This was my favorite stay in Japan - I was initially skeptical given the price but it was far worth every penny. The kaiseki that this hotel offered was personalized and a great touch. The room was comfortable and soaking in their onsen was the highlight of my trip. The staff were so very kind to us, even though we were foreigners who barely spoke any Japanese, they had 2-3 staff members that spoke excellent English and answered every question with kindness. I would highly recommend to anyone to stay here, you will not be disappointed.

Explanation of the private onsen - it would be nice to let guests know you can book it prior to check in.

Our stay at Kurokawa Onsen Ryokan was nothing short of magical. From the moment we arrived, the staff made us feel genuinely welcome with their warm and attentive hospitality. The room was traditional Japanese style, peaceful, spacious and beautifully maintained. The private onsen was a truly relaxing experience, offering serene moments of calm and privacy. We also tried the public onsen facilities, which were just as wonderful, with a tranquil atmosphere and stunning natural surroundings. The absolute highlight of our stay was the food. Both dinner and breakfast were traditional Japanese meals, and every dish was outstanding, beautifully presented and full of flavor. You could tell each element was prepared with care and passion. If you're looking for an authentic and unforgettable Japanese ryokan experience, I can't recommend this place enough.

I loved everything about this ryokan. It is gorgeous, spacious, the staff is unbelievably kind and speaks English. My room, traditional Japanese, was big and included all the necessary amenities (no shower in the room, mind that, as is often the case with ryokans). The place is located a bit off the main road, away from other establishments, and is very quiet. I appreciated the fact that you can book a small onsen just for yourself. The breakfast was Japanese and it included plenty of small dishes. Delicious!

The ryokan is a bit off the main road, and cars have difficulty navigating a narrow and steep road.

It was our last night in Japan and it was magical! The hotel picked us at the bus stop and store our luggage while we spend the day walking around Kurokawa Onsen which is a very cute little city. Then, we checked-in, the room was lovely, confortable and very cleaned. We went to the public and private onsen, the public one being outside, and the private one being inside and you can book a specific time at the reception upon arrival. You have a kimono and socks that you can wear after the baths for dinner. Then we had an incredible gastronomic dinner! And had another a lovely breakfast the day after. Finally, the hotel dropped us at the bus stop to get our bus for Fukuoka airport (which takes about 3h)! The place was so peaceful and the food was absolutely excellent, we had a wonderful time, thank you!

You just need to know that you have to pay an extra 1000¥ to book the private onsen.

I arrived pretty early before check in time (around 10:35 am) and the check in time wasn't until 1500, I called the hotel about it and they offered to pick me up at the bus stop at 10:35 and have a shuttle service pick me up and drop me off at the hotel with no additional charge. I was also able to store my luggage with them and it was promptly moved to my room before I checked in as well. Even though I understood some Japanese as they guide me through some details when dropping off the luggage, when checking in they still offered a Chinese staff member who promptly showed me to my room. (Though the main staff told her I understood Japanese which was quite flattering even though I'm not even N5) The room is really spacious and there is only a toilet in the room (no bathroom). During dinner, they would set up your futon in your room as well. You'll be required to go to a different floor for your meal as well unlike other ryokans where they serve you in your room, but you will get your individual room at the food hall which was great as well. The same Chinese staff then proceeded to guide me through each individual dishes and I enjoyed every one of them. Even though the hotel is up a slope and seems far from the town center, the town is small overall so it's not much of a hassle if you want to take a day to explore and do some onsen hopping. You'll also be able to wear their yukata and shoes out to do the onsen hopping in other ryokans without the need to rent it at the visitor centre. When checking out, you can also call the front desk to help to carry your luggage up back to the lobby as you will need to climb up some stairs as there is no lift in the hotel, they'll also arrange a shuttle bus to fetch you back to the bus stop where you will take the bus to your next destination. Overall I really enjoyed the ryokan and would recommend it to everyone else who visits kurokawa onsen!

I would still prefer if they at least have a shower (not a bathtub, just a shower) for us to use at night when we don't feel like going to the onsen and want to have a quick rinse.

Magnificent is what comes to mind when I think about my stay at Ryokan Ichinoi. The Ryokan is located in the small, majestic Kurosawa Onsen town and just a 5 minute walk to the information center. The onsen itself is stunning amidst trees, rocks, and other natural elements. The room is a welcoming, traditional Japanese-style space with tatami mats and sliding doors and a nice view. The staff were incredibly attentive and made sure every detail of my stay was perfect. The meals were high quality and delectable. Ultimately, I am really happy with my stay and would strongly recommend staying at Ryokan Ichinoi to anyone visiting Kurosawa Onsen.

The ryokan is fantastic. Our attendants and all staffs are very lovely, friendly, and supportive. They provide very impressive services. The location is peaceful. The room is great with well-working A/C, safe deposit box, minibar, and kettle. The dinner and the breakfast are among the best Japanese meals I have ever had.

The road to the ryokan is quite difficult to drive (which should not be blamed on the ryokan). More plug sockets in the room should be great addition. There is no swap between male and female bathing facilities so I have no opportunity to try different ones (not sure whether it is different).

Everything was perfect, especially the service. We took a bus there and the staff picked our luggage up at the bus station and let us explore the small town freely, and lent us umbrella since it was drizzling. The cook accommodated to our diet restriction and made us a very sumptuous meal at dinner and lunch. The Onsens are good too. There were not many guests so we basically enjoyed them as private ones. The place is 8 minutes hike from the town but since the staff offered us shuttle from and to the bus station, commuting is no problem at all.

Nothing

Breakfast and dinner were amazing - kaiseki style. My partner and I reserved a private onsen upon arrival for 1,000yen which was easy. Public and private onsen are both located outside of the main building but they are still indoor style onsens. Room was spacious and comfortable.

We were arriving just after sunset so it was getting quite dark. As mentioned online, the road from main road up to the ryokan is very very narrow. Would recommend arriving before sunset for better visuals.

Good quite hotel just off the main road of kurokawa, spacious, comfortable and clean room (beware there's no shower in it). Traditional japanese meals. Nice onsen with option of using a private one. Friendly staff.

No flexability with food preferences (ex. received a whole fish with head head an tail, no option to make it a fillet instead). Requested help from front desk in other Onsens information and reservation, staff was not efficient.