Two New Fine-Dining Restaurants to Open at Kurokawa Onsen's Au Kurokawa in August 2026

Two new restaurants — Shoryu (翔隆), serving Japanese cuisine, and KAZANE, offering innovative French — are set to open simultaneously at Au Kurokawa in Kurokawa Onsen, Kumamoto Prefecture, on Saturday, August 1, 2026.

A New Way to Experience Kurokawa Onsen

Both Shoryu and KAZANE are designed for guests staying at Kurokawa Onsen's ryokan. Rather than choosing an inn first, travelers can plan their trip around which restaurant they want to experience — starting with the restaurant as the reason to visit Kurokawa Onsen. After soaking in the hot springs, guests travel by shuttle to the Au Kurokawa dining area in yukata to enjoy dinner.

Initially, reservations are open to guests of the partner ryokan Ryokan Okunoyu (旅館奥の湯). Participation is planned to expand to other ryokan in the onsen district over time, with the aim of making fine dining accessible to all Kurokawa Onsen guests across different inns.

Shoryu — Japanese Cuisine

Chef Shinji Tsubahara (都原慎司) is originally from Kumamoto Prefecture. After training in Osaka and Tokyo, he spent time in Paris before returning to Japan to open his own restaurant in Kumamoto City. His restaurant Shinyashiki Koufukuron (新屋敷 幸福論) earned two Michelin stars in the 2018 Michelin Guide Kumamoto/Oita. He has since put that restaurant on hold and relocated to Minamioguni Town to open Shoryu.

Tsubahara's 32-year career is guided by what he calls the "subtraction aesthetic" — the belief that nature is the true protagonist of Japanese cuisine, and the chef's role is to step aside and bring out the ingredients' natural character rather than transform them. Seasonal expressions are reflected in each dish, with minimal intervention.

A particular focus at Shoryu is the spring water from Tateishi Suigen (立岩水源), located about 15 minutes by car from Kurokawa Onsen. With a hardness of just 26 — classed as ultra-soft water — it is used for the dashi stock and was, according to Tsubahara, the deciding factor in his choice to relocate to this region.

KAZANE — Innovative French

Chef Minami Nakai (中井みな美) previously spent about four and a half years at LATURE (ラチュレ), a Michelin one-star restaurant in Tokyo, where she developed expertise in game meat (gibier) cooking. She subsequently relocated to the Kurokawa Onsen area to pursue the kind of cuisine that can only be created in one specific place.

At KAZANE, the geothermal energy of the hot springs is used to cook fish and vegetables, while a wood-fired oven finishes the game meats. Spring water from Tateishi Suigen is incorporated into the cooking. Ingredients are sourced directly from producers within a 50-kilometer radius of Kurokawa Onsen, with Aso and Kyushu regional produce forming the core of each course.

The restaurant's name — written as 風音 (kazane, meaning "sound of the wind") — reflects the natural atmosphere of Kurokawa's forests and a Japanese sensibility suited to a hot spring town.

Au Kurokawa

Au Kurokawa is a dining district in Kurokawa Onsen consisting of eight connected buildings. Its central concept is the separation of accommodation and dining (泊食分離): rather than the traditional two-meals-included ryokan stay, guests can choose their evening meal freely from the restaurants across the district.

The complex focuses on sourcing ingredients from within a 50-kilometer radius and grows herbs in its own on-site garden as part of a local circular food cycle. Since its flagship store Au Pan & Coffee opened in 2024, the district has expanded step by step. With Shoryu and KAZANE joining in August 2026, five of the eight buildings will be in operation.

• Location: 6733-1 Manganji, Minamioguni, Aso-gun, Kumamoto Prefecture (within Kurokawa Onsen)
• Website: https://www.aukurokawa.jp