Yufuin is often thought of as Oita’s “other” hot spring town, but this ryokan plays second fiddle to nowhere.

Oita has more hot springs than any other prefecture in Japan, and no city in Oita has more hot springs than Beppu. However, some onsen (hot spring) enthusiasts will say that the best bathing in Oita is to be found in Yufuin (a district of the city of Yufu) which has a reputation not only for excellent water but also a refined, elegant atmosphere that differentiates it from the more mass-marketed Beppu.

Which of the two to spend the night in is ultimately a matter of personal taste, but making a strong case for Yufuin is the ryokan (traditional inn) Gettouan.

We recently paid a visit to Gettouan as part of a press tour organized by travel agency Skyscanner. The inn is located about 10 minutes by taxi from Yufuin Station, nestled in the mountains such that it feels like its own little world.

Stepping into the lobby to check in, you’re actually inside a nearly 400-year-old village headman’s manor, which originally stood in Yamanashi Prefecture before being disassembled, transported to Yufuin, and put back together and given periodic renovations.

▼ The irori (hearth) in the sitting area is a nice classical touch.

However, there aren’t any guestrooms in this building. Gettouan is what’s called a hanare, or “detached,” style of ryokan, meaning that the guestrooms housed in their own separate structures, scattered around the grounds. As such, we knew we’d have a bit of a walk to our room, but what we weren’t expecting was for that walk to take us across a bridge in a breathtakingly beautiful forest, which passes over a stream that flows off from the nearby Shirataki River.

Once on the other side, the path is lined with villas which contain individual guestrooms, as well as a common-use lounge and communal baths.

There’s also an open-air private bath that can be rented out by couples or families, located next to the stream.

Gettouan has a variety of room types, which can be perused on the hotel’s website here, and we were booked in one of the Standard rooms. However, “standard” is a relative term, and as you can see from these interior photos from the inn’s website, the Standard rooms are still very luxuriously appointed.

Our room even included its own open-air bath with genuine hot spring water filling it.

Gettouan’s meals are in keeping with its beautiful aesthetics and high-class atmosphere as well.

Everything was delicious, but that was especially so for the sukiyaki made with locally raised Bungo beef and shiitake mushrooms.

Gettouan even has its own exclusive sake, produced by Oita brewer Kuge Honten. Also called “Gettouan,” the sake has a gentle sweetness to it, making it pair nicely with pretty much anything you might be dining on.

And if you’ve got a sweet tooth, back in the lobby building there’s a store…

…and in the store is a refrigerator…

…and in the refrigerator are the matcha green tea ice cream and kabosu citrus fruit sorbet made specially for the inn.

Gettouan is in what feels like an ideal location for a hot spring inn getaway. It’s located close enough to a train station to be easily accessible, but far enough away from the city center to feel tranquilly secluded, rustically enchanting while still giving you all the amenities you need to relax and de-stress. It’s the kind of place where you probably can’t help but feel a little bittersweet when it’s time to go home, but at least you get one last trip across that beautiful bridge on your way to check out.

Hotel information
Gettouan / 月燈庵
Address: Oita-ken, Yufu-shi, Yufuin-cho, Kawakami 295-2
大分県由布市湯布院町川上２９５−２
Website

Standard room interior photos: Gettouan
All other photos ©SoraNews24
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