Echoes of Forest
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Guides

Travel Guides for Aso & Kurokawa

We run a lodge in Minamioguni, ten minutes from Kurokawa Onsen. These are the answers we give our own guests before they arrive — written from here, and kept up to date.

A bowl of kamo nanban soba with seared duck and grilled leeks in clear broth, a small dish of tempura crumbs beside it, on a wooden tray at Kiyoka, Minamioguni, in September

Soba Near Kurokawa Onsen: Kamo Nanban at Kiyoka

Handmade soba on Route 212 in Minamioguni, a short drive from Kurokawa Onsen. Duck-and-leek kamo nanban, what to expect, and why you need cash.

 An akaushi beef platter with kalbi, horumon, chicken and pork belly beside a plate of sliced beef on a wooden charcoal table at Hyakushoya, Oguni, in September

Charcoal Yakiniku Near Kurokawa Onsen: Hyakushoya

Real charcoal-grilled yakiniku in Oguni, a short drive from Kurokawa Onsen. Akaushi beef, horse sashimi, what to order, and why you need cash.

 A takeaway latte with leaf latte art beside an egg sandwich on an amber glass plate, on a cedar table at SLOW WALK CAFE in Kurokawa Onsen

Breakfast in Kurokawa Onsen: Where to Get Real Coffee

Kurokawa Onsen wakes up late. One cafe opens at 8am with proper espresso — what to expect, when it is closed, and how to plan a morning around it.

 A road through snow-laden trees near Minamioguni under a clear blue winter sky

Do You Need a Car in Aso? An Honest Answer

We live near Kurokawa Onsen. The real answer on renting a car for Aso — winter tyres, licence rules, and the insurance charge visitors never hear about.
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