Backdate: Japan Kyushu Dec 2022 Day 7
12/12/22 Mon: Woke up at 7am to walk over to Takegawara indoor sand bath as they open their first slots at 8am. *Received a warning letter on our car because we actually parked our car in the wrong lot area for the past three nights… blame the slots next to our Airbnb that were not obvious at night la lol!* It costed 1,500 yen per person for a quick 15-minute “bury” in their hot black sand.
They have eight “pits” available in one session, with a gender-separated change area. After we change into the yukatas provided, we walked over and laid down in the black pits where the staff would pour warm black sand all over us (except for the head). *Oh the ‘weight’ I felt when they were dumped onto my stomach and chest man~* We laid there for 15 minutes or so and then they would signal for us to get up and I realised that my yukata was soaked through!
It was shiok. Jess and I went to take a shower after that, and while we were dressing up, the second batch of ladies came into the changing area. *Potato left to take the free bath included in our package at their men’s public bath area while waiting for us.*
Left at 8.45am towards Harajiri Falls and we got there at 11.20am. The waterfall on the Ogata Plain in southern Oita is nicknamed the “Niagara Falls of Japan” for its distinctive horseshoe shape, albeit smaller at around 20m high and 120m wide. It was formed by the eruption of Mt. Aso 90,000 years ago.
We went onto the suspension bridge to take a look at the whole area… magnificent!
Had lunch at the レストラン白滝restaurant nearby where we parked. I had the dango soup and I loved it because the texture is so similar to mhk’s haha! Potato had hot soba tempura, while Jess tried unagi don I think. A filling lunch that costed us 2,580 yen. Then, we shopped for a while at the mart next to the restaurant and bought six lime-flavoured macaron (1,330 yen) because lime was supposedly Oita’s specialty… very sweet but with that tinge of lime taste in it.
We left at 1.15pm and drove over to our “atas” stay in Kyushu: Sanso Tensui ryokan and onsen (S$1039 for three person in a Japanese-style room with outdoor bath for one night, inclusive of Kaiseki dinner and breakfast)! It was 3.30pm by the time we were there, and it was situated deeper into the woods, which was what I like!
The staff were quick to attend to us and this petite lady even carried some of our luggages down the flight of stairs to the ryokan’s entrance by herself. They did not know English that well but could still explain to us the amenities using a map. There were five family spas for staying guests and we could book one at 45mins per session. Jess and I ended up booking two of them, the Hinoki Cypress-scented hotspring at 3.30pm and the Kiriyu spacious stone bath at 6pm. Potato went to one of the rock bath one on his own at 3.30pm. *Think he
booked the Kamayu hotspring with Jacuzzi but they gave him the wrong one.*
The lady staff helped us to put the luggages down in our room, served us yummy green tea and snacks before she left. *I loved the ‘balcony’ area outside a
lot! Still some signs of Autumn lingering which made the scenery even prettier.*
We put on our yukatas and went to the front desk to take the keys to the individual spas. *Potato realised later he’d wore my yukata instead… no wonder so short for him yet I was dragging my one across the floors la lol!* Jess and I went to the Hinoki onsen first but it didn’t have much of the Cypress scent though… just very hot water that took me a while to settle into despite the cold air around.
Took a stroll at the second floor after our onsen and the Japanese staff would greet us politely whenever they see us.
Went back to the room to take some photos before Jess and I went for our next onsen bath. In between, we decided to check out the public open-air bath, Takimian, where one could see and hear the waterfalls. Jess and I even contemplated about soaking there before dinner but the chill deterred us eventually haha. *We KIV-ed the idea for the next morning.*
Maybe because it was in the evening and colder, so the water wasn’t as hot at Kiriyu, or that we both got used to the hot temperature so we could soak in much faster haha. *Glowing after our onsens man!*
We made the reservation for our dinner at 7pm and the staff came over to our room to bring us to the private dining room once it’s time for the Kaiseiki course-dinner! Words cannot describe how much we loved and enjoyed the Kaiseiki dinner, and big thanks to Potato for translating as much as he could to Jess and I after the Japanese staff introduced the dishes to him every time haha.
The first orange sake with pulps was so nice~ there aren’t that many alcohol that I enjoy that much leh. *The bloody orange juice I had, beer Potato got and apple drink Jess ordered costed 2,233 yen that was payable the next day before we checked out.* The sashimi and the grilled cod were amazing, the pork shabu shabu great, and the fruits and strawberry ice-cream were sweet and damn nice! We had nothing to complain about the flavours, the intricate display nor the hospitality at all. The guy was smiling and prompt when it comes to collecting our empty bowls after every course. *The stay was so nice that I’d ask Potato that for future trips to Japan, we must stay in at least one Ryokan every time haha! <3*
The staff laid the futons out for us while we were having our dinner. After that, Jess took a shower while Potato and I tried our private onsen in our room haha. So cold outside in winter at night. *It was my third onsen in a day LOL!* Jess and I had our “girls’ talk” at my favourite corner too haha.
It was very comfortable to tuck into their futons, but a supposedly comfortable sleep was somewhat gone for me because we forgot to close the sliding door towards the garden at night, and an irritating insect ended up bumping itself against the wooden panes for very long in the middle of the rainy night… so noisy and I was worried that the paper-thin panes would break and it’d fly through.
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