Yufuin

Yufuin, is a refined, up-market, onsen hot spring town in wonderful rural setting towered over by Mt. Yufu-dake, an extinct volcano. The town boast a wealth of cafes, restaurants, shops selling high-quality locally-made handicrafts, boutiques, art galleries and small museums. A compact town it is ideal to stroll around. The main street throngs with visitors browsing, shopping and just generally enjoying the atmosphere. The back streets, however, are much lesser visited and time taken to explore out as far as the surrounding paddy fields is well-worth the effort for the bucolic views. The Tsuji Basha horse and carriage, which gently clip-clops around Yufuin from the railway station, is a very pleasant and leisurely way to venture away from the busier centre.

Yufuin developed as a resort town and has a plethora of charming ryokan inns with onsen hot spring baths, including some of the finest - and most expensive - found anywhere in Japan. Must-sees include Kinrinko, a small lake that is fed by onsen waters. Early morning on a cooler day water vapour rising from the pond’s surface creates an ethereal scene. For the adventurous, Shitanyu, a quaint, thatched-roof public bath house aside Kinrinko, offers mixed bathing.

Yufuin also has some wonderful architecture from traditional farmhouses, through elegant houses, ryokan inns and restaurants to the railway station designed by Arata Isozaki, where the waiting room doubles up as an art gallery. Also look out for buildings produced by some of Japan’s top architects including Kengo Kuma’s timeless Comico Art Museum and Shigeru Ban’s spectacular Tourist Information Centre, which is aside the station.

For a special treat off-the-beaten-track, visit Tan’s Bar at the Sansou-Murata. This beautiful inn on the edge of town is probably beyond the pocket of most people to stay at. Its bar, however, is a lovely place to luxuriate in while enjoying a coffee or something a little stronger and listening to music piped from a giant cinema speaker. The inn complex also includes Artegio, an lovely, modern art, music and dining space, and Theo Murata chocolatier. In the evening head to the calm Nichol’s Bar at Tamanoyu, an equally gorgeous inn set in a fine woodland garden, for a leisurely pre-prandial cocktail or whisky.

Yufuin, is a refined, up-market, onsen hot spring town in wonderful rural setting towered over by Mt. Yufu-dake, an extinct volcano. The town boast a wealth of cafes, restaurants, shops selling high-quality locally-made handicrafts, boutiques, art galleries and small museums. A compact town it is ideal to stroll around. The main street throngs with visitors browsing, shopping and just generally enjoying the atmosphere. The back streets, however, are much lesser visited and time taken to explore out as far as the surrounding paddy fields is well-worth the effort for the bucolic views. The Tsuji Basha horse and carriage, which gently clip-clops around Yufuin from the railway station, is a very pleasant and leisurely way to venture away from the busier centre.

Yufuin developed as a resort town and has a plethora of charming ryokan inns with onsen hot spring baths, including some of the finest - and most expensive - found anywhere in Japan. Must-sees include Kinrinko, a small lake that is fed by onsen waters. Early morning on a cooler day water vapour rising from the pond’s surface creates an ethereal scene. For the adventurous, Shitanyu, a quaint, thatched-roof public bath house aside Kinrinko, offers mixed bathing.

Yufuin also has some wonderful architecture from traditional farmhouses, through elegant houses, ryokan inns and restaurants to the railway station designed by Arata Isozaki, where the waiting room doubles up as an art gallery. Also look out for buildings produced by some of Japan’s top architects including Kengo Kuma’s timeless Comico Art Museum and Shigeru Ban’s spectacular Tourist Information Centre, which is aside the station.

For a special treat off-the-beaten-track, visit Tan’s Bar at the Sansou-Murata. This beautiful inn on the edge of town is probably beyond the pocket of most people to stay at. Its bar, however, is a lovely place to luxuriate in while enjoying a coffee or something a little stronger and listening to music piped from a giant cinema speaker. The inn complex also includes Artegio, an lovely, modern art, music and dining space, and Theo Murata chocolatier. In the evening head to the calm Nichol’s Bar at Tamanoyu, an equally gorgeous inn set in a fine woodland garden, for a leisurely pre-prandial cocktail or whisky.