Kagetsu Ryokan

The service from the landlady and waitresses was excellent, and breakfast was a real treat. I only ate in the morning, but the delicious meal was served in my room, so I could take my time. The miso soup was piping hot. The large public bath was small, enough for just 2-3 people, but clean and very comfortable. I was mostly in there alone. There’s parking across the street. It’s an older inn, though well cared for in many ways. My room had its own bath and toilet, which is unusual for an inn, but I couldn’t work out how to adjust the water temperature at the faucet. I also noticed dull-looking wood, peeling and holes on the sliding doors, stains on the chair covers, a lace mat on the table, and a worn carpet. There was mold on the shower curtain too. Since replacements like that are available at 100-yen stores, fixing or replacing them soon would make the place more comfortable.

The service was good and the price reasonable. The food was average, nothing especially memorable. It’s a charming, somewhat old inn, and little things like where the light switches are can be inconvenient, though maybe that’s part of its character. The public bath is clean but small, with room for only a few people.

This Meiji-era inn is a treat if you enjoy retro buildings. I kept finding myself wandering around to look at it. I’d suggest arriving early if you want to explore both the inn and the neighborhood. They were extremely thorough with infection control. They checked temperatures before check-in, disinfected shoe soles on a mat, and locked the public bath after one person used it so nobody else could enter. Meals were brought to the room, and when checking out, we had to call the front desk first if nobody was there. Dinner came out in stages while I was relaxing in the bath, paced to how quickly I was eating. The portions were generous. I’d had a bit too much to drink and ended up turning down rice and dessert.

We had sukiyaki today, with lean meat that was easy to eat. We skipped alcohol and had it with white rice, then udon noodles for dessert. If you want a luxurious banquet in Nishi-Maizuru, this is the place.