Sansou Murata is a ryokan of 12 private villas in the Torigoe area of Yufuin Onsen, Oita, about 5 minutes by car from JR Yufuin Station. Before you book, know five things: every villa has its own hot-spring bath indoors, but there is no open-air bath and no shared bath; rates are per person with dinner and breakfast; the official booking site takes 2 to 8 adults only; the Japanese pages put the last check-in at 6:30 p.m.; and the ryokan is closed on October 13 and 14, 2026.
For the town around it, read our Yufuin guide; if you are new to ryokan, our ryokan guide covers the basics.
Sansou Murata at a glance
| Item | What the official pages say |
|---|---|
| Address | 1264-2 Kawakami, Yufuin-cho, Yufu, Oita |
| Rooms | 12 private villas, 63 to 165 m², all non-smoking |
| Baths | Private indoor hot-spring bath in every villa; no open-air or shared bath; no pool |
| Rate basis | Per person, dinner and breakfast, tax in, bathing tax extra |
| From | 74,800 to 88,000 yen per person, by villa |
| Guests | Online booking for 2 to 8 adults |
| Check-in / out | 3 p.m. (last 6:30 p.m., Japanese pages) / 11 a.m. |
| Shuttle | Free, within the Yufuin Onsen area |
| Parking | Free |
| Closed | October 13 and 14, 2026 |
From Sansou Murata’s official site, terms and booking form, read October 7, 2026.
The baths at Sansou Murata: onsen, but not open-air
What kind of bath does each villa have?
The Japanese site says each room has its own hot-spring bath, and that there is no large shared bath and no open-air bath. The ryokan’s own summary describes the baths as indoor, with natural hot-spring water flowing straight from the source. Raku, for example, has a tub made of hiba cypress. The English page says only “Onsen (Hot Springs)”, so do not book expecting an outdoor bath.
Is there a pool, spa or tattoo rule?
The English page says there is no swimming pool. A spa, gym or reservable family bath is not mentioned. Because every bath is private, the ryokan publishes no tattoo rule. Our Sanga Ryokan guide covers a Kyushu ryokan with outdoor baths, if that is what you want.
Which villa, and what does it cost?
How are the villas priced?
The Japanese room pages list each villa’s rate per person per night with dinner and breakfast, consumption tax included and the bathing tax extra. The larger villas cost less per person because they are priced for bigger groups.
| Villa | Guests | Size | Meals served | From, per person |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raku / Shin | 2 | 63 m² | Both in the villa | 85,800 yen |
| Gyou | 2 | 87 m² | Dinner in villa, breakfast in main building | 88,000 yen |
| Kyu | 2 | 91 m² | Dinner in villa, breakfast in main building | 88,000 yen |
| Nishi / Higashi | 2–4 | 115 / 105 m² | Both in main building | 79,200 yen |
| Kichi / Tou | 2–6 | 145 / 134 m² | Dinner in villa, breakfast in main building | 78,100 yen |
| Hou / Sou | 2–5 | 155 / 130 m² | Dinner in villa, breakfast in main building | 79,200 yen |
| Showa | 2–5 | 143 m² | Both in main building | 77,000 yen |
| Meiji | 2–8 | 165 m² | Both in main building | 74,800 yen |
Official Japanese room pages, read October 7, 2026. “Main building” means a private dining room there.
Where can I read the room details in English?
Mostly you cannot. The English site is a single page plus the booking page, the terms and the contact page; the room pages with sizes, meal places and rates exist only in Japanese. The ryokan’s English summary describes it as set in the secluded Torigoe district of Yufuin Onsen. The table above translates the Japanese room pages.
Can I book for one person?
Not online. The booking page takes reservations for 2 to 8 adults, consecutive nights included. The site does not say whether a solo stay can be arranged another way; ask by phone, +81-977-84-5000, open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Arriving at Sansou Murata
How do I get there?
The ryokan’s summary says it is about 5 minutes by car from JR Yufuin Station and about 10 minutes from the Yufuin interchange of the Oita Expressway. There is a free shuttle; the Japanese site limits it to the Yufuin Onsen area, and you ask for a pickup from the Yufuin Station area with a checkbox on the booking form. The site does not give shuttle times or a deadline for asking, so say when you will arrive at the station when you book. Parking is free; the English page says 40 spaces and the Japanese page 25. The site does not cover the trip from Oita or Fukuoka airports or Hakata. Our Beppu guide covers the nearest big hot-spring town.
What is the latest check-in?
The English page says check-in is from 3 p.m. The Japanese pages add an end time: 6:30 p.m. The booking form asks for your arrival time. The terms say a guest who has not arrived by 8 p.m. without notice, or two hours after a stated arrival time, may be treated as having canceled. Our late arrival guide compares other places.
Can I arrive early or leave late?
Using the villa before check-in costs a full night, subject to availability. After the 11 a.m. checkout, staying until 3 p.m. costs 30 percent and later costs 100 percent; the terms say the base differs by villa, so ask at the front desk. If you send luggage ahead, the ryokan will keep it only if it agreed in advance.
What is required at check-in?
Guests from abroad give their nationality, passport number and place and date of entry into Japan, and guests without an address in Japan provide a copy of their passport, under the terms of stay.
Dinner and breakfast at Sansou Murata
Where are meals served?
It depends on the villa (see the table). Raku and Shin serve both meals in the villa. Gyou, Kyu, Kichi, Tou, Hou and Sou serve dinner in the villa and breakfast in a private room in the main building. Nishi, Higashi, Meiji and Showa serve both meals in private rooms in the main building. The booking site describes the food as a colorful Japanese meal with seasonal vegetables; the restaurant Saryo Saibido, open only to staying guests, serves every table in a private room.
What is provided in the villa?
The Japanese room pages list yukata and samue, the loose cotton work clothes, among the room items. Each villa is non-smoking. The site does not say whether you can walk around the grounds in a yukata.
Can I book without meals, or note an allergy?
Yes. The official booking site offers four options: dinner and breakfast, breakfast only, dinner only, or no meals. The form has a field to declare allergies and dietary restrictions. The ryokan does not say what it can prepare, how far ahead to ask, or meal times. The concierge offers to help with surprise cakes, flowers and dining requests.
Children at Sansou Murata
How much do children pay?
| Age | Rate (English page) |
|---|---|
| 13 and over | Same as adults |
| 7 to 12 | 50% of the room rate, with a children’s meal; adult dinner upgrade 20,900 yen |
| 6 and under | Free |
Official English page, read October 7, 2026. The terms of stay list elementary-age rates of 70%, 50% and 30% by meal plan; confirm when booking.
Children under junior high school age can share a bed with an adult beyond the room’s capacity, with limits by room size. The site does not mention extra beds, cribs or a minimum age. Minors cannot stay alone without a guardian’s permission.
Booking and canceling at Sansou Murata
What is the cancellation policy?
| When you cancel | Fee |
|---|---|
| 8 or more days before | 5% (card prepayment only) |
| 7 to 2 days before | 30% |
| The day before | 50% |
| On the day | 80% |
| No-show | 100% |
Official site and terms of stay, read October 7, 2026. The 5% covers the card processor’s fee.
If a stay is shortened, each night not used is charged as a cancellation. Our hotel cancellation guide compares other places.
Is there a deposit, and how are refunds made?
The terms allow the ryokan to ask for a deposit of up to the full amount of the stay, by a date it sets. If you paid by card and cancel, the booking site says the amount minus the cancellation fee is refunded. Using a villa with more guests than booked is not allowed, and unreported extra guests are charged.
How do I pay?
Cash, cards (Visa, JCB, American Express, Diners Club, UC, DC and NICOS) and electronic payments; the booking site says Apple Pay or Google Pay may work depending on your device, and the terms name Alipay and WeChat. You can prepay by card when booking or pay at the ryokan.
What else is at Sansou Murata?
Staying guests get free coffee, tea and apple juice at Tan’s bar, open to them 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. The sound museum artegio is free for staying guests (600 yen otherwise), 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed Wednesdays. The chocolatier théomurata and the thétheo café are on site too, and the soba restaurant Fushoan is nearby, closed Tuesdays. The roll-cake shop B-Speak is at a separate address in town, with no parking.
When are the shops and cafés open?
| Place | Hours | Closed |
|---|---|---|
| Tan’s bar (lounge) | Staying guests 9 a.m.–11 p.m. (last order 10:30); day visitors 1–5 p.m. | Ryokan closing days |
| Zosetsu (select shop) | 9 a.m.–6 p.m. | Irregular |
| théomurata (chocolatier) | 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. | Wednesdays |
| thétheo café | 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; lunch 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Fri to Sun and holidays | Wednesdays and Thursdays |
| artegio (sound museum) | 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. | Wednesdays |
| Fushoan (soba) | 11 a.m.–4 p.m. (last order 3:30) | Tuesdays |
Official English and Japanese facility pages, read October 7, 2026. All close with the ryokan on October 13 and 14, 2026.
At Tan’s bar, day visitors pay from the menu, such as 650 yen for the house roll cake and 700 yen for coffee or tea; staying guests get coffee, tea and apple juice free. Behind the Zosetsu shop is a lounge for staying guests only, open 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saryo Saibido changes its menu every month and is open only to staying guests for now.
House rules
All villas are non-smoking; smoking is allowed only in designated places, which the site does not locate. Pets are not allowed, incense may not be burned in the rooms, and outside food deliveries and visitors in the rooms are not allowed. On longer stays, rooms are cleaned daily and the terms say guests may not refuse it.
Who does Sansou Murata suit?
Couples, families and groups who want a private villa with its own hot-spring bath in Yufuin, and who can arrive by early evening. It does not suit solo travelers booking online, anyone set on an open-air bath, or travelers on October 13 or 14, 2026. Because rates are per person and the larger villas take up to eight, a family or group pays less per head in the big villas than a couple does in Raku or Shin, as the room table shows.
Frequently asked questions
Does Sansou Murata have open-air baths?
How much does Sansou Murata cost?
Can I stay at Sansou Murata alone?
What time is check-in at Sansou Murata?
Are meals served in the room at Sansou Murata?
Is there a shuttle from Yufuin Station to Sansou Murata?
What is the cancellation policy at Sansou Murata?
Is Sansou Murata closed on any dates?
Bottom line (2026): Sansou Murata’s 12 villas each have a private indoor hot-spring bath, with no open-air or shared bath. Rates are per person with two meals, from 74,800 yen; online booking is for 2 to 8 adults; arrive by 6:30 p.m.; and it is closed on October 13 and 14, 2026.
Sources
Every rule and figure on this page is from Sansou Murata’s own pages: the English site and Japanese site, the room pages and facilities pages, the booking page, the terms of stay (Japanese), the commercial transactions notice, and the summary file the ryokan publishes. All were read on October 7, 2026. Where the pages differ, we say so. Confirm on the official site before you book.
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