Tatsuta Ryokan

“Amazing ryokan experience in remote Kyushu”

We traveled as a couple throughout Kyushu in October 2023. Tatsuya ryokan was the best accommodation we experienced in the whole of Kyushu! We booked the largest room on the top floor which has recently been renovated. It was stunning! We had an enormous main room with new tatami mats. The roo… more

We traveled as a couple throughout Kyushu in October 2023. Tatsuya ryokan was the best accommodation we experienced in the whole of Kyushu! We booked the largest room on the top floor which has recently been renovated. It was stunning! We had an enormous main room with new tatami mats. The room had a large twin bed set up, and the individual beds were extremely comfortable and bigger than most twin bed set ups in Japan. The outstanding feature of the room however, was the balcony onsen bathtub which was absolutely gorgeous. The wrap around balcony had views of the trees and bamboo grove outside the full length sliding glass doors, with distant views of the misty mountains away in the distance. The room also featured a separate large bathroom, shower and toilet. As well as the bathtub the ryokan has separate private & public baths. Another stand out feature was the kawadoko riverside dining which is a unique feature of Tatsuyo. We dined kaiseki style on exquisite food right next to the river. They provided warm kotatsu to keep warm as it was very cool in the evenings. The staff were all super friendly and helpfeul. The ryokan has several staff members who speak very good English, so there are no language barriers, even in a remote location like this.

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“Beautiful ryokan by a river”

Outstanding, reasonably priced ryokan far away from the beaten track. It takes some effort to get here (Shinkansen, local train to shuzenji and a 30 min bus ride) but it’s well worth the effort. Google maps will have all the train and bus schedules you need. They have four private onsens and a publ… more

Outstanding, reasonably priced ryokan far away from the beaten track. It takes some effort to get here (Shinkansen, local train to shuzenji and a 30 min bus ride) but it’s well worth the effort. Google maps will have all the train and bus schedules you need. They have four private onsens and a public bath. It wasn’t crowded when I came so I had the facilities pretty much to myself. Great base to explore the Kawazu Seven Waterfalls and the trailhead to get there (18.5 km one way - google odoriko trail) starts right outside the hotel.

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“Pretty nice hot springs, but for the effort to get there...”

It was our second time to the area. When we arrived, I was impressed with the entrance, although there wasn't any warm greeting. We had a car, so it was not too bad to get there. Getting there by any other kind of transportation would have been a hassle. There is a wifi hotspot near the lobby,… more

It was our second time to the area. When we arrived, I was impressed with the entrance, although there wasn't any warm greeting. We had a car, so it was not too bad to get there. Getting there by any other kind of transportation would have been a hassle. There is a wifi hotspot near the lobby, but other than that nothing. Why not??? The room was nice, with a wooden sunken bath overlooking the river. The lobby is on the 5th floor, which is the top floor. Everything else is down and the hotel runs along the river. There are four private baths that are quite nice, although they close at around 11 pm and do not open again until 3 pm the next day....again...why??? Some of the waterspouts for the showers do not work or have extremely low water pressure. As for the food, maybe a 5/10. It is a half buffet, with some food already on the table (sashimi...standard and nothing special), with a couple of table with salad, fruit, a few kinds of cake, tempura (not hot), etc. Nothing memorable. Breakfast was similar but I think I wasn't the only one who wanted a cup of coffee...too bad. There wasn't any. They should invest in a machine. The English instructions around the hotel are limited and spotty. There should be more consistency with that due to the obvious large number of foreign guests. Although I really enjoyed the outdoor baths, I don't think I would make the effort to go again. If you can get a cheap rate, enjoy.

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