Octie Appetie: Japan 2024 Trip Part 2: Yawaragi-No-Sato Yadoya, Yufuin

22 March 2024

Japan 2024 Trip Part 2: Yawaragi-No-Sato Yadoya, Yufuin

Previously:

Japan 2024 Trip Part 1: Nishitetsu Highway Bus to Yufuin

In this post, I will talk more about the ryokan we stayed. I'll do my best in giving you all as much info and pictures. Before I get into more details, let me briefly talk about Yufuin town itself. Yufuin is a popular hot spring town which seated at the foot of Mount Yufu in Oita Prefecture. There are many traditional ryokans and modern hotels filled this area and many with onsen available at the resorts. There are also 'sento' or traditional public bath that available to use.

Although this little town is less developed than her neighbour city, Beppu, they have variety of posh cafes and snack stalls, souvenir shops and museums around the town's main street that accessible on foot. But once you go beyond the main areas, you can soon see the rice paddies and beautiful scenery of lake Kirin.

The ryokan that we stayed is called Yawaragi-No-Sato Yadoya. This place has a great location, only five minutes short walk to Floral Village. They served marvellous food and offered mind-blowing onsen. We stayed here for two nights and we had the most amazing two nights of my entire stay on this trip. Their services were top notch. To top it up, the room, OMG!!! The room was massive. We booked a superior room with tatami area for us and two kids while my parents stayed in a standard Japanese-style room. In the superior room, there are two single beds in the main area then we also get tatami area where it can be functioned as a lounge area on daytime and turned into futon bed at night. However, they don’t provide that turn down service, we need to make our own futon bed.

Free parking spot for resort guest

In most Japanese ryokans, they will give spare sandals that you need to change into while you’re inside the building and there are also outdoor sandals available.

Kids zone

Complementary gifs from the resort

They gave use so many free gifts to take home, like these cute nail cutters, Japanese-style handbags, and glow bracelets for kids.

Superior room

Lounge/futon bedroom in superior room

Separate shower and toilet

Below is the standard Japanese-style room. This room is a lot smaller but still there is a separate area between lounge room and bedroom. So, it is pretty decent for two person staying there.

View from level 3 terrace

Public bath

They have these separate women and men bath for guests to use. There are also private baths that you can reserve in advance. All together there are three private onsen spas available here. Yawaragi, Naka-no-yu and Gaemon-no-yu. Each of them has an indoor and outdoor bath. On your stay, you can reserve private bath twice a day, once in the evening and one in the morning but it is first come first serve basis. I have booked all three baths, at different times though. However, I didn't get to go to the Naka one because I booked for early in the morning and I slept in. The receptionist told me that Yawaragi is the biggest one and I agreed, this bath is spacious and so stunning too.