The highlight of our trip was the ryokan. It was very... unique.
Takii, the ryokan, has been owned and run by a husband and wife for 60 years. I have been to a few ryokans before and they have all been very similar; clean, nice, relaxing, and luxurious. Takii is a little different! It is a unique experience for someone who doesn't have too many expectations.
From the moment you see the front door, you can tell this is not an ordinary place. We entered and were greeted by the owner. Very nice old man. Looking around, I realized how old the place is. Everything is so DIY.
While signing in, my daughters started exploring the building. My elder daughter came running up to me and urged me to look at something down the hall. Curious, I followed along. Pictures of customers covered the walls. The building was surprisingly large. I felt like I was entering a maze. My daughter pointed around the corner for me to look.
It was a dimly lit, narrow hallway covered with faded pictures. At the end of the hall was a huge cartoon old lady on the wall, welcoming you to come further. Perhaps I have seen too many horror movies, but I was starting to think this place is a bit creepy.
Down the hallway is an enormous selection of PlayStation 2 games. PlayStation 2 is quite old now. I looked at some of the titles. Many were familiar and I was reminded of my own PlayStation 20 years ago.
Just past the games, next to the creepy stairs, was our room. It was big. Big and old. Everything was faded and aged with time. Stains cover the walls and the floors were uneven and felt weak. Shoji door paper has all been replaced by corrugated plastic bought from a home center. Everything has a homemade feel. Truthfully, I like it! It feels like visiting my wife's grandma's house. I don't want to live here, but it sure is fun to visit.
We chose to reserve the big luxury room. It has a private outdoor bath (露天風呂). When you enter the room, there is a bathroom, a sink, the room to the left, and sliding door to the right. Open the loud squeaky door and you are now outside. The outdoor bath's floor is covered with imitation grass and there are random fake plants everywhere. I'm not sure what I expect when I imagine an outdoor bath but, this is not it.
As we looked around my wife and I couldn't help laughing. Everywhere we looked was just so handmade, unique, and different. It was like a treasure hunt. But, instead of treasure, we were searching for unique or strange aspects of the room.
Apparently weekends are busy, but not weekdays. We were the only customers that night! We had the whole place to ourselves. We were advised to do any shopping as soon as possible. Everything closes at 5 or 6 pm and it was already 4:55.
This area is a bit rural and I didn't see any other people the whole time we were there. There was no restaurants or entertainment. Everything was closed. It was a different world, especially in contrast to Tokyo. A relaxing quiet world. A time machine to a different era.
I had a great time. I recommend this ryokan to anyone. Well... anyone who is willing to lower their expectations and try something new and unique.
It has been a long time since I have been on a vacation. Every since Covid, not to mention raising small children, travel has not been possible. It was really great (and stressful) to get out and do something. Hopefully, we will be able to travel to America sometime soon too.
