Ryokan Kenrokuen

I stayed in one of three rooms on the second floor of the indoor parking building. It's separate from the main building but linked by a walkway, and it's the farthest area from reception. The upside is that the parking is right downstairs, which made it easy to head out. The inn is old, as you'd expect from a long-established place, but well looked after, and I was comfortable there. The large public bath stays open until 11 pm. There's also a spacious dining room, though I didn't use it, and everything I needed was available in the room and around the building. All rooms allow smoking, yet I didn't notice any smell. Nobeoka Station is walkable, with plenty of restaurants and convenience stores nearby. My only gripes were the trains and crossing-warning sounds I could hear from the tracks just outside, and the thin futon mattress. Otherwise, it was generally good.

The old-fashioned layout and decor made the inn feel nostalgic, and I found this small place cozier than a grand hotel. As a foreign tourist, I found the quietness interesting, though Japanese guests might not find it acceptable. You can hear trains passing before the last one departs. Breakfast is included, Japanese-style, and delicious. There's parking around the corner by the railway tracks, near what looks like a back entrance.

Staying here felt like being on a school trip in the 1970s, at a ryokan. The atmosphere is worth experiencing. There was an ashtray in the room, and the toilets were shared by men and women. Those things would probably be seen as extremely inappropriate by today's standards.

The building has a Showa-era atmosphere, like staying at your grandmother's house. There's dust in the corners, but I found it comfortable as long as I didn't mind that. The location is handy, with a Dairex nearby. Parking is available, though the lot is small and tricky to get into.