Review of Kyomachiya Ryokan Sakura Hongan-G 3*

After a short walk from the train station we arrived at the fantastic Kyomachiya Ryokan Sakura Honganji. I really wanted to book into a ryokan (Japanese style hotel) at least once on the trip as a) it’s one of the first words you learn and b) the experience was supposed to be quite different from a standard western style hotel, even a Japanese western style hotel. And it is. And it’s better. We were met by the wonderful Szymon who gave us some tea while he checked us in then explained a few of the differences between their ryokan and a hotel. A lot of those are to do with the tatami mat room and the arrangements for sleeping on futons. Basically change into slippers, don’t drag your case onto the tatami, and if you spill anything get help quick. When you want to go to bed, get the futons out of the cupboard and make your bed. They like to treat you as if you were a member of the family and it really shows. We felt properly Japanese, especially after putting on the yukata (lightweight kimono) and sliding the shoji doors shut. Obviously there are concessions to modern life like a TV and aircon (essential! ) but images from Shōgun of Blackthorne waking up for the first time in a Japanese room kept running around my head. We’d been in Japan a week but this felt like we were in JAPAN. That might come across as cliché or corny but it’s true nonetheless. The following morning we had the Japanese breakfast that we’d booked the night before with Szymon. The breakfast didn’t disappoint. Typical Japanese style with a tea or coffee, a few small bowls of various vegetables and similar, rice, furikake (seasoning sprinkled on top of rice) with grilled fish (mackerel or salmon depending on choice) and tomagoyaki – always a personal favourite. Delicious and an excellent start to the day (so much so I had it for the next three mornings! ) Too busy eating to take photos unfortunately. Although we hadn’t got much planned for the day initially that got changed swiftly when we checked the “Daily things to Do” table in the foyer and spotted that Toji Market was on. The ryokan had something advertised every day, whether it be a suggestion for a local landmark/event or something they were running themselves. I know lots of hotels do this but they usually aren’t interesting or they are tourist trap tours. The staff here however got it dead right and the things they advertised always seemed really interesting. The market was amazing and on return it was time for calligraphy. The Calligraphy session was excellent fun. Run by our ryokan calligraphy teacher (whose name I am embarrassed to say I didn’t write down and have therefore forgotten. 本当にごめんなさい。これを読む場合はお名前を教えてください。 She explained all about the Japanese reading/writing systems and the origin of Kanji. Then she explained that the example that were on show were a lot of happy words like “Dream”, “Sushi” and “Kyoto”, showed us how to hold the brushes and let us practice on newspaper. I can type Japanese but writing it is a different ball game especially with a brush and Tracey doesn’t speak much Japanese at all but she can paint really well. Our teacher was very patient and soon we were getting the hang of it. Well, sort of. It’s a lifetime study after all. By the end of the session Tracey had “Kyoto” down pat and I had written depression” and because it’s the most complicated standard Kanji and I’d practiced it as a party piece a while ago. And because I’m Scottish and it fitted the stereotype better than “Dream”. And yes all right – showing off. It looks like a three year old wrote it because I have no skill and the balance is all wrong but still…quite happy with it. Had a great time doing it – thoroughly recommended. (Note: I did have to publicly apologise and explain why I’d written it when they put it on Facebook however. I’d hate anyone to think I didn’t enjoy it because I loved it! ) All in all this is one of the best places in which we've ever stayed and so glad we booked it. When we go back (and we WILL go back) to Kyoto we wouldn't want to stay anywhere else.