The rich leathery smell of teak greets me as I pad down the long wooden hallway and slide the shoji screen door to my room. Finally I feel as though I am in the real Japan. The room is constructed entirely of natural materials; polished wood, sand and clay walls, ceramic tiles, straw mats, paper doors and windows. The use of these materials has created a totally natural environment, full of solids and voids. My particular room necessitates a bit of extra attention as it is over one hundred years old.
To the left is the tokonoma, or alcove, and is the most important feature of a Japanese-style room. This is the traditional place of honor. In the old days a samurai would keep his sword on a special mounting in the tokonoma. Today there is no sword, but instead a hanging scroll, passed down from generation to generation, and an ikebana flower arrangement.
My host informs me that my room serves many different functions, just as the rooms of traditional Japanese houses do. Now as it is daytime a low table is in the center as it is serving as a sitting room and then a dining room. After dinner this evening, the table is put up, and thick cushioned futon bedding is laid down as the same room becomes my bedroom. Both dinner and breakfast will be served to me here, so I can enjoy an undisturbed view and serenity of the garden outside.
But first, she says, a Japanese-style bath before dinner is a must.
The bath is a special feature of every ryokan, with most offering either private baths in every room, or larger central baths for families or couples. The communal bath, once a popular custom in Japan, was a place for "hadaka no tsukiai", or "skinship", the feeling of closeness between friends when all the pretenses have been removed.
I don a cotton yukata and enter my own bathroom. A deep cedar tub awaits and is already simmering with hot water. A discreet set of instructions in my room remind me that the bathtub is for soaking only. Washing is done before you enter, so I perch on the small wooden stool in front of a low set of faucets. I splash myself with water from a wooden bucket, wash, rinse then enter the bath for a relaxing soak. The temperature of the water is slightly hotter than I am accustomed to, but soon it relaxes my tired muscles and with a damp washcloth clinging to my forehead I drift off into my own meditative world of zazen.
Feeling refreshed, the prescribed hour is upon me and the host enters my room and prepares my table for dinner. Formal kaiseki cuisine is the specialty of this ryokan and it is prepared in a Kyoto style by traditional chefs. Kaiseki cuisine was once strictly vegetarian due to its Zen origin, but nowadays fish and occasionally meat will feature.
In kaiseki, only fresh seasonal ingredients are used, prepared in ways that aim to enhance their flavor. Exquisite care is taken in selecting ingredients and types of food, and finished dishes are carefully presented on serving ware that is chosen to enhance the appearance and seasonal theme of the meal. The dishes before me are beautifully arranged and garnished with a small sprig of flowers. The serving ware is as much a part of the kaiseki experience as the food, and the aesthetic experience of seeing the food is just as agreeable as the physical experience of eating it.
Content and relaxed and with my futon bed beckoning, sleep soon arrives, and after a full nights rest it will be the distant caw echoing between two crows that wakes me the next morning and signals the start of a new day in Kyoto.
CLICK TO RETURN TO THE SWAIN EXPERIENCE NEWSLETTER
Swain Tours Tokyo Sampler
Swain Tours Kyoto Sampler
Swain Tours Japanese Voyage
Swain Tours A Japanese Journey
Swain Tours Asia Recommendations
Swain Tours Asia Suggested Itineraries
About Swain Tours
Order a Swain Tours Brochure
GETTING THERE: An Asia specialist can arrange a customized Japan experience including a ryokan stay for you, or add a ryokan stay to one of our suggested itineraries. Ryokan stays at all levels are best experienced in Kyoto and for the more discerning guests, some of Japan’s finest ryokan’s can be found in Hakone and the shrine island of Miyajima. For visitors to Kyoto, United Airlines offers daily non-stop flights to neighboring Osaka from San Francisco. Hakone is best reached when combined with a stay in Tokyo and Miyajima Island is accessible when combining trips that include Hiroshima and Kyoto.
WHEN TO GO: Most of Japan's islands lie in a temperate seasonal zone similar to that of the East Coast of the United States, which means there are four distinct seasons. In general, the best times to visit Japan are in October and April, when the foliage is changing and the temperatures are mild during the day and cool at night. Advance planning and flexibility is required for stays over this period, especially if they coincide weekends incorporating Japan public holidays.
WEATHER: Summer, which begins in June, is heralded by the rainy season, which lasts from about mid-June to mid-July. Although it doesn't rain every day, humidity and temperatures averaging 85 F (32°C) causes it to rain a lot, sometimes quite heavily, and umbrellas are recommended. Autumn, which lasts until about November, offer days which are pleasant and slightly cool, typically with temperatures between 45-60°F (8-16°C). Winter, lasting from December to March, is marked by snow in much of Japan and a favorite time to head to the hot-spring resorts. The climate is generally dry, and on the Pacific coast the skies are often blue. Tokyo and Kyoto, where the mean winter temperature is about 40°F (4°C), does not get much snow, though it can be crisp, cold, and wet. Spring arrives in March and April, an exquisite time when all of Japan is ablaze in whites and pinks of the plum and cherry blossoms and the temperatures are comfortable and in the range of 53-66°F (12-19°C).
WHAT TO PACK: When thinking about clothing and climate in Japan, you should follow the U.S. seasons as a general guide. During spring months, March through April, a sweater and warm waterproof jacket are recommended. During the summer months, the temperatures are generally 70° - 80° F, but we still recommend a sweater for cool nights as well as a waterproof jacket. Layering is essential throughout the cooler months, as temperatures will vary. Additionally, all hotel and Japanese style inn rooms have air conditioning.
|
© 2007 Swain Tours, Inc. The information in this email is confidential and is intended only for the use of the above named recipient. In certain cases it is also legally privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, any dissemination, distribution or copying of this email is strictly prohibited. If you have received this in error, please advise immediately by return email.
|