Unkai-No-Yado Chigi

We booked this place to enjoy the experience of traditional japanese and could not of been more impressed. As I remember there not being any english reviews when we booked I Thought I best do the Ryokan justice and upload one. We hired a car from Budget Kumamoto train station and using our english navigator system with Ryokan phone number, winded our way through the beautfial hilly countryside on the way to Takachiho, The drive in itself was worth the visit. We arrived late and had informed the hotel, and as we pulled up there was someone waiting outside to help reverse the car. We were then taken in to our lovely little room with views of the mountain (dont forget to wake up for the sunset coming over the hills!). The dinner and breakfast was amazing with all the little assorted bowls of traditional japanese food, sitting on a little table on tatami mats. The Ryokan had onsen for girls and boys and was only a short drive down to the waterfall gorge and show at the takachiho shrine. (BTW. Rhoykan has its own bus to access both of these places if you are without a car) The staff were sooooooo lovely, and went out of thier way to help accomodate our late arrival and departure times, they even gave us a little onsen towel bag when we were leaving as a free gift. As this was my first night in Japan I felt guilty not being able to tip them 20% extra as the service was so amazing. If you are a Gaijin travellor, or anyone really, I can highly recommend doing a nights stay here!! PS. dont forget to take a drive through to Mt Aso on the way out of takachiho. We did a helicopter ride over the volcano for Y5000 which was awesome!