1968

We stopped several times to ask directions for the ryokan where we had made reservations. We learned, however, the ryokan had a parking space a mile or more away where we were picked up and driven to the Shimaya Ryokan.

As in all ryokans, there is a wide stairway, only two steps, at the entrance, where one leaves one's outside shoes and puts on slippers provided by the hotel. We were taken to our room, and at the room itself, we were supposed to take off the slippers. Most Japanese women wear hose, socks, or the woven hose which are made with a place for the big toe, so they can wear the socks with thong sandals. The room was covered with mats, called tatami, which are all the same size, and a room is measured by the number of tatami mats it takes to cover the floor. The mats fit right up to the edge of the rooms. In the room was a built-in closet, and a low table with two cushions with back rests. There was also a TV, a night light on the floor, a fan, and a heater. At the end of the room was a small annex, so to speak, which was carpeted, and behind a partial wall, a sink. There was also a medium low table, and two real chairs. A window wall at that end of the room looked out over the river which runs through the town.

We were given kimonos which we changed into immediately, and then were served tea at the low table. The tea is very pale green, and there's never any sugar served with it. The next time I go to a ryokan, I will take my sweetener.

We were next shown to the bath. We had a private bath, that is for the time being, we had the use of it by ourselves. There were two sets of faucets low to the floor, and stools on which to sit while one bathes, but there was also a shower head which suited us much better. So we washed thoroughly before stepping into the hot pool of water.

This was a large, fairly deep basin with room for several people to sit in. Although the Japanese sit on the floor with their legs folded under them, in the bath, they sit on a ledge, and let their legs dangle in the water. Maybe they need this hot bath to help the circulation after sitting on their legs all day. Of course, in offices, they don't sit cross legged anymore.

We returned to our room--No.13--and were served supper immediately. We had asked for a Japanese meal, but it wasn't very good, and I wished I'd brought some cookies, and a thermos of hot water and coffee. There were seven or eight dishes, but except for any amount of rice, not much of anything else. One plate had what looked like two kinds of RAW fish. I didn't touch that. There were also some vegetables, some pickled, and a bowl of broth which had some bean curd floating in it. A plate of smoked salmon, some plain boiled octopuses which were absolutely tasteless. All were very small portions, which was all right since I didn't eat much of anything except for the bowl of rice. This would have been good with butter or a meat sauce, but except for a bowl of soy sauce which may or may not be used on it, there was nothing very substantial to eat. Then there was more thin green tea. I found some cube sugar in my purse, and enjoyed that a bit.

After dinner the maid who kneeled solicitously at one end of the table while serving us, cleared the table, moved it to one end and made up the beds. First she put down one or two soft pads, the top one being sheathed with a coarse but clean casing. One warm thick quilt was also covered with a clean envelop. Pillows were very hard small lumps with a flat cover tied on.

We both slept quite well on our hard beds although I was conscious several times during the night of my hard pillow. We got up at about 6:45, expecting breakfast at 7:30. However, it wasn't until 8:00 that the maid came in. Last night while serving us the maid had worn a kimono, but this morning, she was wearing a black skirt and white embroidered blouse. After picking up our bed, she rearranged the room with the low table in the center, and then brought in our breakfast. It wasn't too unlike our dinner. There was a clear broth with a few pieces of bean curd floating around. This was hot, and in a lacquered bowl with a lid. There was one plate with a few slices of vegetables, but I have no idea what they were, maybe some bamboo sprouts, but the others I couldn't identify. There was a custardy white stuff which she indicated should be dipped in a bowl of soy sauce. She also brought two fried eggs which were good. Then there was another big black bowl of rice out of which she filled our little bowls. The manager had asked Burt if we wanted toast, but Burt had said. "No",just a regular Japanese meal," so that's what we got, but it wasn't very satisfying. Also again the very weak green tea. As soon as we were finished eating, we dressed to leave.