current information.
I walked part of Route 3 and was delighted by the picturesque Warabi Nobori, the path running alongside a flowing stream with moss-covered rocks that bear a striking resemblance to warabi mochi (which, if you haven't tried, may surprise you—it is considerably less chewy than regular mochi and, in my view, the superior version!).
The calming scene of a flowing stream and moss-covered rocks from Warabi Nobori.
WoWa Tips
Heavy luggage? Check beforehand if your accommodation offers a pick-up and drop-off service from the bus stop (mine did, despite <500m away).
First stop? Head to the information centre for a handy town map and daily schedule of the available onsens. The schedule is extremely useful, since the onsens have varying opening days/hours for day guests, or may be closed for maintenance. The online schedule (updated every morning) even has the respective prices and crowd status.
A word of caution. I was surprised that there's no proper walking path for most of Route 3 after leaving town, so I was literally walking on the road and on high-alert for speeding cars..!
Walking along Route 3 meant multi-tasking between admiring the towering trees and watching out for traffic!
Three. Onsen-Hopping - The Kurokawa Experience
The beauty of onsen towns lies in their nostalgic, old-world ambience paired with world-class natural hot springs. There are no high-rise buildings in sight, no Don Quijote, and nope, not even a konbini. The best thing to do is onsen-hop from one blissful bath to another until you're pruny.
The Ryokan Association knows that and offers an onsen-hopping pass (a ‘tegata’, a small wooden plaque made from local cedar and cypress) for ¥1,500, which allows access to 3 of the 25+ open-air baths in Kurokawa Onsen.
To be honest, the savings (¥500 in my case) aren’t much compared to paying individual entrance fees (typically ranging from ¥500 to ¥850). However, the pass itself, which gets a distinctive stamp at each location you visit, makes a cute souvenir!
Perks of venturing outside of town - picturesque views of countryside ryokans!
Despite the numerous onsens in the town centre, I was keen to take the path less travelled. So I braved the rainy weather and headed towards the outskirts of town. Here are the three I visited on my onsen journey:
Satonoyu Waraku – I chose this for its intriguing ‘cave’ onsen (though I was a bit disappointed to find out it’s not a real cave!) and was the only person the entire time as a storm brewed outside. The inclement weather and my solitude in the steaming spring water created an air of mystery and tranquility that felt oddly cinematic.
Yamamizuki – Their beautiful open-air onsen overlooks a babbling stream, and entry includes use of modern shower facilities (Waraku’s cave onsen didn’t have showers, while Nonohana’s ones were a little rustic). Unfortunately, the water was way too hot for me to properly enjoy! Plus, a group of chatty tourists shattered the zen ambience I’d imagined.
Oyakado Nonohana– The priciest of the lot at ¥800, this one featured a relaxing outdoor bath facing leafy greenery and accompanied by the sounds of nature. It didn’t wow me, but I got the serenity I wanted as the sole bather.
My favourite experience? Definitely Waraku for that quirky yet memorable cave experience during the storm!
Waraku’s unique cave onsen. Photos aren’t allowed for obvious reasons (birthday suits only!), but I was the only one there the entire time.
Approaching the baths at Yamamizuki with anticipation! Don’t enter the wrong one—男 for males and 女 for females.
WoWa Tips
Onsen etiquette: Unfamiliar with onsen bathing? The top two things to bear in mind is that generally you must be in your birthday suit (i.e. no swimsuits) and you must wash yourself thoroughly before entering. For more details, check out Japan National Travel Organisation’s onsen bathing guide.
Pass validity: The onsen-hopping pass is valid for 6 months, so you can spread your visits over a few days if you like. One entry can even be used for dining or souvenirs instead (for those who’ve reached your onsen saturation point!).
Keen to cave? Waraku has a partially covered cave onsen and an open-air one that alternate between being for males and females, depending on the day and time. If there’s one you prefer, it’s best to ask your accommodation to call ahead to check.
Four. Modern Meets Traditional: Where to Stay in Kurokawa Onsen
The conundrum I faced was that most available accommodation fell into two buckets: pricey ryokans better suited for couples than solo travellers like myself (typically with hefty dinner sets that honestly didn't appeal to me), or bare-bones budget stays in the outskirts. There seemed to be nothing in between!
The cozy hallway at Inn Noshiyu. Thank you to the friendly staff member who spoke great English and kindly carried my heavy luggage up the stairs!
The Sweet Spot - Inn Noshiyu
Luckily, I discovered an available room in a guesthouse that hit the sweet spot. Inn Noshiyu offers modern rooms in a lovely contemporary building with warm, inviting touches. With only 4 bedrooms in total (one with an ensuite—room 203), there's an intimate, quiet atmosphere. The central shared bathroom features an indoor hot spring, and I never encountered a queue.
My thoughtfully designed room (202) had everything I needed and more: kitchenette, private toilet, comfy bed, skylight and windows offering natural light and verdant views, and yukata for wandering around town in style.
Clean, comfy, and well-equipped—I was more than satisfied with room 202!
The Golden Ticket - Access to Oyado Noshiyu
Here's what elevates Inn Noshiyu from good to exceptional: guests can access the enchanting onsen collection at Oyado Noshiyu, the pricier ryokan sister just across the road!
With a shared outdoor open-air bath, family baths, and multiple private baths perfect for solo travellers or couples, it's an onsen lover's dream.
Down a stone path, a wooden cabinet with intricate illustrations holds keys to the family and private baths. If you’re lucky, claim your key to the bath; if not, settle onto the nearby bench to wait your turn.
My favourite was the Choroku Bath with its gorgeous cypress bathtub. With morning light filtering through the windows, starting the day in the mineral-rich hot bath felt divine. The Standing Bath was also a refreshing experience, given most baths are designed for sitting.
I could have soaked in the enchanting Choroku Bath for hours.
The Standing Bath's wooden interior transported me to a mountain village from centuries past.
Snapshot
Great for: Modern and reasonably-priced rooms with access to excellent onsens across the road; especially good value if you are a solo traveller (as most rooms in ryokans are for dual occupancy).
Access: Located in the town centre and a mere ~500m from the bus stop (there are a few slopes so if you have luggage, you may wish to book the complimentary shuttle in advance).
Keep in mind: Unless you’ve booked room 203 (which has an ensuite), the bathroom is shared with two other rooms. Also, they don't serve dinner unlike a ryokan, but they do offer breakfast every day except Wednesday (which, of course, was the morning I was there!).
Cost: Room 202 was ~¥18,300 (A$197) in early Spring 2025.
Five. Dining Gems - Where to Eat in Kurokawa Onsen
Old-School Izakaya Magic
After settling in, it was time to check on the local dining scene and I was in for a pleasant surprise… who knew one of my best izakaya experiences would be in a town where just a handful of restaurants open at night?
Seated on a barber-style swivel chair at Iroriya, I felt transported to the quintessential old-school Japanese bars I'd seen in drama series—the kind with sake and whisky bottles lining dark wooden shelves and moody, intimate lighting. Interestingly, there was also a small "no war" sign at the bar (I wanted to ask about it, but suspected the language barrier would be too much!).
Old-school vibes at Iroriya's intimate bar—sake-lined shelves, moody decor, and swivel chairs.
The food was not your average izakaya fare. I feasted on stir-fried ramen that arrived sizzling on a piping hot pan, and expertly fried chicken tempura paired with a light dipping sauce.
What really blew me away was their deep-fried radish special—a dish I’ve never tried and would never have ordered if I hadn’t seen it landing on several tables. Lightly crisp on the outside, yet delicately soft inside, it can’t be missed!
I paired everything with local Aso sake and left a little tipsy, incredibly satisfied, and patting myself on the back for scoring a seat.
Stir-fried ramen & chicken tempura - hearty, simple, and delicious.
My first try of deep-fried radish! 10/10 would order again.
Cream Puff Heaven
Another food highlight was the heavenly cream puff from Patisserie Roku! I love a good choux pastry, and this was stellar—crisp golden shell with luscious, creamy custard made from local Jersey milk. Their milk pudding with caramel sauce was satisfyingly sweet and silky smooth too.
They're also well-known for their award-winning Kakazaka chocolate cake, but (unfortunately or fortunately) I had some self-control!
Come to me, puffy choux buns!
Not pictured: the luscious, creamy custard filling!
WoWa Tips
Reservations: Booking a table at Iroriya is highly recommended (by phone only; best to ask your accommodation for help if you don’t speak Japanese), as I saw several tourists getting swiftly turned away
Mid-week breaks: Wednesday is probably not the ideal day to visit Kurokawa Onsen as several restaurants are closed then, including Iroriya and the kitchen at Inn Noshiyu.
Konbini substitute: There may not be FamilyMart or Lawson in town, but there’s Goto Liquor, a trusty store for snacks and sake; it opens till 10pm almost everyday and even offers sake tastings!
A Worthy Destination
Packed with incredible hot springs that exceeded my expectations, Kurokawa Onsen turned out to be the perfect getaway—accessible, charmingly quaint, and wonderfully peaceful.
My two cents: Inn Noshiyu and Iroriya are absolute game-changers for value or budget-conscious travellers who still want a top-tier onsen experience. I’d love to return, and hopefully bring my partner with me too!
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