Amakusa Tenku No Fune

We visited Amakusa to learn about the region's Christian history, witness the beautiful natural surroundings and enjoy some good food. Amakusa Tenku No Fune served as a perfect base from which to tour the area, and turned out to be a "destination hotel" in its own right. The main area serves as a reception, restaurant as well as a lounge. The views from the dining room and the outdoor patio are stupendous - you can see numerous bridges, an abundance of little islands as well as mountains further afield. And the modern yet subtle nature of the architecture allows it to blend in to its surroundings rather than upstage it (which is probably impossible - such is the beauty of Amakusa.) We chose to stay for our two nights in one of the Island View Villas, which offers more seclusion, privacy and space compared to rooms in the main building. It's about a 2 minute buggy ride or 5 minute walk to the Villas, and is close to the water than the reception/restaurant structure or the main building that houses the majority of rooms. While the views from the Villas were likely not as panoramic as the ones from the main rooms, it's still in an idyllic setting nonetheless, and we felt that we made the right choice. The views were still decent, and we got to enjoy an open-air Onsen bath on the deck of our Villa. While the deck was expansive, the room itself, at 74m², wasn't super spacious by Villa standards. A first world problem, I know, but it's something worth pointing out should you be sharing the room with more than a few people. The Villas offer an Onsen bath both indoors as well as outdoor on the deck. The one bummer has to do with the baths not being free-flowing. In other words, you have to turn on the tap and fill the bath with the Onsen spring water each time you want to bathe. If you're wanting to jump in and out of the bath throughout the day, it might be a challenge keeping the temperature of the water properly regulated at ideal bathing temperatures. Not sure why they don't do it like most other ryokans do, but the fact that the Villas offer an Onsen option was still a pleasant surprise to us - the area isn't known as being "Onsen country." The food here was a major highlight. Nagasaki has a bountiful of incredible ingredients from both the land and sea, and the chefs do an amazing job of fusing the best of Japanese flavorings with European influences. The Salmon Mi Cuit with Spring Truffles was incredible ("Mi Cuit" in French means "partially cooked.") The Abalone Spaghettini, Amakusa Purple Sea Urchin Sashimi and the Foie Gras with Miso Sauce and Daikon Radish worked wonderfully together. You'll definitely be educated and inspired by the Umami-infused creativity that the kitchen staff bring to the table. From our numerous recent trips to Kyushu, we've become big fans of of the Southern island, and Nagasaki is no exception. The history, culture and scenic beauty is unsurpassed, and the food - thanks for the hundreds of years of contact with the likes of China, Korea and Europeans as well as the terrific local ingredients - really have helped to bring out the best gastronomic experiences that can possibly be offered anywhere. And Amakusa Tenku No Fune is representative of this notion. Highly recommended. Note that Tenku No Fune is more of a small boutique hotel rather than a ryokan. They don't provide Yukata robes for people to walk around (and dine) throughout the property, nor are there tatami rooms or futons. And, you don't take your shoes off immediately upon entering the property. If that's what you're after, this property is not for you. However, I'm assuming that the vast majority of people that venture to this part of Japan aren't coming for a proper ryokan experience - for that, you're best advised to look elsewhere. If, on the other hand, you fancy the idea of a boutique hotel with great service, wonderful views and incredible Japanese-Western fusion cuisine, then Amakusa Tenku No Fune will fit the bill in a big way.