Day Trip to Kurokawa Onsen, Kumamoto Overview
An onsen village in the hills towards Aso that banned concrete, neon and tall buildings decades ago, so it still reads as wood, stone and river. You do not need to stay overnight to use it: a wooden tegata pass costs 1,500 yen and admits you to any three of the inns' outdoor baths, valid for six months. That pass is what turns it from a ryokan destination into a day trip.
