Regrettably, I didn’t take many photos of the time I stayed at Yume Oisou Ryokan (https://www.yumeoisou.com/en/ ) but having come back to Singapore, I received at least two requests for tips regarding travelling in Kyushu. So I thought I’d better start documenting whatever remnants of the trip I could gather.
Yume Oisou is situated in Aso, Kumamoto. Kyushu is full of active volcanoes, so you can rest assured that there are hot springs showcasing body-and-soul-warming, calm-inducing waters everywhere. We booked a room with an in-house onsen - perfect for indulging ourselves in a warm dip while soaking in the mountainous view.
The second thing that left an indelible impression on me was the impressive buffets, specifically the wide array of alcoholic beverages. Now, I’m not much of a shochu person but it feels nice to know that I could drink myself silly if I wanted to. The availability of choice is important to the traveller. Another aspect was that the menu featured home-grown ingredients, so it was kinda cool to know that my money would go some way towards supporting local industries and farmers.
But I think the one thing that differentiated this ryokan from other hotels/ryokans in Japan was its night carnival. After the dinner buffet, guests would take their children in tow to a carnival reminiscent of Japan’s quintessential summer festivals and have some fun playing old-school games and winning souvenirs. Since most guests donned the yukata provided by the ryokan, you can tell that the carnival radiated festive vibes that hyped up the atmosphere in the air. It was kinda nice to spend some time together as a family and in the presence of others - without the aid of any digital devices. I kinda felt sorry for the ryokan staff. They had to double up as carnival stallholders and act genki all the way in front of the kids. Then again, that’s what makes a ryokan experience memorable. You know that the hotel staff will be exemplary in providing omotenashi (Japanese-style hospitality) to their guests.
Will definitely take more travel blogger-style photos during my next trip to Kyushu!
#阿蘇の旅 #熊本のたび #くまもとたのしい #ゆめおいそう♨️
