{"id":2034,"date":"2025-04-03T16:48:24","date_gmt":"2025-04-03T07:48:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/?p=2034"},"modified":"2025-04-03T16:48:24","modified_gmt":"2025-04-03T07:48:24","slug":"restoring-my-hp-at-a-hot-spring-cottage-kurasako-onsen-sakura","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/archives\/restoring-my-hp-at-a-hot-spring-cottage-kurasako-onsen-sakura.html","title":{"rendered":"Restoring My HP at a Hot Spring Cottage: Kurasako Onsen Sakura"},"content":{"rendered":"

I just need to say this out loud:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This winter…\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

is <\/span>TOO COLD!!!<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Seriously, my body feels stiff, and I swear my HP is draining just from the freezing weather.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>What I need is good food, great drinks, and a hot spring I can soak in over and over again, all while surrounded by nature!<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>So, after searching for the best bang-for-the-buck place to recover my HP, I ended up booking a stay at a hot spring cottage– Kurasako Onsen Sakura!<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>By the time you finish reading this, you’ll be saying: “Wait… <\/span>8,000 yen per person (on weekdays)?! That’s a steal!<\/b>“<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Escaping the Hustle and Bustle<\/b><\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Nestled deep in the mountains, Kurasako Onsen Sakura Cottages & Auto Campground is where I landed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

At one point, I seriously wondered, “Am I even on the right road?”<\/span><\/p>\n

But as long as you follow Route 317 toward Ogi Onsen, you’ll eventually spot the sign.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

After conquering a steep climb (seriously, it’s no joke)…<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

…I was greeted by a row of wooden cottages!<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

First stop: the management office for check-in.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The shop at reception was stocked with camping essentials like firewood, instant noodles, snacks, and alcohol.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Oh, and they even have <\/span>draft beer on tap<\/b>!<\/span><\/p>\n

Stunning Views<\/b><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Curious about the campsite, I took a quick look around.\u00a0And what do I see? The majestic Kuju Mountain Range stretching out in front of me!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The campground is divided into two sections, the Aso Site and the Kuju Site.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Offers a panoramic view of the outer rim of the Aso caldera and, if you’re lucky, you might even catch the iconic “unkai” (literally “sea of clouds”).<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

And the best part? There are on-site hot springs! A dream come true for campers!<\/span><\/p>\n

Wait, This Cottage Has EVERYTHING?!<\/b><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I stayed at the \u201cRind\u014d\u201d cottage this time.<\/span><\/p>\n

I was able to park my car next to the cottage.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The spacious wooden deck lets you fire up the grill (BBQ and hot pot sets available for rent!).<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>As for the interior…<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

It’s huge!!<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s about 16 square meters in total.<\/span><\/p>\n

There is a <\/span>kotatsu<\/span><\/i>, a sofa, and a TV!<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, there are air conditioners, gas heaters, and other heating equipment!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Climbing up the stairs,<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

there’s a loft with a snug attic-like vibe\u2014perfect for sleeping!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The kitchen is spacious and is fully equipped with cooking utensils and tableware.<\/span><\/p>\n

You can also use the microwave, toaster, and rice cooker.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

And look at how big this refrigerator is!<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Perfect for stashing all the horse <\/span>sashimi<\/span><\/i>, beer, <\/span>chuhai<\/span><\/i>, and <\/span>sake<\/span><\/i> I bought.\u00a0With that, time for a hot spring bath!<\/span><\/p>\n

The Ultimate Open-Air Bath (a.k.a. Healing Spring)<\/b><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Heading past the kitchen, I found the changing room.\u00a0And behind the door was…<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

🔥<\/b>THE HEALING SPRING!!!<\/b>🔥<\/b>
\n<\/b>
\n<\/b>Oh, sorry, I mean… the open-air bath.<\/b><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

It’s twice\u2014no, three times\u2014bigger than I expected!<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A luxurious rock bath so amazing that I literally forgot I was stark naked for a moment.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And yeah… I got way too excited and started swimming in it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

This isn’t just any bath\u2014it’s a<\/span> 100% natural, free-flowing hot spring.<\/b><\/p>\n

The quality of the spring water is excellent, and you can enjoy such a wonderful hot spring as much as you want….<\/span><\/p>\n

To have a bath like this available anytime is just…\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

INSANE.<\/b><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Shower, shampoo, body soap, and towels are also provided.<\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/span>After fully recharging my HP, it was time for the ultimate nightcap.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Time for the long-awaited evening drinking!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I savored the horse sashimi & drinks that I had bought and chilled.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I was pleasantly buzzed and somehow fell asleep. I woke up around 1:00 am.<\/span><\/p>\n

As soon as I woke up, I went straight to the open-air hot spring without even a moment to think.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ahhh, this is the life.<\/b> It’s like being reborn!<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Being able to slip into a hot spring anytime, with no one watching is what makes private open-air baths unbeatable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

And of course, I made sure to enjoy a morning soak before checking out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Now fully restored, my HP was back to max!<\/span><\/p>\n

Final Thoughts<\/b><\/h2>\n

With a campsite, cottages, and even a sauna (paid option), Kurasako Onsen Sakura is perfect for everyone, from outdoor beginners to seasoned adventurers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Honestly\u2026\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I almost don\u2019t want to share this place.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It\u2019s THAT good.<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I just need to say this out loud:\u00a0 This winter…\u00a0   is TOO COLD!!!\u00a0 Seriously, my body feels stiff, and I swea … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2054,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,9,13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2034","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature","category-region","category-sightseeing"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2034","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2034"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2034\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2062,"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2034\/revisions\/2062"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2054"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2034"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2034"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/higojournal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2034"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}