Guesthouse ZINK

The room was roomy, with two double beds and a futon sofa. It was also close to the ferry, which was handy.

Getting to supermarkets or convenience stores meant walking about 15-20 minutes, though the guesthouse has a shared kitchen on every floor and microwaves. Showers and toilets are shared, and I noticed a faint smell in the shower room. There’s also coin laundry, but the walls are thin: I could hear the next room’s TV, the laundry, and footsteps in the hall. I was in Room 305, which had no view. I came by bicycle and left it under the eaves behind the entrance, but that area is also the house entrance and smoking spot, so if I parked it out of everyone’s way, it got rained on. The room uses a card key, and I worried I might lock myself out if I went to the toilet in the middle of the night and left it inside. The front desk is closed overnight.

Breakfast at the lobby cafe was a highlight: I’d booked a time ahead, and the hot sandwich was hearty, tasty, and had a nostalgic flavor. The coffee was great too. From my room I could see all of Lake Kamo, and the gulls woke me with a pleasant sound. I’d asked at check-in for a bath overlooking the lake, and it was relaxing; there’s also a very hot sauna. The owner couple were lovely and made me feel at ease. I stayed one night in a Japanese-style room on the second floor of Guesthouse Jinku, a few minutes’ walk from Ryotsu Port, on my first trip to Sado Island in 18 years. The room was spacious and restful, and the lobby and corridors were beautifully kept. You take your shoes off in the lobby and switch to slippers. There were lots of shoes on the rack, suggesting plenty of guests, but it stayed quiet and comfortable at night. I’ve come to love Sado even more, and I’ll definitely stay here again when I return.

I stopped in for lunch and went with the daily special again. It changes a little each time and comes with a nice mix of things on the plate. Today’s was fried chicken with sweet and sour sauce. The other set meals look pretty filling too, so I’m tempted to try one. I also took a Taiwanese fruit drink to go, strawberry mixed with jasmine tea this time. Pink grapefruit is still my favorite, though this is second.