Come Away with Me

Spa Haven- 筋湯温泉

Our journey with the Hanasakis continued the second day as we rented a car and drove from Sasebo to this hot spring location called Sujiyu Onsen (筋湯温泉)in Oita.

Actually we weren't intending to stay at another Japanese inn this time round since we visited one in Kumamoto last year. The Hanasakis however planned to drop by the next prefecture for a relaxing soak and invited us along. Recalling what an ardious task it was for us to get to our ryokan (most of these Japanese inns are located in hot spring areas which are really off limits if you do not drive), the thought of not having to take any form of public transport and simply sit back and enjoy the drive was simply too tempting an offer to resist.

As suspected, the drive to the ryokan was no ordinary route. We had to wind through mountain roads, zig-zagged through Kumamoto occasionally before reaching the inn which is nestled among another range of mountains. No trains or amount of planning would have been able to get us all the way there!

It was late afternoon when we finally reached the cosy little inn where we would spend the night at. There are only 8 rooms in all and so even if there is maximum occupancy, there will not be too many guests at any one time. While this is not my first visit to a hot spring, it is the first time that I am staying at a room that comes with an attached outdoor bath. For the price we paid, I must say this place is quite a steal!

Having a break and enjoying tea in our room before dinner at the common room.

Looking forward to the sumptuos spread awaiting us!

What can I say? 本当に幸せだね。。。Typical Japanese style dinner consisting of one main course, usually a pot dish or grilled meat and many other smaller and nicely laid and prepared dishes, not forgetting dessert at the end, my fav! Perhaps i was looking forward to dinner too much but it was somehow not as good as it looked. Everything was nice but that's it, just nice, nothing too outstanding that I can recall now.






Leaving the lovely inn the next day, not before taking a picture outside our room.

posted by テレサ @ 10:44 AM