Hoshino Resorts KAI Yufuin

Hotel · Yufu

Hoshino Resorts KAI Yufuin

Hotel · Yufu

2

398 Yufuincho Kawakami, Yufu, Oita 879-5102, Japan

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Hoshino Resorts KAI Yufuin by null
Hoshino Resorts KAI Yufuin by null
Hoshino Resorts KAI Yufuin by null
Hoshino Resorts KAI Yufuin by null
Hoshino Resorts KAI Yufuin by null
Hoshino Resorts KAI Yufuin by null
Hoshino Resorts KAI Yufuin by null
Hoshino Resorts KAI Yufuin by null
Hoshino Resorts KAI Yufuin by null
Hoshino Resorts KAI Yufuin by null
Hoshino Resorts KAI Yufuin by null
Hoshino Resorts KAI Yufuin by null
Hoshino Resorts KAI Yufuin by null
Hoshino Resorts KAI Yufuin by null
Hoshino Resorts KAI Yufuin by null
Hoshino Resorts KAI Yufuin by null
Hoshino Resorts KAI Yufuin by null
Hoshino Resorts KAI Yufuin by null
Hoshino Resorts KAI Yufuin by null
Hoshino Resorts KAI Yufuin by null

Highlights

Nestled amid Kyushu’s serene rice terraces, Kai Yufuin is a stylish onsen resort by Kengo Kuma offering peaceful soaking and tasteful Japanese dining.  

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398 Yufuincho Kawakami, Yufu, Oita 879-5102, Japan Get directions

hoshinoresorts.com
@hoshinoresorts.kai

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398 Yufuincho Kawakami, Yufu, Oita 879-5102, Japan Get directions

+81 50 3134 8092
hoshinoresorts.com
@hoshinoresorts.kai
𝕏
@hoshinoresorts

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Last updated

Jul 30, 2025

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@travelleisure

Why Now Is the Time to Visit Kyushu, Japan's 'Onsen Island'

"The urge to spend almost every second immersed in water is impossible to resist at Kai Yufuin, a new ryokan resort on the island of Kyushu. Japan is known for its hot springs, or onsen, many of which have adjoining bathhouses or inns — and Kyushu is home to more than a third of them." - Travel + Leisure Editors

https://www.travelandleisure.com/what-to-do-in-kyushu-7255819
View Postcard for Hoshino Resort Kai Yufuin
@afar

7 Great Places to Travel in Asia in 2023

"In Oita Prefecture, on onsen-studded Kyushu Island, KAI Yufuin was designed by preeminent Japanese architect Kengo Kuma with wide windows and tatami floors made from the island’s rare shichitoi grass; one room category features woven ceiling lights that resemble the soft blinking of fireflies. Quiet open-air spaces throughout the property face rice terraces whose colors shift seasonally between brown and green." - Kathryn Romeyn

https://www.afar.com/magazine/great-places-to-travel-in-asia-in-2023
View Postcard for Hoshino Resort Kai Yufuin

Trip.com Member

Google
Hotel surroundings and cleanliness was top notch.Dinner and breakfast set were amazingly tasteful and filling. Food served was fresh and served based on our eating pace. All the staff are all well versed with English and friendly with our request.The onsen itself was great but the entrance to the men and ladies onsen was just next to each other. Ladies privacy could be easily violated as the main door was the see-through type. We were not feeling quite comfortable with the entrance layout.

mav68

Google
Stayed 2 nights at Kai Yufuin. We stayed at the Villa with Outdoor Onsen. The room is immaculately furnished, and it is in a pristine condition.||The entire Resort is very architecturally crafted and very pleasing to the eyes. The resort was built upon a terrain where paddy field becomes your daily views for you to soak in. In early spring however, it is just the terraces with ponding of water.||We bought a Half Board plan (Breakfast & Dinner). The Western Breakfast honestly was underwhelming and the Japanese Breakfast didn't change a single bit for my 2 breakfast. The Kaiseki Dinner, it was ok but nothing much to shout about compared to other Japanese Traditional Ryokan's Kaiseki Dinner we have tried. The portion of the Western Breakfast is "limited" and if you are a big eater, you are going to be very disappointed and if you wish to order more that will cost you extra even if you just asking for more "bread". We find it unbelievable and unacceptable, as the entire accommodation price is not cheap especially the room category that we paid for.||In each dinner, we asked for more pickles for the rice. The next day, we have to keep asking. They don't observe your "preference", service wise they are far from "service excellence" in our opinion.||We wanted to book for the shuttle to town, that is also the shuttle they feeder their customers to take the intercity trains or highway buses hence it is always fully booked. They should increase the shuttle service for popular period during the day.||Our biggest disappointment was when I present them a 10,000 YEN (equivalent to 70 USD) to break into 1,000 YEN, they responded "We don't provide this service". It is not that they don't have the notes, THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO DO IT. I find it absurd and a big shame to Hospitality industry.||Hardware - Perfect, Software - Underwhelming in a few incidents noted above.||

Susan Chan

Google
Honestly the food is amazing, the people who give it a low rating likely have unrealistic 3 Michelin Star ⭐ standards. For a 4 star hotel and for the price, it's excellent value. I found their dinner to be very delicious, and we have been to many Hoshinoya hotels (which are 5 star) and found their dinner to be comparable. Again not as good as a 5 star hotel but still very excellent. We had stayed 2 nights and they change the dinner menu the second night. Same for breakfast, you eat a different menu the second day. My only issues were: 1. the ricefields and grass were completely burnt (likely due to last years hot summer) and hopefully they grow back or get replanted. I asked the staff and they replant the ricefields every June 2. The dining area accepts babies and children which is amazing if you have kids, but if you're expecting a romantic quiet dinner you may not find it there depending on who your neighbors are. My baby certainly made a few loud noises but the staff were so lovely and ran over with baby food, a fabric baby book and toys, to keep my baby entertained 3. I wish lunch was an option but they only have breakfast and dinner. If you're hungry for lunch you may need to venture outside of the hotel

Candy Chan

Google
The onsen hotel was incredibly relaxing, with excellent service and a beautiful natural setting. The room design was lovely, and the welcome drink was delicious. The meals were stunning, though I wish there had been more explanation about the breakfast ingredients—perhaps the staff were just a bit shy about using English.

Naomi Al

Google
A beautiful place designed by Kengo Kuma and the staff are well-trained in hospitality. Our 3 nights stay in the outdoors Onsen room went by smoothly. Any feedback were handled well by the staff. Food is nicely presented with delicate portions but I guess tastes can vary. A little crowded, very popular with Japanese and foreigners. Well-deserved stars and I hope the Hoshino group keeps expanding to consolidate other dated & badly-run ryokans to better Japanese tourism

Peony Chan

Google
After a 3-hour drive, we were looking forward to a warm welcome. But upon arrival, we were handed a note with strict recycling rules, penalties, and even a warning not to take anything from the room — including items like a fork. It left us feeling quite upset, as it gave the impression that the hotel assumes guests might steal. We fully understand the importance of maintaining rules, but we believe there’s a more welcoming and respectful way to communicate them. It really affected our first impression of the stay.

914WYH

Google
I guess Hoshinoya has many different levels in their group, and this one is not on the top side part. This location has good interior and view. For our stay that we paid for inclusive meals both dinners and brekkies, and we think the dining experience needs to be improved in comparison to other Hoshinoya locations. We know rice dish is one of the famous dishes for its texture in Japan, but the one we had in breakfast was not up to par which had too much moist. The last picture is to show how disappointed it was for the rice dish’s presentation. The dining area ventilation is not circulated well, there was strong food smell on your cloths after the dinner. It’s a must to take a shower after leaving the dining room unless you don’t mind sleeping with the smell. Not many activities provided by the hotel, mainly just enjoyed ourselves with the view to relax. Don’t come with people you are not familiar or uncomfortable, or your time here will be tough. Overall, the crew is friendly, and we were still happy for the nice view and vocation mode of atmosphere in the mountain; however, to stay in the same hotel will not be our choice anymore.

Amy Shi

Google
This place is not worth the time, effort, or money, especially for just a one-night stay. The only redeeming quality was the food, but even that was overshadowed by the restaurant’s half-wall design, which does little to block noise. Unfortunately, during our dinner, a group of Cantonese-speaking guests was not only yelling but also taking a loud group call—at one point, they even started singing in chorus to whoever they were calling. Sitting slightly across from them, I also saw them sitting in one-leg up foot on chair style—combined with the sheer volume, I felt like I had been transported to a Hong Kong night market rather than a supposedly high-end Japanese resort. Another major issue is that smoking is allowed on the property, including right along the path to the public onsen, which was unpleasant. As for the room, it was cheaply designed, had cleanliness issues, and did not match the luxury prices they charge. It felt like an economy hotel disguised as a high-end retreat. The garden was also unimpressive—just brown and lifeless during this season. The most ridiculous part of our stay was the lack of a shuttle service after 6 PM. When a railway traffic light malfunction left us stuck on a supposedly two-hour train ride for five hours, we finally arrived past 7:30PM in the rain, only to find that there was no way to reach the hotel. I tried calling multiple times, but all I got were automated messages with no way to reach a real person. Meanwhile, other travelers were being picked up by their hotels’ shuttle services, which made it even more frustrating. I would have expected a “luxury” hotel to provide better guest support, especially given its remote location. Japan’s train system is usually reliable, but if a single traffic light malfunction can leave passengers stranded for hours, hotels in such areas should have contingency plans. To make matters worse, as soon as we arrived—tired and exhausted from the ordeal—the staff immediately asked us to confirm our departure shuttle time for the next morning, with the latest option being 11:30 AM. It became obvious that their priority is quick guest turnover rather than ensuring a comfortable experience. As for the onsen, I’m not sure if there are private options, but accessing the public one requires walking outside to a separate service building. The facility itself was disappointing—basic, small, and not particularly well-maintained. There are only two indoor and two outdoor pools, which get very crowded during peak hours, making the experience far from relaxing. Overall, this hotel falls far short of its luxury branding. Between the lack of service, underwhelming facilities, and poor guest experience, I wouldn’t recommend staying here—especially if you’re expecting anything beyond a glorified economy hotel with a high price tag.