My first time in Kurokawa Onsen. We stayed at Shinmeikan, famous for its cave bath. We drove there with a rental car, and on the way I was honestly surprised by how narrow the road was—like, “Is it really okay to go this way?” But that’s part of what makes Kurokawa Onsen feel special.
Most of the staff are from overseas, but everyone was friendly and their Japanese was truly excellent. Even those who were a bit hesitant communicated their sincerity, and it made me want to cheer them on. Both dinner and breakfast were absolutely delicious. The entire building and our Room struck a great balance—keeping the charm of its age while updating what needed to be updated—so it was very comfortable.
As for the baths, we managed to try all five: the famous cave bath, Iwato Bath, Kaze-no-Yu, Kajika-no-Yu, and an indoor bath. Each one had a completely different atmosphere, so we felt fully satisfied without needing to go Onsen-hopping at other Ryokan. The women’s cave bath is quite long, and it’s amazing to think this was actually dug out.
I’d always wanted to visit Kurokawa Onsen, and staying at Shinmeikan left me truly satisfied—it became a wonderful memory.