Travel Blog: Day 3 - Review of Iyashi no Sato Kiyashikiいやしの里樹やしき->

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

We reached Kurokawa bus stop at 1531hrs after about an hour bus ride from Aso West Station or Ropeway station. Many drivers, including ours from various ryokans were already there to pick up their hotel guests. Our driver from Iyashi no Sato Kiyashikiいやしの里樹やしき soon spotted us and whisked us to the rokyan.

Upon arrival, we changed into in-house slippers and were served tea while registration was being done. After registration, they provided us a hotel map, indicating the locations of our rooms, dining room and the public onsens and requested us to select the designs of our yukatas. We were also requested to select the private onsen and dinner time. Once all these were done, the staff led and brought us to our rooms via a covered hallway or walkway leading to a zen garden before arriving at the main building where our room was. I can understand why the staff needed to show the way since the place was pretty vast. Also in between the indoor and outdoor areas, we have to change slippers. Once in the room, the staff wasted no time to explain and brief us on the room.

We originally booked Ryokan Sanga but when our reservation dates were changed to match Aso Boy's train schedule which was only available on weekends in November, no room was available. We then booked Iyashi no Sato Kiyashikiいやしの里樹やしき through the ryokan's website. Fortunately, rooms were still available. The rate was 27600yen (13800yen/person) including breakfast and dinner. This hotel has no internet or WIFI.

This is a very traditional, affordable and charming Japanese ryokan with its own unique style and character and gives us the true experience of a Japanese Ryokan. Compared to ryokans in Hakone, it is more secluded, quiet and private and not overcrowded with many tourists or guests. It sits on a big and spacious area and has many hot springs , both private and public. I choose this ryokan specially because of the good reviews of the private onsen by the river, though a fee of 1000yen is required. However, I was very disappointed that this onsen was not opened for use during our stay there. The staff could not explain the reason in English. Besides, they only allowed us to use one private onsen during our entire stay - another disappointment. We were not allowed to use another private hot spring the next day though there were plenty. However, I did try their public hot spring and had a peep at the mixed gender onsen which was beautifully done up. Very few guests stayed in this hotel during our stay so I was the only one using the public onsen. The rooms and common areas are clean and well maintained.

We chose to stay in a traditional Japanese styled room 203. The name was star

Wooden Room key whihc resembles the branch of a tree, after all, the ryokan's name has the word, tree.

The size of the room is ok but the toilet and the basin were far from each other.... the little basin beside the toilet bowl was a little too small. A little troublesome and inconvenient and we were not used to it but this layout is typical of all ryokans. No bathroom in the room too. You need to shower in the onsen.

The traditional Japanese room with low table on tatami. Basin behind the partition.

Japanese sweets

Small TV

Balcony area. It was raining so we could not take a picture of the scenery outside. Basin behind the sofa and the space to the basin is very narrow and restricted.

Fridge/Kettle

After dinner, the futons on tatami were prepared and the table was moved to one side.

Now, a review of the ryokan's facilities and surrounding area. Ryokan's main entrance. It has the streak of a Japanese inn. The lobby is on the second floor.

Hotel Map

Front Desk

Lobby or waiting area

Bar lounge

View of the colourful mountains through the window of the bar lounge

Covered walkway from Lobby to the zen garden

Stone pathway & a lovely and beautiful zen garden between the lobby and the main building

The warm wooden structured building gives a very homely feeling. Corridor leading to resting area.

Resting area before the corridor to the rooms

Corridor leading to our room

Area below our rooms. Private dining rooms and public onsens are on this floor.

Outside the private dining room

How to use the onsen

Onsens in Rokyan

Private Family Onsen

Private onsen by the river but the ryokan did not allow us to book to use. The manager could not explain the reason. But they allowed us to visit the quaint little hut or tea room along the river the next day.

You have to walk down a slope to reach it.

View of the sream taken from the little cute hut

The running stream or river.

Cosy little hut or tea room. The hotel staff even boiled water for us. You can rest here, take tea here while enjoying the scenery and listen to the soothing sound of the running river. It has a very relaxing and tranquillizing atomsphere.