Mt. Aso is the most famous mountain in Kyushu Island of Japan, and is one of the most famous sightseeing spots in Japan.
A well-known sight of Mt. Aso is viewed from Japan National Route 57. But if viewed from Takamori City or Minami-Aso Village located on the other side of the mountain, the sight of Mt. Aso is very much different. Under the vast sky,you will see an arresting sight of 5 mountains with sharp ridges standing side by side. This marvelous view can be seen from Ryoko-ji Temple, in Minami Aso Village, as the backdrop of peaceful rural scene.
Ryoko-ji Temple, founded in 1653 A.D, launched a Shuku-Bo in 2018.
The Shuku-Bo only accommodates one group of guests per day. The spacious 50sqm guest room is a place to appreciate slowly elapsing time in total relaxation.
Minami Aso Village is famous for fresh spring water. It will be fun to visit Takesaki Headwater, renowned to provide the most delicious water in Aso District, located in a walking distance from the temple.
One of the attractions of the Shuku-Bo is the meal they serve. It is a Shojin Ryori (vegetarian cuisine) which is based on the purificatory meal served after a memorial service in the district. The ex-chief priest of the temple supplies the vegetables which he grows in a field nearby, and the priests of the temple prepare them into prix fixe menu. All the foodstuffs are in the season and locally produced. Every time you visit there, you will be served different foods of the season.
Another specialty of the meal served in this temple is freshly baked breads. In the precincts of the temple, they have a bakery, where Mr. Tomoyuki Kobayashi, the Chief Priest himself, bakes loaves of bread every morning using the flour from Kumamoto, and the pure ground water of Minami Aso. Variety of the bread counts more or less than 10 including the bun with kinako (parched soya flour), sesame or sweet bean paste. There are even breads made from rice flour or whole wheat flour. These breads are popular among overseas tourists as vegan breads.
“We only have simple things here. But I believe offering simple things is the best way for us to entertain our guests” says Mr. Kobayashi.
To be attentive to guests, this Shuku-Bo accommodates only one group of guests per day.
They hope their guests will be pleased with their hospitality. If guests like it here, more tourists will come to Minami Aso by word of mouth, and enjoy what Aso can offer, making the village more cheerful.