黒川森のコテージ

Cottage layout

Nine cottages stand on high ground near Kurokawa Onsen, among them log houses and old farmhouses, ranging from couple-sized to group-sized.

How meals work

No meals are served; guests cook for themselves, use the barbecue or eat out. Options such as barbecue equipment hire can be booked.

Current notice

On the 2026 Kumamoto earthquake the property states that it received booked guests on the day of the 28 July quake and found no problems beyond some communication outages. Bookings from 31 July are handled as normal for now, and further updates will be posted on the official site.

Capacity by cottage

One 12-person log house (up to 20), two 10-person farmhouses (up to 12), one 10-person log house (up to 12), three six-person cottages (up to eight), one newer six-person cottage (up to six) and one two-person cottage (up to four). Up to 90 people in all.

Options needing advance booking

Bamboo hangou pots are for barbecue-hire users only and must be requested three days ahead, whole cakes four days ahead and a beer server set seven days ahead. Loan items such as games consoles and karaoke are also safest booked in advance.

Barbecue hire closed season

Barbecue equipment hire is suspended from December to February, with hotplate grilling, hotpot or the hearth used instead.

Nearby places to eat

There is no restaurant nearby able to take a group on the day, so the property advises booking ahead for eating out, or cooking at the cottage.

Winter road conditions

Snow falls from late December to February, and the property asks guests to bring tyre chains.

Reservable open-air bath

An open-air bath surrounded by trees, available 17:00 to 23:00 and reserved by the previous day. The water is odourless and tasteless and is heated because its temperature is low. There is only one.

Log house priority open-air bath

A cypress open-air bath taking three to four people at once, available 17:00 to 23:00 and reserved by the previous day. Guests in the 12-person log house have priority, and if they do not book it, other guests may.

Farmhouse-only open-air baths

Farmhouse I has goemon-style tubs and Farmhouse II wooden barrel tubs, both for its own guests only. They sit beside the terrace and open directly off the indoor bath, with two at each farmhouse.

Shared bathing conditions

All nine cottages have an indoor bath and shower. The open-air baths are heated only, with no other treatment.

Kitchen appliances

Every cottage has an electric kettle, microwave and rice cooker. The two-person cottage has a five-go cooker and the others a one-sho cooker.

Tableware and cookware

Large and small plates, bowls, rice bowls, glasses, mugs, chopsticks, spoons and forks are set out to match each cottage's capacity, with sake flasks, cups and wine glasses lent free. Basic cookware for self-catering is also provided in each cottage.

Parking

Parking sits near each building, uncovered and free of charge. It is shared space, and guests are to it at the management building on check-in.

Transfer

No transfer service is offered. From the Kurokawa Onsen express-bus stop it is about 20 minutes on foot.

Pets

Small to medium dogs, taken as a guide to be under 10kg, are accepted in one of the six-person cottages only. Because it is a single cottage, availability for the wanted dates must be checked by email or telephone in advance.

Fireworks

Permitted in a designated spot on the grounds, in the central open area and not under the roofed pavilion, until 22:00. Buckets are lent free and guests bring their own lighter.

Wi-Fi

The property notes that, being surrounded by mountains, Wi-Fi can be temporarily unstable.

Management building

The management building is open 15:00 to 21:00 and also sells ice.

Driving route

Fifty minutes by car towards Kurokawa Onsen after leaving Hita IC. The cottages stand along the old Oguni highway.

Landmarks at the entrance

About 300m towards Senomoto from the petrol station at the Kurokawa Onsen entrance there is a T-junction; coming from the Kurokawa Onsen side, a wooden water wheel on the right marks the turn, with a large green sign just beyond it on the left.

12-person log house

One cottage for up to 20 people, with priority booking of the cypress open-air bath.

10-person farmhouses

Two farmhouses for up to 12 each. Farmhouse I has goemon tubs and Farmhouse II barrel tubs as their own open-air baths.

10-person log house

One cottage for up to 12 people.

Six-person cottages

Three cottages for up to eight each, plus one newer cottage for up to six. One of them accepts dogs.

Two-person cottage

One cottage for up to four people, with a five-go rice cooker.

Reservable open-air bath

The single reservable open-air bath, surrounded by trees, available 17:00 to 23:00 and booked by the previous day.

Log house priority cypress bath

A cypress open-air bath for three to four people at once, 17:00 to 23:00, booked by the previous day.

Farmhouse I and II open-air baths

Two goemon tubs and two barrel tubs, beside the terrace and opening off the indoor bath, for those cottages' guests only.

Indoor bath in each cottage

All nine cottages have an indoor bath and a shower.

How meals work

No meals are served; guests cook for themselves, use the barbecue or eat out. Options such as barbecue equipment hire can be booked.

Arriving by car from Hita IC

Fifty minutes by car towards Kurokawa Onsen from Hita IC, along the old Oguni highway.

The T-junction about 300m towards Senomoto from the petrol station at the Kurokawa Onsen entrance is the marker, with a large green sign on the left just past a wooden water wheel.

On foot from the Kurokawa Onsen bus stop

There is no transfer service; the Kurokawa Onsen express-bus stop is about 20 minutes away on foot.

No meals are served

With no meals served, guests cook, barbecue or eat out, and since no nearby restaurant can take a group on the day, eating out needs booking ahead.

Open-air baths are booked by the previous day

Both the reservable open-air bath and the cypress priority bath run 17:00 to 23:00 and are booked by the previous day, and there is only one reservable bath.

Barbecue hire is suspended in winter

From December to February barbecue hire stops, replaced by hotplate grilling, hotpot or the hearth.

Lead times for options

Bamboo hangou pots three days ahead, whole cakes four days ahead and a beer server set seven days ahead; loan items are also safest booked in advance.

Tyre chains in winter

Snow falls from late December to February, and tyre chains are asked for.

Dogs are limited to one cottage

Small to medium dogs under about 10kg are taken in one six-person cottage only, so availability must be checked by email or telephone in advance.