Hotels near Tabaruzaka Park, Kumamoto

Nice onsen bath

When searching for a ryokan with a private in room hot spring , (onsen), I came across Yanyanoyu and it’s a literal “Heaven on earth.” From the moment we arrived, the manager Kondo and the staff made us feel welcomed and went above and beyond to make us feel comfortable. I mentioned I lost my phone in Tokyo before arriving and Kondo took it upon himself to phone the police station to double check if my phone was turned in. There is a small bar/rest area where we had self serve alcohol and soft drinks, coffee, and sweets (due to it being the owner’s birthday month; lucky us)! We got to pick our own yukatas to wear and I was provided a small bag of Mimi (not sure the correct name) cosmetics that included face cream, lotion, and cleanser. We stayed in the room that starts with “Z” and it was very spacious. The hot spring bath was surrounded by lush garden and the cold water hose allowed us to tone down the bath water if it was too hot. I saw someone else complain about that shower temperature— that is false; you simply need to wait a few minutes for the shower water to heat up. Breakfast and dinner was immaculate; the chef studied in Italy and Japan so we had a fusion of Japanese/Italian meals; Kondo also served us drinks after each course! The dinner area faces a very intimate garden. Also, I appreciated the jazz music played throughout the Ryokan. Other attendants we’re very kind in providing us water and towels as needed. Additionally, Kondo took us to a local town, paid for our tickets to the museum and showed us local sites including cherry blossom lane. And when we needed to head to the airport, Kondo drove us himself. As an avid traveler, this ryokan is a gem providing 5 star service all while situated in a place that feels down to earth — and the employees that go above and beyond to display their kindness. We hope to come back! Arigatou ☺️