Yufuin Sansou Murata (Sanso Murata)

Rooms and decor

Each of the 12 villas is a traditional Japanese house that was taken apart elsewhere in the country and rebuilt here, so no two are the same. Take Hagi-no-Ie, a 60 sqm villa from the Tohoku region at around $915 a night with kaiseki and breakfast: 4-metre timber-beam ceilings, real wood floors, tatami, a vintage Italian sofa, and a King Sealy bed, with Mt. Yufu framed in the window. The look is wabi-sabi crossed with classic European furniture, and it works. The private rotenburo sits on a stone terrace, open 24 hours, fed by clear mineral water at 41C. Guests describe soaking at 11pm under a full sky of stars with a garden waterfall in earshot — the kind of night that's hard to do justice to second-hand.

Food and amenities

Dinner is a 12-course kaiseki, around 30,000 yen (~$215, included in the villa rate): Beppu Bay sashimi to start (sea bream and flounder), a clear seasonal broth, A5 Bungo-gyu beef seared on a hot stone, Oita-style toriten, matsutake mushrooms, steamed Yufuin vegetables, and a dessert built around house Theomurata chocolate. Every plate is composed like a small artwork, and Chef Murata runs the kitchen himself. The next morning, walk 100 metres to the Theomurata atelier and try the craft chocolate made fresh on-site — Michelin-level, about 800 yen (~$5) a piece, and you can take some home.

Location and getting there

The property spreads across roughly 4,000 sqm with the twin peaks of Mt. Yufu (1,584 m) as a backdrop, the villas, Tan's Bar, the Artegio museum, the Theomurata shop and the soba restaurant all tied together by wooden walkways through a Japanese garden. The easiest route is the scenic Yufuin no Mori train from JR Beppu Station, then the ryokan's free shuttle from JR Yufuin Station, about 8 minutes more. Borrow a free electric bike in the morning and ride 1 km to Lake Kinrin, a mirror-flat lake that steams at dawn because it's part spring-fed, passing the Yufuin shopping street with its Snoopy Museum and Studio Ghibli store on the way.

Things to know before booking

This is the most expensive stay on the list — from about $800 a night, and past $2,700 for the top villas. It sits 30 minutes by car from Beppu, so plan on a rental or taxi rather than relying on trains alone. With only 12 villas and a global following, dates disappear fast: book 3 to 6 months ahead, especially for autumn foliage and cherry blossom. Drinks at Tan's Bar and chocolate from Theomurata are charged on top of the room rate. And it's not built for families with young children — the draw here is quiet, adult, once-in-a-lifetime.

Our take

Yufuin Sansou Murata is the best luxury ryokan in the Beppu / Yufuin region — 12 standalone villas from relocated antique houses, a private rotenburo in each, Theomurata chocolate, Tan's Bar, and that Mt. Yufu view. It scores 9.2/10 from a relatively small pool of guests, which is what you'd expect from somewhere this exclusive. The $800-plus rate is the price of a genuine once-in-a-lifetime experience — squarely for couples marking an anniversary or a honeymoon who want a night they'll keep coming back to.