Kurokawa Onsen
黒川温泉
A hot-spring village of about 30 inns in a valley in northern Aso. With an 'Iriyu Tegata' wooden pass, you can tour the outdoor baths of several inns.
Kurokawa Onsen lies in a valley in Oguni town, on the north side of the Aso outer rim. About 30 Japanese-style inns line the Tanoharu River. The whole village avoids large signs and concrete buildings, using cedar wood, bamboo groves and earthen walls to create the atmosphere of a single countryside inn. It is regarded as a model for the revival of rural hot-spring villages in Japan. Its most distinctive feature is the 'Iriyu Tegata': at the inn association's 'Kaze-no-ya' office, you buy a round cedar wooden token, which lets you bathe at the outdoor baths of any three inns during its validity period. Each inn has different water and style, including cave baths and riverside baths. Once the token is stamped at every bath, you can take it home as a souvenir. Along the hot-spring street there are snacks such as pudding, cream puffs and local sake, and it is pleasant to stroll by the stone bridges in the evening. Day-visit bathing hours at each inn are roughly 08:30 to 21:00, and some inns close on regular days. Getting there: from Kumamoto or Fukuoka, take a Kyushu Sangyo bus for about 2.5 to 3 hours. By car from Aso, the trip takes about 40 minutes. Inns fill up in peak season, so book in advance. Staying one night is the best way to experience the atmosphere.
Opening hours
Bathing approx. 08:30–21:00 (varies by inn)
Nearby sights
- Oshitoishi Hill
- Daikanbo
- Nabegataki Falls
- Aso Shrine
- Uchinomaki Onsen
- Komezuka
- Mt. Aso Nakadake Crater
- Kikuchi Gorge