Ryokan Yamato

I picked this place for a solo two-day, one-night trip because it was cheaper than the alternatives and included breakfast and dinner. The meals were a buffet with lots of choices, and 8,000 yen for two meals seems reasonable these days. Still, the stay felt more like a training camp than a traditional inn, and I don’t feel like returning. At check-in there was nobody at reception. The guest list and room key were left on the counter where anyone could reach them. My room had a lock, but it didn’t seem secure and looked easy to open. A person who seemed to be a part-time worker showed me around later. Neither the landlady nor her husband was there to explain the accommodation, so I had to walk around and figure out the dining room, bathroom and hours myself. The room felt like a cheap boarding house, like staying with relatives in the countryside. As others have mentioned, I could hear a lot from the neighboring rooms and downstairs even from inside my room. The low price was the main reason I booked, but I wouldn’t come back.

I had a bento box delivered for work lunch. Last year it was delicious, but this time it was disappointing. Maybe rising prices had something to do with it, but the taste honestly wasn’t very good. The seaweed served to refresh the palate smelled of chlorine. Several other dishes had a similar taste, so I started wondering if they were safe to eat and felt afraid to try them.

The innkeeper and his wife are really kind, and though the facilities are old, they’re kept very clean. The shared bath and toilet have bidet toilets. If you absolutely need your own bath and toilet, a business hotel would suit you better. But if sharing is fine, this is a great option. The home-style breakfast and dinner buffets are highly recommended, and you can park a motorcycle under the eaves to keep it out of the rain. Great value for money.

I only get to travel once every three years or so, and this place was just right for me. For the first time in years, I got to enjoy home-cooked breakfast and dinner made with care. The lemon-roasted chicken was sweet and moist, the root vegetables and fried tofu had a nice chili kick, and the rice was so soft and sweet I wanted more. Even the tomatoes had been peeled and tasted fresh and sweet. Peaches have been too expensive for me to buy this year, so I was delighted to have some. They were delicious. I blurted out “Delicious!” and the proprietress kindly peeled another for me. I couldn’t leave work early and checked in late, but they were kind and encouraged me to eat my fill. The bathroom was very clean and clearly well maintained. I’ve seen complaints about noise, but compared with business hotels I stay at on work trips, it was much quieter here. You can hear noise from other rooms, so I brought noise-canceling headphones and slept soundly. I’d love to stay again.