A long-established Japanese ryokan nestled along the Yude River in the mountainous interior of Minamata City, Kumamoto Prefecture. Yunotsuru Onsen has a 700-year history dating back to the legend of Heike clan refugees who discovered the spring after watching a wounded crane heal itself in the waters. Selected as one of the New 100 Famous Hot Springs of Japan, this hidden retreat preserves traditional Showa-era toji (therapeutic bathing) culture. Founded over 70 years ago, Asahisou offers 100% free-flowing alkaline simple sulfur spring water across three baths: a panoramic open-air bath, an indoor stone bath, and a private rental bath. The intimate 15-room ryokan sits in a quiet valley where kajika frogs sing and fireflies dance in summer, serving seasonal kaiseki cuisine made with local Minamata mountain ingredients.