Senomoto Kogen Hotel

A highly recommended Ryokan and Onsen!!It’s about a 3-hour highway bus ride from Fukuoka, and they provide a Shuttle Service from the Kurokawa Onsen bus stop to the Ryokan (with advance Reservation).Our bus was running a bit late, but they waited for us.We booked the “Room assigned on arrival” Plan with a 60-minute buffet starting at 19:30, but…Amazingly, we were shown to a first-floor Room with an open-air bath!!!Both the atmosphere of the Room and the open-air bath were wonderful.The buffet was originally scheduled from 19:30, but they said 17:30 was also fine, so they changed it for us.The buffet by the window with a beautiful view was delicious across the board!!There were lots of Kumamoto specialties as well. Plenty of drinks too—absolutely satisfying!!As for the Onsen, there is a large public bath, and the open-air bath is in a separate area.To reach it, you walk outside about 50 meters from inside the building. It’s a little dark at night, but there’s just enough lighting without spoiling the view or the starry sky.At night the open-air bath is almost completely dark (in a good way), and when the weather is clear you can see the stars through the steam. There’s also a reclining bath, so you can relax while surrounded by cool air, warm Onsen water, and starlight.Being able to bathe from 5:30 to 23:30 was also great.I’ve heard it’s especially amazing on snowy days.I went in again in the morning—it was such a pleasant start to the day while looking out over the grasslands.The in-room open-air bath was slightly hot, but you can adjust it by adding water, so I could enjoy it slowly either as a full soak or just a footbath. There’s no shower, and they 안내 that washing should be done at the large public bath.There’s also a relaxation room and a laundry room.Every day from 20:30 there is a “Stargazing Walk,” where they explain celestial objects and share interesting stories.On rainy days it becomes an indoor session in the lobby using a projector (projection mapping only), but on clear days they also go outside for explanations.This time we were lucky—the stars were beautifully visible outdoors!!We could clearly see Orion and the Winter Triangle; it felt like being in a planetarium.It does get very cold during winter outdoor sessions, so dressing very warmly is recommended.We even won a Kumamon towel at their rock-paper-scissors game (laugh).The breakfast buffet also had more variety than expected.Great scenery, and every staff member was genuinely kind—an extremely comfortable stay.A Ryokan that will definitely make you want to come back!

[Location] At my daughter’s request to see Kurokawa Onsen’s Yunakari, we looked for an Accommodation in the Kurokawa Onsen town area, but everything was fully booked, so we made a Reservation here a little farther away. In the end, we were very satisfied. It was about a 10-minute drive to Kurokawa Onsen. Once we got there, we realized that while the roads leading up to the area are dark, they are wide enough and not an issue; however, around the Onsen town itself it is truly dark and the roads are very narrow and winding. If you’re not confident driving, staying right in that area may be difficult. Since I’m not great at driving, I’m glad we chose Senomoto Kogen Hotel with its spacious parking.[Room] They prepared a renovated Room for us, and it was very cute and clean. It feels a bit small for four people, but since we were basically just sleeping there, it wasn’t a problem.[Dining] We didn’t expect much from a buffet-style meal, but it was excellent! The staff worked efficiently and refilled dishes quickly as they ran low. Alcohol was all-you-can-drink as well, and there were many adult-friendly options (sashimi, roast beef, fish shabu-shabu, carpaccio, etc.). The sashimi was fresh and delicious. There were desserts and soft-serve ice cream too—fantastic! There aren’t many typical kid-friendly items like fries, pasta, or fried chicken dishes (karaage), so depending on your children they may have trouble finding something they like. There’s plenty of alcohol selection but fewer soft drink options. Still, this buffet stands out from others in a good way—please keep it as an adult-oriented buffet like this. Since we had to drive to Kurokawa Onsen afterward, it was disappointing that I couldn’t drink…[Bath] The open-air bath is designed so you can lie back and look up at the starry sky—such a special experience! However—and this is important—it isn’t an open-air bath connected directly to the large public bath; the large public bath and open-air bath are in completely separate locations. You reach the open-air bath by walking through a dark garden path with twists and turns. I imagine it would be extremely cold in midwinter or on rainy days.[Overall] As it’s only three stories tall overall getting around is easy. There’s also a relaxation room with sofas and massage chairs plus lots of books available. The massage chairs are so nice you’d think they should be paid-only quality (though using them does cost extra). I’d love it if they could be available until 24:00 when use of the Onsen ends—since this place doesn’t often have availability… The building itself may be older originally، but there are many thoughtful touches throughout، making our stay comfortable۔ We’d love to stay again۔ All staff members were kind too! Thank you very much۔