New Kanoya

The owner was very friendly and helped us find the address for our next destination. There are 3 carpark slots available, and a nice little stone path runs along the river. It’s centrally located, a 15 min walk to Mishima Taisha and a 5 min walk to the famous Sakuraya (unagi restaurant). For a small hotel, it’s packed with useful amenities people can overlook, including a fan if you don’t like aircon, a clothes rack for wet towels and clothes, coin laundry, and even its own onsen.

It’s a relatively small hotel with an older building and facilities, but the rooms were clean and well looked after. They’re Japanese-style with tatami flooring, and the futons had already been laid out for us. The landlady was very kind and happy to suggest nearby restaurants. I already had places in mind, so I didn’t ask, but I’ll get her recommendations next time. If you’re lucky, you might see a local cat by the entrance. I met a pretty docile one this time, according to the landlady.

The inn is a short walk from Mishima Hirokoji Station, and the river nearby makes the setting really pleasant. The building has an elevator, though reaching the bathroom means taking the stairs down to the second floor. Rooms are on floors two through four, and the sink, toilet, and bath are shared. There’s one sink and one toilet for men and women on each floor; the bath has two washing spots and a roomy tub that could fit two or three people. Since no other women were staying, I had it to myself, which was lovely. Cleansing oil and face wash were provided. It looks like a hot spring bath, but it’s tap water and cools off quickly. You need a key to get in and out, the temperature may vary by season, and you could run into other guests, so those shared-bathroom details are worth considering. The proprietress seemed to run the place by herself, and she was often away from the front desk, so I had to ring or call when I needed something. She was there at checkout and sent me off very courteously. The room was about six tatami mats, with the heat turned up high and the room already warm when I arrived. Bedding was a feather futon with a blanket over it. There was a noticeable old-room smell around the closet, though I didn’t notice it once I moved away. Wi-Fi was available in every room, at around 20MB up and down. The cylinder-lock keys and shared facilities are old-fashioned, but everything was cleaned thoroughly and the room and bathrooms were clean. It’s about a five-minute walk from the station, a bit of a trek, but a nice spot. Running the inn alone must be tough. I hope she keeps going.

A pretty stream runs right in front of this little inn, which gives it a lot of charm. There are plenty of restaurants close by, and a Family Mart beside the ticket gates at the nearby station. It’s a small four-story place with about four parking spaces out front, and the landlady came out to help me find a spot. Thanks so much. I was travelling from Gunma after a vacation in Nagano, and stayed here on my way back. It’s one of the few privately run inns left in Mishima. For a room-only stay on Friday, August 8th, 7,200 yen felt very reasonable. The toilet, sink, and bath are shared, but everything was very clean; the bath has four faucets. The toilet and sink are close to the room, so that wasn’t a hassle. The landlady was friendly, and the clean interior and fair price made for a comfortable visit. With chain hotels spreading everywhere, I can imagine it’s hard for places like this to keep prices down. You may not get the same service as at a chain, but I’d stay again. I hope small independent inns stick around for a long time.