Yufuin is truly magical!
Yufuin really took us by surprise!
I had heard it was pretty. I had heard it had Ghibli vibes. But Lake Kinrin, Mt Yufu, Yufuin Floral Village, and the main tourist street of Yunotsubo Kaido all came together to make this trip extra special.
The town really did feel like it had been lifted straight out of a Studio Ghibli film. Misty mornings, storybook cottages, little shops tucked down every lane. By the end of our first day, I had used the word magical so many times that I had to stop myself.
Yufuin’s charm is no accident. In the 1970s, a group of local ryokan owners decided their town would not go the way of Beppu, its big, busy neighbour across the mountain. They took a loan and travelled to Germany to study quiet spa towns like Baden-Baden. They came home determined to keep Yufuin low rise, green, and slow. Fifty years on, you can still feel it.
Short Road Trip from Fukuoka
You can reach Yufuin from Fukuoka by train, on the scenic Yufuin no Mori express from Hakata, which takes about 2 hours 15 minutes. But we decided to rent a car, as we really wanted to explore the surroundings.
The drive takes about 1 hour 45 minutes on the expressway. Having a car meant we could stop wherever we liked and explore the valley on our own time. Car rental from Fukuoka works out to around S$70 a day, which is quite reasonable when you split it between two.
We stopped by the town of Hita en route. This old town was once ruled directly by the shogunate, and it is known for its clean river water. Good water makes good soy sauce, and Hita has two soy sauce breweries, so naturally, we went looking for some.
Hita : Hara Jirozaemon Miso and Soy Sauce Brewery
This family business started out in 1899 making ramune, the marble soda, before moving into miso and soy sauce. It’s still listed as a working brewery, but when we visited, we found out that they had stopped brewing only recently. These days, they focus on blending their own products, using shoyu brewed by another local brewery.
I picked up their shoyu and miso, but the real prize was a bottle of ayu fish sauce. Ayu is the sweetfish that swims in Hita’s rivers, and it is prized all over Japan for its delicate, almost melon like fragrance. Think of it as a gentler, cleaner cousin of the fish sauce in our Thai kitchens.
Here’s the fun part. This fish sauce was used in the movie Grand Maison Paris, starring Kimura Takuya. The food in the film was overseen by Chef Kei Kobayashi of Restaurant KEI in Paris, the first Asian chef to earn three Michelin stars. The ayu fish sauce was the secret behind the shiitake and mushroom ragout served with the straw smoked lobster, giving it that extra deliciousness you can’t quite put your finger on!
If you love condiments like I do, this is a must visit place to pick up the Ayu fish sauce!
Hara Jirozaemon Miso and Soy Sauce Brewery (原次郎左衛門の味噌醤油蔵)
5-4 Nakahonmachi, Hita, Oita
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Our Cottage with Private Onsen!
Yufuin Hanarenoyado Yukagetsu (由布院 離れの宿 優夏月)
There are only five cottages on the property, each one standing on its own, with Mt Yufu in the distance. That said, you can’t really enjoy the mountain view from the room itself. We had a whole cottage to ourselves, complete with our very own private onsen.
The rooms come with half board, so dinner and breakfast are served right in your cottage. That means you only have to settle lunch when you’re out and about during the day.
For dinner, we had sukiyaki, and I was genuinely surprised by how much A5 Oita wagyu arrived at the table. Plate after plate of beautifully marbled beef, swished through the sweet soy broth and dipped in raw egg. After that, you get to enjoy a long soak in the onsen under the stars! I could get used to this.
In the morning, a Japanese breakfast is served in the room. Expect rice, little condiments, and salted salmon, the kind of simple, comforting spread that sets you up nicely for the day.
A couple of things to note. I don’t think you can opt out of the meals. The only inconvenience is that the food is delivered to your cottage at set times, so you have to be around to receive it. Plan your day around it.
The property is also located away from the centre of town, about a 6 minute drive from Yufuin Station, so it’s much more convenient if you have rented a car!
Yufuin Hanarenoyado Yukagetsu
1606-1 Yufuinchō Kawaminami, Yufu City, Oita Prefecture 879-5103, Japan
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Lake Kinrin (金鱗湖)
The plan was to wake up early for the famous morning mist over Lake Kinrin. On cool mornings, the warm spring water steams against the cold air, and the whole lake disappears into a cloud.
That was the plan. But between the onsen and a leisurely breakfast, we only got to the lake around 10am. By then, we had to share its serenity with busloads of tourists! Oh well.
Although it is called a lake, it really is just a large pond. You can walk around the whole thing in about 10 minutes. Local legend says the entire Yufuin valley was once a great lake, until the goddess of the local Unagihime Shrine had it drained to create farmland. Lake Kinrin is said to be the little bit left behind.
Its name came much later. In 1884, a Confucian scholar saw the scales of the fish glinting gold in the setting sun, and named it Kinrin, meaning “golden scales”.
Pond or not, it is still very picturesque. Look out for the little torii gate standing in the water at the southern end, and the old thatched bathhouse by the shore. Keep an eye out for the cormorants too. We watched them diving for fish, then perching on the torii gate afterwards with their wings spread wide to dry, like little guardians of the lake.
Saboh Tenjosajiki (茶房 天井棧敷)
Despite the crowds, we managed to get a lovely table at Tenjosajiki. The cafe sits in the grounds of Kamenoi Besso, one of Yufuin’s grand old ryokan dating back to 1921. It is housed in an Edo period sake brewery that was moved here and lovingly restored.
We were seated up in the old attic, under thick wooden beams, with Gregorian chants playing softly in the background. It has that old school Japanese Western kissaten vibe, the kind of place that hasn’t changed in decades and has no intention of doing so. Our seats didn’t have a view of the lake, which was a pity, but the room more than made up for it.
The katsu sando was superb. The pork is from Oita, juicy and tender, wrapped in a crisp golden crust and pressed between soft white bread. Simple, and done very well. One of the best katsu sandos I have come across!
Cafe Tenjosajiki
Inside Kamenoi Besso, 2633-1 Kawakami, Yufuin, Oita
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Kissa Uka (喫茶ウカ)
After 2nd breakfast, we took a slow walk around the lake and stopped for coffee at Kissa Uka, housed in the iconic bathhouse by the lake.
We had expected it to be packed, but it turned out to be very quiet and serene! I guess the tour groups prefer to stick together and head for the larger establishments. We sat with our coffee, looked out over the water, and enjoyed the peace and calm that Yufuin is meant to be about.
It was something we just had to do, so that we could say we had actually sat inside that iconic bathhouse by the lake!
Kissa Uka
1561 Yufuincho Kawakami, Yufu, Oita 879-5102, Japan
Located in: Pension Kinrinko Toyonokuni
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Cafe La Ruche (カフェ ラ リューシュ)
We had breakfast the next day at Cafe La Ruche. It is a bakery cafe sitting right on the edge of the lake. La Ruche means “the beehive” in French. All the bread is baked in house, and the system is simple. Pick your bread and drink, then grab whichever seat you like.
Go for the terrace if you can, as it looks straight out over the water. They also do a proper morning plate if you want something more substantial. There’s a small gallery and shop upstairs too.
We lingered over our coffee and pastries, watched the lake wake up, and simply soaked in the magic of Yufuin.
The cafe opens at 9am. Come early to get a lakeside seat, before the day trippers arrive.
CAFE LA RUCHE
〒879-5102 Oita, Yufu, Yufuincho Kawakami, 1592-1
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Yufuin Floral Village
Just a short walk from the lake is Yufuin Floral Village, which also marks the start of the main tourist street that stretches all the way to the train station.
Stepping into Floral Village is like stepping into a Ghibli theme park. The village was opened by a local businessman in 2012 and modelled on the honey coloured stone villages of England’s Cotswolds. Little cottages are clustered around winding paths and flower beds, with owls peering out of windows. It’s not an official Studio Ghibli park, but the whole place feels like a set from one of the films. Entry is free.
The timing could not have been better. Lisa and I had just watched My Neighbour Totoro and Kiki’s Delivery Service before the trip, and we were really starting to get into Studio Ghibli. So you can imagine our faces when we walked into cottage after cottage filled with Ghibli souvenirs. Totoro plushies, Kiki’s black cat Jiji, Spirited Away trinkets, it was hard to leave empty handed. If you’re a fan, you will be very glad you came.
Oh, and if you’re planning a trip, do watch Whisper of the Heart as well! The film is built around a Japanese version of John Denver’s Country Roads, and you’ll hear it playing around the village. Once you’ve seen the movie, you’ll really resonate with it!
Yufuin Floral Village
1503-3 Kawakami, Yufuin, Oita
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Yunotsubo Kaido (湯の坪街道)
From Floral Village, we walked down Yunotsubo Kaido, the main shopping street that runs for about 1.3 km down to Yufuin Station.
Yes, it is touristy. But we are tourists, so it was perfect for us! Every few steps there is another shop to poke your head into. Little cafes, stalls selling snacks to munch on as you walk, and plenty of stores filled with cute things you never knew you needed.
Go in the morning if you can. The street fills up quickly once the tour buses arrive, and most shops close around 5pm.
Between Lake Kinrin and Yufuin Station
Google Maps
Snacking Our Way Down the Street
We had heard a lot about the Yufuin Kinsho Croquette (湯布院金賞コロッケ). Its signature croquette won a gold award at a national croquette competition, and it’s made with Hokkaido potatoes and lean wagyu mince. There’s always a queue, and everyone seems to be holding one.
Honestly, I wasn’t that impressed. It was fine, crispy outside and creamy inside, but it didn’t live up to the hype for me. Maybe my expectations were too high.
The chicken karaage, on the other hand, was very good. This is Nakatsu karaage, and Oita takes its fried chicken very seriously. The city of Nakatsu, in the north of the prefecture, has been officially crowned the “holy land” of karaage by the Japan Karaage Association. It has dozens of karaage shops, and the chicken is marinated in a garlicky soy sauce marinade right through to the meat before it hits the fryer. The result is juicy, deeply savoury, and very hard to stop eating. If you only have room for one snack on Yunotsubo Kaido, make it the karaage.
One of the Nicest Shopping Streets in Japan
All in all, we spent a good half a day strolling Yunotsubo Kaido, snacking, shopping, and poking our heads into every little store that caught our eye. I’ve walked many shopping streets in Japan, and this is easily one of the most MAGICAL!
Donguri no Mori (どんぐりの森 由布院店)
If you want to buy your Ghibli souvenirs without having to brave the crowds at Yufuin Floral Village, Donguri no Mori is the place! It’s the official Studio Ghibli shop, so you get everything under one roof. There’s also a special photo spot outside, so do stop for a picture before you head in.
The shop is located nearer the train station end of Yunotsubo Kaido, whereas Yufuin Floral Village sits at the end nearer Lake Kinrin. So whichever end you start from, you’ll get your Ghibli fix.
Donguri No Mori
3019-1 Yufuincho Kawakami, Yufu, Oita 879-5102
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Yufuin Shoyuya Honten (湯布院醤油屋本店)
A soy sauce house is exactly the kind of place I gravitate to. While Lisa was shopping for Christmas presents, I was happily working my way through all the different condiments on offer!
Kyushu soy sauce is typically sweeter than what you find in Tokyo or Osaka. One popular explanation goes back to the days when sugar arrived in Japan through Nagasaki, and Kyushu folks grew fond of sweetness, using it as a sign of generous hospitality. Taste it side by side and you’ll see what I mean. It’s rounder and gentler, a bit closer to our kicap manis than a regular Japanese shoyu, though nowhere near as thick.
Besides all sorts of soy sauces, the shop also has yuzu kosho, the Kyushu citrus chilli paste, and a whole range of other condiments to taste. I could have spent ages at the tasting bottles. In the end, I picked up a really nice bottle of soy sauce to bring home.
Yufuin Shoyuya Honten
1098-1 Kawakami, Yufuin, Oita
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Yufumabushi Shin (由布まぶし「心」金鱗湖本店)
For lunch, head to Yufumabushi Shin, a great place specialising in donburi. Expect a long queue outside. There always is, and for good reason.
Hitsumabushi comes from Nagoya, where grilled eel is chopped up over rice and eaten three ways. First on its own. Then with condiments like spring onions, wasabi, and nori. Finally as ochazuke, with hot dashi poured over the top.
Here in Yufuin, they’ve given it an Oita twist, which they call Yufu Mabushi. You get to choose from Bungo beef, the prefecture’s prized wagyu, Yufuin’s local Toyo no Shamo chicken, or traditional eel. The rice is cooked in a claypot only after you order, and it soaks up the sweet sauce beautifully.
We had the beef and the unagi, so we could try both. Working through each bowl three ways makes the meal feel like a little journey, and by the time we poured in the dashi, we were happily stuffed.
Tip: We parked at the car park opposite the restaurant, and it cost just ¥400 for the whole day! From there, you can walk to the lake and the whole shopping street, so you only need to park once.
Yufumabushi Shin
A minute’s walk from Lake Kinrin, Yufuin, Oita
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Conclusion
Yufuin has become one of our favourite spots in all of Japan! The beauty of the lake, the onsen, and the shopping street all come together to make it a perfect getaway from Fukuoka.
We only spent two nights there, but it felt like we could have done with at least one more. Next time, I’m setting that alarm for the morning mist.
Like I said at the start, Yufuin is truly magical.
Also, check out our great eats at Fukuoka and visit to Arita Wagyu farm in Miyazaki. Happy Eating! And safe travels!
