Yufunogo Saigakukan

Had a great and restful two-night stay at Yufunogo Saigakukan. It's located about a 5-min drive away from the JR Yufuin Station, which is away from the hustle and bustle of the main sightseeing streets of Yufuin, with great mountain views. For those who do not drive, there's a pick-up shuttle from the station during check-in hours - you just need to make a phone call at the tourist information centre (for free) to arrange for the pick-up. They also offer a morning shuttle to the train station. We stayed in the tatami room with the view of Mount Yufu - it had an amazing view of the mountains from the room, and space-wise, it was just nice for two travellers. This room type does not come with ensuite shower facilities, so guests of this room type will have to go to the public bath area (and enjoy the outdoor onsen in the meantime). The ryokan also has multiple smaller private onsens for guests to book. The TV in the room can be connected to casting apps, including Netflix (great for non Japanese travellers). Ryokan might feel a bit dated in design, but gave us a traditional experience and a comfortable stay. The lounge/rest area at onsen area also offers free draft beer and ice cream. Service-wise, the front desk and housekeeping staff were helpful. The ryokan hires non-Japanese service staff that could speak English to support non-Japanese travellers, reducing potential stress from any miscommunications. Thanks for the good time!

The room that I selected Yufu aka mountain view. The view was super nice. The room itself is bigger than expected. The bed is bigger. The breakfast and dinner is super nice, we enjoyed it. The private onsen and public bath view facing the mountain. The hospitality of the staffs make us feel like home. This is higher recommended which we spent 3 days 2 nights just to relax.

We were blessed with clear skies and could see the magnificent view of Mt. Yufu from the dining area and our room. The view was absolutely amazing and I was very impressed. The room was spacious, clean and neat. The open-air bath was also spacious and very satisfying. I enjoyed it while drinking Tsuburana Kabosu, a favorite of a certain YouTuber. The breakfast was especially delicious. The area around Yufuin Station was noisy and a bit disappointing compared to what I expected, but this inn was quiet and the beer ice cream was free, so it was very good value for money. Thank you for your hospitality.