Aso-san Hotels

Aso-no-fumoto: A pleasant family-run minshuku

We arrived in Aso late, but the minshuku host still came to the station to pick us up. She didn't speak any English, but perhaps that was for the best. The one member of our group who spoke Japanese said that she was basically on a non-stop grandmother-like rant during our entire stay, alternately criticizing us, praising us, and giving us copious amounts of advice.

The minshuku is a very attractive old farmhouse with other lovely farms on either side. Our rooms were a fairly good size with small windowed balconies. They included small tables, bedrolls, and a coin-operated tv. It looked like the guest rooms were all upstairs, the downstairs was family space. Two sinks and two squat toilets are located upstairs, while downstairs were two Japanese-style bathrooms.

Dinner on our first night was fantastic. A huge plate of meat and fresh veggies that we cooked ourselves in a hot cauldron in the center of the table. Sadly, the hostess was angry when she found out that two of our party were vegetarian, and she wouldn't cook dinner for us the next night. She did still make us great breakfasts though. Our hostess also did laundry for some of us who were in dire need of clean clothes, and she drove us back to the train station on our last day. Overall, a very pleasant and interesting experience.

• Opinion of Price: about average
• Phone: 0967/34-0624
• Related to: Adventure Travel, Eco-Tourism, Trains
• Written September 1, 2005

Outside of Aso-no-fumoto

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