We recently took advantage of the nationwide travel discount and stayed at the long-established inn Koyokaku, Saga Beef Inn in Ureshino Onsen.
This inn is truly luxurious, offering not only Ureshino Onsen’s pure hot spring water, known as one of Japan’s top three for beautiful skin but also premium Saga Beef—a delightful combination.
Though I called it “luxurious,” the cost starts around 30,000 yen for two people with two meals, making it reasonably affordable even for everyday folks like us.
We happened to book the character room with a private bath that was available, so here’s a look inside.
A room filled with Moomin characters, wonderful hot springs, and delicious meals. Highly recommended for families with kids!
Access & Basic Info on “Koyokaku, Saga Beef Inn”
Koyokaku, Saga Beef Inn is a riverside inn located in Ureshino Onsen.
It’s a fairly large building, so it should be easy to spot with a map.
By car, it’s about 1.5 hours from Fukuoka and roughly 50 minutes from Nagasaki.
It’s about a 10-minute walk from Ureshino Bus Center and about 25 minutes on foot from JR Ureshino Onsen Station. If using public transport, the bus is probably more convenient.
As the name suggests, its specialty is Saga Beef, paired with Ureshino’s skin-beautifying hot spring water straight from the source.
They offer standard Japanese and Western rooms, modern Japanese-Western style rooms, and rooms with private or semi-open-air baths.
【Basic Info about Koyokaku】
| Name | Koyokaku, Saga Beef Inn |
|---|---|
| Phone | 0954-43-0170 |
| Address | 730-5 Oaza Shimojuku, Ureshino-cho, Ureshino City |
| Check-in / Check-out | 15:00 / 10:00 |
| Price Range | From around 18,000 to 30,000 yen per person |
| Website | Official: Koyokaku, Ureshino Onsen (Saga) |
Rooms & Facilities at Koyokaku
The building of “Koyokaku, Saga Beef Inn” shows a bit of age. (This photo was taken at night since we forgot during the day.)
The lobby has a retro Showa-era ryokan feel, but everything is well cleaned and maintained so there’s nothing off-putting.
The hallway to the room feels even more old-fashioned than the lobby. We did worry a bit if the room itself would be okay…
But inside, it seemed recently renovated—our room was extremely clean and modern.
We stayed in the one and only “Character Room with Private Riverside Bath #503.”
It’s called a “character room,” and as you can see, the character is Moomin.
The entire room is filled with Moomin characters—truly a Moomin Room.
(Note: other rooms appear to be stylish, modern Japanese or Western rooms.)
Starting with a Moomin welcome mat right at the entrance.
Inside, the room is packed with Moomin, Snufkin, Little My, and family merchandise.
There are plush Moomin parents on the bed, with matching pillows and throws.
On the other side of the room is a table for four—where dinner was served (depending on your plan).
Look closely at the living room wallpaper—it’s decorated with Moomin, Snufkin, and Little My.
Above the light switches is Moomin with his girlfriend (apparently called Snorkmaiden).
Fridge and water dispenser.
Sink area. Little My wallpaper, Moomin cups.
Even the toilet is decorated with Moomin characters. With armrests, it’s gentle for the elderly too.
It’s the perfect spot to take photos with all the plush toys. Ideal for Moomin fans and families with young children.
The only place without Moomins is the bath. You can enjoy Ureshino’s hot spring water right in your private bath—such luxury.
(Update: according to my wife, there were Moomins even in this bath. Try spotting them when you visit.)
Lovely open views of nature from the window.
Soon after check-in, we were treated to a cute welcome plate.
Turns out this character room (the Moomin room) was created out of the landlady’s passion. We could tell it was crafted by a true Moomin fan.
The lobby on the first floor has a relaxing space where you can sip coffee, tea, or vegetable juice. In the evening, they even offer free beer and highballs for a set time.
Meals at Koyokaku
Dinner: All-You-Can-Eat Saga Beef Sukiyaki
We chose a plan where dinner was served in our room, featuring Saga Beef sukiyaki.
At dinner time, the staff came to set everything up right on our dining table.
There were sashimi, small dishes, and grated yam with egg for dipping the sukiyaki.
Then came the highlight: beautifully marbled A4-grade or higher Saga Beef, so tender it melts in your mouth! And this was just for two people.
There were lots of veggies, udon noodles to finish, and rice made with Saga-grown rice. We were absolutely stuffed.
The sake cup we ordered along the way was decorated with little rabbits—adorable.
Breakfast with Famous Onsen Yudofu & Roast Beef
For breakfast, we of course had Ureshino Onsen’s signature dish—onsen yudofu (tofu simmered in the unique hot spring water that gently melts it).
You dip the hot spring tofu in sesame sauce. The sheer number of side dishes is what makes ryokan breakfasts special.
They even served Saga Beef roast beef. It was incredibly delicious.
Silky Smooth Source-Fed Hot Springs
While “Saga Beef” is front and center in the name, the hot springs are also outstanding. The large baths, private baths, and even the showers all use 100% natural hot spring water directly from the source.
You can fully enjoy Ureshino Onsen’s silky waters, counted among Japan’s top three beautifying hot springs.
We managed to snap a photo of the large communal bath when no one else was around.
Compared to the modern rooms, it feels “old-fashioned,” but the quality of the water is unbeatable. It’s been ages since we’ve felt such smooth water the instant we got in.
The open-air bath is also fed by the hot spring. Though partially enclosed by fences, it’s on an upper floor so you get a nice view.
Before and after enjoying the baths, you can hydrate with Ureshino tea or fruit-infused water.
And ice cream after a bath hits the spot.
Final Thoughts on Our Stay at “Koyokaku, Saga Beef Inn”
It was an incredibly satisfying stay where we could enjoy both the melt-in-your-mouth Saga Beef and the silky smooth Ureshino hot spring water straight from the source.
And starting at around 18,000 yen per person, it’s surprisingly affordable.
Ureshino Onsen is full of great inns, and we definitely recommend adding Koyokaku, Saga Beef Inn to your list of places to check out!
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