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Issue 46 October 1996

Kurokawa Onsen By Bill Fish It used to be a relative secret, back when Yufuin was stealing all the glory. Kurokawa was the cozy little town where you didn't feel self-conscious strolling about it a yukata and a pair of geta. Last year, when the town faced tour busses and other signs of success, it looked as though Kurokawa might turn into another Amagase, where a dip in an outdoor bath can mean enduring the attention of hundreds of sightseers. Thankfully, they are handling success with finesse. Despite hordes of day trippers coming by for quick dips, most baths and ryokans offer secluded escapes from the stress of the city. Moreover, the passport system, which allows visits to three separate baths, enables a day visitor to sample before spending a night at any one ryokan. Most ryokans are in the center of the village, within easy walking distance of each other. There are others further along the river which are worth a visit, Yamamizugi and Sanga for example. Sanga is the place to go if you really don't want to see anyone else. A couple kilometers away from town, day drippers don't usually bother to visit. It is one of the few places left that offer this sort of splendid isolation. This is not to say that you will feel crowded in anywhere else though. Even the center of town settles down remarkably after sunset. Older ryokans such as Fumoto, or the well-designed Ikoi might both appeal to foreigners especially. The only problem for any of the ryokans will be getting weekend reservations. More than likely, you will have to hope for a cancellation unless you reserve several months ahead. To assist you in this, there is a visitor center that keeps tabs on all the accomodation in town. They can be reached at 0967-44-0076, or by fax at 0967-44-0819. Be sure to stop in Oguni-machi on the way down. There are some wonderful coffee shops, as well as plenty of very fresh apples which you can pick yourself. Issue 46

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