We recently had the pleasure of visiting Yakei Suite, a luxurious new accommodation that opened this spring (April 2024) at Aburayama Fukuoka, a multi-purpose outdoor facility nestled in the lush greenery of Aburayama, a beloved retreat for Fukuoka residents.
Aburayama Fukuoka underwent a major facelift in the spring of 2023. This enchanting spot, where you can enjoy mountain walks, forest baths, and river play, includes the Citizen’s Forest of Mount Aburayama. It also features a petting zoo and roller slides, beloved by locals who remember it as “Moo-Moo Land” from their childhood days.
Yakei Suite is the crowning jewel of this renovation, situated in a peaceful area away from the family zones. The chic reception building at the entrance immediately sets the tone for a special stay.
After checking in with a refreshing welcome drink, we headed to our accommodation.
Yakei Suite offers three types of stays: glamping in a spacious, custom-designed tent (up to 6 people, with separate shower and toilet facilities),
cottages with breathtaking views and semi-outdoor living spaces (up to 2 people, featuring a private sauna and cold bath),
and private villas (150 sqm, up to 4 people, complete with a kitchen, dining area, bathroom, private sauna, and cold bath).
We stayed in the private villa at the far end of the Yakei Suite grounds.
This villa blurs the lines between indoors and outdoors, offering a resort-like atmosphere. The spaces with a sauna, cold bath, and wood stove felt like a cozy retreat, almost like being inside a cave – a luxurious one!
Staying in a villa that seamlessly connects with nature was a refreshing change from city hotels. After checking in, we toasted with drinks from the fridge (all-inclusive) and enjoyed some sauna time!
The private sauna, with its glass walls, offered stunning views of the tranquil evening landscape.
We also had the option to indulge in a coffee experience. Grinding and brewing top-notch beans from Sasaguri Coffee Roastery, which Yakei Suite uses, was a delightful way to enjoy coffee with sweets.
Dinner was a highlight! Delivered in an elegant “okamochi” (!!), it featured French cuisine crafted by Chef Yoshitake from Restaurant Sola in Fukuoka. The dishes, showcasing the flavors of Kyushu ingredients with elegance, were a feast for the senses.
Wine lovers can bring their favorite bottles. We savored amuse-bouche by Hiroki Yoshitake, a chef who has earned Michelin stars in France and has overseen JAL first-class in-flight meals. Paired with fresh cheese made at Aburayama, it was a perfect private dining experience.
The main course included an interactive outdoor cooking element, making it even more enjoyable.
After dinner, we headed to the bonfire lounge with a panoramic night view of Fukuoka City. With a drink in hand, we enjoyed the fire and took in the suite’s signature “night view.”
In the morning, breakfast was served in the open air at the bonfire lounge where we had admired the night view.
The breakfast included French regional cuisine, pascade, and yogurt from Aburayama Farm.
We spent the rest of our morning exploring the grounds and refreshing ourselves with another sauna session before checking out.
Yakei Suite Aburayama Fukuoka
710-2 Kashiwara, Minami-ku, Fukuoka
Check-in: 15:00, Check-out: 11:00
https://www.aburayama-fukuoka.com/yakeisuite/
Basic building plan and design supervision: Makoto Tanijiri (Suppose Design Office Co., Ltd.)
Post-checkout, there are plenty of activities to enjoy. The campgrounds and trail adventures, where you can bike or run through paths winding through natural trees and slopes, are just the beginning. There’s also a zipline offering an aerial forest walk and Forest Adventure, featuring a net course among the treetops—enough to keep you entertained all day long.
