OITA: Yufuin Bettei ITSUKI
Yufuin Bettei ITSUKI
Yufuin Bettei ITSUKI offers 14 independent cottages with different themes and atmospheres. Each cottage is equipped with exclusive indoor and outdoor or semi outdoor hot spring bath. This place is just about a 5 minutes’ drive from Yufuin Station. It is also located a very short distance away from the main street and Lake Kinrin is just about 10 minutes’ walk away!
I must say… This has to be the best best best best and most most most shiawase stay I ever had!
I was here in early March 2023. I booked us this villa because Citygal highly recommended place! Haha. As Yufuin is a famous tourist attraction, the ryokan and accommodation in this area are priced quite a steep one as compared to many other places. So I might as well to splurge a little and indulge in this hot spring town.
For full itinerary, check out JAPAN TRIP 2023: 8D7N in Fukuoka, Kashima, Yufuin & Mojiko
The premise welcomed us with this burning fire wood at the cosy and warm lobby area. The scent at the background was just amazing. I was inhaling the warm woody scent and exhaling more excitements.
We proceeded with our check-in at the lobby but the room was not ready yet. We left our luggage with the hotel, hopped off to explore the main street and returned again at about 5pm.
At 5pm in the evening after we have done touring the main streets, we were brought to our room, Hanamizuki.
I got this villa – Hanamizuki, a superior room that comes with a tatami area, open-air hot spring bath and an indoor bath, a living room, mini kitchen, washroom with separated toilet and a small garden. This room can fit up to four people. It was priced at around Rm 1000 per pax (at March 2023), came with half board service (with superb wonderful shiawase dinner and breakfast). At the end of the stay, you will also be charged 150 per pax for hot spring tax.
The amazing-make-you-sleep-through-the-night futon beds, arranged neatly in the tatami room.
The washroom with twin basins, so no fighting. LOL
Toiletries set for your needs.
Yukata for a change.
With matching sandals.
Indoor bath, one of the best hot spring water!!!
Separated toilet. Even toilet also like this wow!
My favourite space is this open air outdoor hotspring bath!
Soaking with a view!
The morning view was even wow-er with beautiful sunlight!!
How could one resist from soaking in the onsen?!
Mini kitchen is equipped with a microwave, coffee machine, minibar in the mini fridge with some juice, soft drinks and beer, tea set…
Welcome snack to pair with tea or coffee.
We took away the famous must have B-Speak roll cake from the main street, to have afternoon tea in our room, paired with coffee and tea.
Footbath area is located just right at the corner outside of our villa.
It was still Ume season at time of our visit. There were still some ume blossoms outside our villa.
Here are some other villas in the area.
Dinner course was extremely shiawase and amazing! Our accommodation package came with the specially crafted creative fusion kaiseki course dinner (Japanese multi-course dinner) made with quality local Yufuin ingredients best in the season, all very well prepared by Dining Towakura 十和藏. And very best of all, the meal was completed with wine, beer, sake, umeshu… at your choice and all REFILLABLE (for selected drinks only)!
We entered the dining area at 7pm and finished the meal by 930pm. We should have done it earlier so we could grab more drinks. LOL.
First thing first, spotted two sake in the list and I straightaway asked for the Chiebijin Junmai-shu
Later then I tried the Wakabotan Honjozo. Well… still prefer the junmai-shu earlier.
Umeshu and Local’s specialty Oita Kabosu Lime Wine were available too
Appetizer
Grilled bamboo shoots tofu
Hassun
Tuna, sea bream sashimi, squid, green bean pureed soup, cream cheese monaka, sweet potato castella
Soup
Sakura Manjyu with chicken miso
Seasonal Dish
Kakuni pork – Stewed diced pork belly
Grilled Dish
Bungo wagyu beef with Yufuin local vegetables
This grilled beef was soooooooo good layering in its fats. Soooo delicious!
For those who don’t take beef got this grilled fish
Rice Dish
Yufuin local rice dish served with Japanese style pickled vegetables and miso soup.
We were given some options for the rice dish too! There were 6 options from the list and we each picked one that we love. I picked the Bungo Wagyu Shigure Rice which was the Japanese style wagyu stewed with local Yufuin local vegetables.
We were burping with fullness and luckily the Dessert of the Day was something small but a very satisfying one. This was how we concluded our day with an amazing kaiseki dinner and multiple refills to pair with our dinner. We then chatted in our room’s common area and popped open another bottle of sake before comfortably diving into the futon bed.
Chamomile Tea to end with the dessert.
*** ***
Next morning’s breakfast was a superb energetic breakfast. The breakfast spread was in western style with everything “made in Yufuin” .
There were a fluffy egg omelette, ham, sausage, vegetables from local farms and completed with bread basket that came with a few varieties of bread that were served warm and jam and butter spread.
The jams were from Yufuin Jam Kitchen Kotokotoya that are all handmade without using any artificial flavourings and colours. I’d packed a few bottles jam home to share with my family too while I was shopping at that main street.
You will be given an option of juice of the day or milk. My pick definitely has to be the fresh milk! Moo… Next to the milk was the yoghurt and feel free to add in the fruit jam to flavour the yoghurt!
Vegetable soup which was very tummy comforting for the breakfast. So flavourful and umami!
Chewy fluffy warm buns came in the wooden box.
Coffee was served last.
Even Infused Water came with a big jug to start up the morning!
Sumptuous breakfast spread, happy ME
And they placed us to this dining room overlooking the zen-ish garden. Double happiness!
Ahhh, completed with zen-ish sunlight-filled moments.
I had another visit back to this place again in November 2023. The autumn view right here was extremely scenic and calm. Gonna share about it and the other villa I have stayed in with you guys soon!
Yufuin Bettei ITSUKI
2652-2, Kawakami, Yufuin-cho, Yufu-shi, Oita, Japan 〒879-5102
