Sanga Ryokan
"Sanga Ryokan was a bit far from the main onsen town, but that can be good in its own way" (Anonymous)
"Sanga Ryokan was marvelous - a real dream. We were unhappy to leave and would have enjoyed a few more days there. Sanga Ryokan was a real discovery, like the ones you find in books and brochures." (Anonymous)
"The staff at Sanga Ryokan was very helpful, and they went through some pain to even translate the menu for us. They were entirely pleasant, helpful, and understanding. Staying at Sanga Ryokan was a great experience. It was kind of far out but that is also an advantage as it was nice and quiet. Our room even had a river view. There was a nice variety of hot spring baths, and they were very well kept. Thank you for the great experience, it was one of the highlights of our trip." (Anonymous)
"Sanga Ryokan was truly a hidden paradise in Kurukowa Onsen. A quiet and beautiful setting, great hot springs, AMAZING multi-course meals, and impeccable service. Sanga Ryokan not only provided pick-up service, but also dropped us off and picked us up in town when we wanted to visit other ryokans. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a traditional ryokan experience and/or romantic getaway." (Anonymous)
"The best accommodation and atmosphere we have seen in Japan (and we stayed 3 weeks there in April) was Sanga Ryokan, Kurokawa Onsen. Please give this feedback also to Sanga Ryokan. We will never forget our stay there. Sanga Ryokan is a Japanese diamond. Your services were perfect and you have always been very kind and helpful. Good luck in the future! A thousand thanks for your support and service." (Anonymous)
"We had an excellent time staying at Sanga Ryokan. The room we had was small but came with a private hot spring bath. It was also lovely to be have a full view of the natural waterfall and a gushing river (actually just outside our window). The landscaping and outdoor hot springs were beautiful and there is even a foot bath right next to the entrance of the spa. The food was really good and our hostess, Sato with her limited English, made us feel like royalty! Kurogawa is a beautiful area and although not much English is spoken there, most people will try to help you around. You can try many different public baths in the area, most of which are accessible by foot. I would recommend that you take the bus outside the train station to Kurokawa Spa (it is an area) and get off at the last BIG bus stop - there are signs everywhere. The bus driver and passengers on the buses are very helpful and most are heading for the same area anyways.From the Kurokawa bus stop, round the corner, backwards and head towards the Visitor Centre (ask for directions). It is a 10 minute walk downhill - you can't miss it as it is really busy. Have the girls at the visitor centre (they speak English) call Sanga Ryokan and a car from Sanga Ryokan will pick you up at the Visitor Centre. This is a free service. The visitor centre offers a lot of information on transportation, ryokans and the area in general and the girls are very very friendly. We took a cab ride from the train station on the first day and that cost us more than 7,000 yen. We spent 4 beautiful days in Kurokawa and I would definitely recommend this region. Tip: If you want to visit the beautiful majestic Mount Aso, there is a bus from the same bus stop (again, get the time table for the Visitor Centre) that takes you all the way to the foot of Mt Aso (the stop after the museum) its a lovely drive especially towards the end and the same bus will wait for you for 53 minutes (so you can leave your things in the bus). Lunch is included in the bus ticket of 3,000 yen (round trip) and you can take the rope car across to view the still active volcano. Then its back to the bus and to Aso station where you change buses (10 minute wait ) to Kurokawa Spa . Lovely! Public transport is very convenient and so much cheaper than a cab ride. The buses trains and trams run on clockwork and so it is very easy to hop on the right one. Hope you will have as much fun as we had!" (Anonymous)
"Stay was marvelous! They gave me a gift for my 40th birthday (a yukata and an obi), and they helped my dress up in my kimono and haori. They were extremely helpful with every request that I had, and to top it off, the view from my room included a waterfall (I am a professional photographer and I love waterfalls). This place for me, was heaven on earth! I will definitely come back to this ryokan with my wife, for a much longer stay (at least 4 days to 1 week). It was the best ryokan I have ever stayed at." (Anonymous)
"We liked that it was isolated from the somewhat touristy town. And the bus trips from to Kurokawa Onsen from Beppu and to Fukuoka went through some beautiful areas. [The room was] very comfortable and charming, with private hot spring bath." (Anonymous)
"We requested Vegetarian food with no fish, and the food was excellent throughout our 2 nigh stay. The staff were very friendly, eventhough we spoke no Japanes they were so helpful and kind. We had a car and found hte location very peaceful. Without a car may be a little out of town, but that is the charm of this Ryokan. We loved the hot spring, there were outdoor and indoor pools and all were very relaxing and spotlessly clean. I find the map location finder very useful on your site.
"I had hoped to book for 3 nights but your service very quickly let me know the Ryokan was only available for 2 nights and you tried other options for us. I was extremely pleased with the service you provided." (Anonymous)