Takefue maintains a refined rustic style, the farm-type buildings all black beams and straw-and-plaster stucco. Interiors are likewise rustic, but with modern amenities and huge windows giving access to the lovely surrounding forest. The onsen hot springs are generated by the same geological processes that keep nearby Mt. Aso rumbling. There are numerous ryokan in the neighborhood, but the bamboo forest effectively muffles all sounds from outside the grounds, preserving the feeling of deep-forest privacy.