KoreanOyado Yufunosho Ryokan Review
Hi, today I’ll be writing about Oyado Yufunosho, a ryokan in the Yufuin area of Japan.
I had visited Oyado Yufunosho back in 2018 and loved everything about it — the kaiseki, the rooms, the facilities — so I returned for a second visit.
I took a direct bus from Fukuoka Airport and arrived at Yufuin Station about three hours later.
It had been a while since my last visit to Yufuin. My previous trip had been so wonderful that arriving here always feels like coming home.
Post-COVID Japan felt slightly surreal to experience again, but I was overwhelmed with happiness to be back.
Getting to the Ryokan from Yufuin Station
From Fukuoka Airport or Hakata Station, take the express bus bound for Yufuin and get off at the Yufuin terminal.
From there, you can either take the ryokan’s own shuttle service or grab a taxi.
On my first visit I had taken the shuttle, but this time the timing didn’t work out, so I opted for a taxi instead.
The ryokan is tucked deep in a mountain valley, so the ride takes a good while.
It had snowed not long before our arrival, and the mountains were blanketed in white.
Yufunosho Ryokan Check-in
We arrived to find the ryokan exactly as I remembered — not a thing had changed in five years.
Snow had fallen on our previous visit too, and this time we arrived to find it already piled up around the property.
Room Review
The staff welcomed us warmly and guided us through check-in. After filling out a short form, a staff member came into the room and walked us through how everything worked. The explanation was in Japanese and English — the English was solid, which was a nice touch.
With six people in our group, we booked two rooms.
By a stroke of luck, we were assigned the exact same room I’d stayed in years before — a tatami room with its own private outdoor bath.
The second room was smaller and didn’t have a private outdoor bath, but was perfectly comfortable for two guests.
All rooms are traditional Japanese tatami-style.
The welcome treat was the same mochi-like dango as last time — genuinely delicious. The tea in the thermos alongside it was equally wonderful.
Private Outdoor Onsen
We headed straight for the private open-air hot spring attached to our room.
The view from the in-room onsen.
Most private outdoor baths are surrounded by walls with little to look at, but here you can soak while gazing out over the mountains — it’s a real highlight.
Kaiseki Dinner
Kaiseki is one of the biggest draws of any ryokan stay in Japan — a traditional seasonal multi-course meal. The kaiseki here was so memorable on my first visit that it was the main reason I came back.
A staff member led us to a dining room where the table was already beautifully laid. The spread included traditional Japanese dishes alongside chicken, beef, and horse meat.
What I love about Japanese kaiseki is that each ingredient speaks for itself — no heavy seasoning or spices, just pure, clean natural flavor.
Dishes kept arriving in course style — sashimi, nabe, and more.
Compared to my visit five years earlier, the variety had trimmed down a little, but it was still delicious.
Just outside the dining room is a central open hearth where you can pour yourself a latte or coffee.
A warm drink by the fire after a long kaiseki dinner is hard to beat.
Communal Onsen
After dinner, we headed to the shared outdoor hot spring. Like most ryokan communal baths, it operates on an honor system — you hang a sign on the door while in use.
Outside it was below freezing, but inside the onsen the cold simply vanished. Soaking in steaming hot water while icy air surrounds you is one of those genuinely irreplaceable pleasures.
Kaiseki Breakfast
The morning kaiseki was lighter than dinner, but no less satisfying.
Natto, tamago kake gohan, salmon steak, salad, and a steaming bowl of soup — everything was fresh and delicious.
That piping hot soup paired with glossy white rice warmed you right through.
Breaking a fresh egg yolk over the rice and adding a dash of soy sauce made for a perfect tamago kake gohan.
That wraps up my review of Oyado Yufunosho Ryokan.
Summary
- The ryokan runs its own shuttle service, making access easy.
- The kaiseki is better and more generous than at most ryokans.
- The private outdoor bath opens directly onto the mountains — the view is exceptional.