Japan Miyama: night in a Ryokan and visit to a thatched-roof village Kyoto, miyama, trip to japan 5 (6)The main goal of this day was to spend some time at the thatched roof village of Miyama, more precisely Kayabuki-no-Sato. Seeing pictures on the net, I fell in love with this village in the mountains, with its typical houses using a thick coat of thatch to cover themselves from the harsh winters.As it was not so far from Kyoto, our main rallying point and given our schedule of visits the day before (from Amanoshidate to Ine), this visit was a perfect fit for this first stay in Japan.Experience a Ryokan in JapanIt turns out that shortly before leaving, I had never heard of roykan in Japan… But while surfing the blogs of “colleagues” to find out about Japan, I came across in particular Amandine's article about a stay in a ryokan. It made me want to know a little more. I was hesitant at first because a night in a ryokan is really not cheap.On average, you have to count on the order of 100€ minimum and it often goes up to double. In our case, our room was in a cottage, it was the only one available and the location of this ryokan being great for our program, I decided to do the test in this one. We paid no less than 270€ for one night! This is where we come back to the usefulness of Agoda, which I use a lot and allows me to accumulate vouchers, otherwise I would never have spent so much money on a single night!But what is a ryokan?Ryokan should be seen as a kind of guest house. More precisely, ryokan are traditional inns, typical of Japan. There are no fewer than 70 of them throughout Japan, including around 000 grouped under the Japan Ryokan Association.Some of these establishments have been in service for decades, or even centuries for the most prestigious. Do not confuse a ryokan with minshuku, which are less expensive and more considered family inns.The entrance to our ryokan in Miyama.The service typically includes evening and morning meals, using refined cuisine of the type kaiseki in the most expensive ryokan.The rooms are obviously Japanese style, closed by a sliding partition. In the middle of the room, you will have a low table (kotatsu) and a decorative alcove (tokonoma) in a corner. The floor is covered with tatami mats and it is not a bed, but futons that are used for sleeping. Another special point, the ryokan are equipped with hot baths. The water often comes from hot springs, located under the ryokan (we then speak of onsen).Our table for the meal at the ryokan.Typically, you have to take off your shoes and you will be welcomed by the master of the house who will show you around your private space. An indoor garment, a famous cotton kimono called a yukata (with blue and white patterns), is also made available to you.What’s a night in a ryokan like?With the description above, understand that it is generally better to arrive early in the afternoon to enjoy it. Which was not our case, because we arrived a little late around 19pm, when it was already dark (and it was raining too…), not the best of introductions…It is therefore at Kigusuriya Ryokan that we were staying. If we took the cottage, due to lack of availability, note that they also have simpler rooms and more than 2x cheaper depending on the dates (the price also depends greatly on the season).Our cottage.In doing so, we found ourselves in an old house separate from the main area, which serves as a reception area, it is also where we had lunch and where the cheaper rooms are. This building is over 200 years old, and belongs to the family hosting us. The whole building being for us, it can accommodate people since we had a space of over 80m²!If the parents also live in the main part of the ryokan, it is the daughter who acts as manager, especially because she speaks English quite well and can therefore welcome foreign guests.As tradition dictates, the first thing once we arrived was to show us around our "home". We took off our shoes inside, similar to Thailand and everywhere in Japan. The least we can say is that we feel the weight of the years, not that the place is in bad condition, no no, but we feel the rustic and old aspect in its architecture, like the presence of the old kitchen, with a space set up on the floor to heat the coal.The old kitchen, adjoining the main room.The main space is a large square room covered in tatami mats, with a low table in the middle. We had a small TV and the yukata were there, on hangers. We had 2 small gas heaters, which we used in the evening, because the nights remain cool in these mountains, even at the beginning of May.We then discover our cocoon. Our room is behind 2 sliding panels as a door and our beds, 2 very thick futons. Only the bathroom is modern, fitted out near the entrance corridor. It has a large bathtub and is very comfortable (we struggled a bit to get hot water, the time to understand how the water heater works).The main room.Totora was waiting for us.Our room and our very thick futons.Another room in the cottage.Decorative alcove.Once we were comfortable, we could go to the main building for dinner. A table was waiting for us in a room adjacent to a corridor, itself bordered by a bay window showing the small typical garden in the central space. Everything was prepared for us, we sat down and we just had to wait for everything to be ready. We took the opportunity to chat a little before our hotel while she took care of mixing the ingredients in the soup to boil everything.As usual and since there was some (for an extra charge), I had a small local beer. I was a little afraid, given the system of small bites, of still being hungry after this gastronomic meal, but in the end, there was just enough.Corridor of the main building, serving as reception and place for dining.Our host preparing our meal for us.And a local beer, one!Impeccable presentation of the various dishes.Before joining our quarters, she gave us a handmade map of the surroundings, knowing in our case, that we were only going to visit Kayabuki-no-Sato, I'm sharing it with you here if you ever want to explore the surroundings a little more (and enjoy the ryokan for longer).Map of the surrounding area, provided by Kigusuriya ryokan.After a good night's sleep, and unfortunately a bit rushed given our schedule, we left straight after our breakfast, also served by our host, whom we thanked warmly as well as his mother, the only one we would really see, the father being the one behind all these delicate culinary attentions, busy in the kitchens.In conclusion, a bit of a botched experience (it's our fault, no one else to blame here) but enjoyable. Maybe a bit expensive for a single couple (the cottage could easily be shared with other people since there was another room) but no regrets, this night in a ryokan allows you to appreciate the Japanese know-how in terms of hospitality.The small road passing in front.It was also an opportunity to sleep outside of a city and thus appreciate the magnificent landscapes of the surrounding mountains, very green and wild, while we took the road again for an hour to reach the village of Kayabuki-no-Sato.Miyama no Kayabuki no Sato, the village with thatched roofsAlthough it was not particularly early (before 10am), the parking lot in front of the village, on the river bank, was particularly empty this morning. A good sign, because it is always nice to visit a quiet place.The view of the river when arriving at the parking lot.We weren't alone though, as we could see a few people wandering around here and there towards the entrance of the village. On the other hand, the village itself is consistent with the images I had seen of it (so I wasn't mistaken, because when I typed in Miyama, of which there are several locations, I had doubts if it was indeed this village in the photos I saw), plus the flowers.Here, we speak of the Kitayama style, because other styles are found elsewhere, thatched roofs not being the prerogative of Miyama. We can cite the villages of Shirakawa go, the best known, and Gokayama (the first in Gifu prefecture, the second in neighboring Toyama, both north of Nagoya).Arriving at the village.In fact, Kayabuki-no-Sato is the smaller equivalent of Shirakawa go, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Miyama and the Kitayama area has been designated as a preservation district for groups of historic buildings since December 1993. The houses are said to have been built mostly during the Edo period (1603-1868).These villages have managed to preserve their traditions, after having been isolated for centuries in the middle of the mountains, when roads did not exist.Thatched roofs have a limited lifespan, generally around 20 years, and require regular maintenance (cleaning every 3 years, filling any holes, etc.), however, it is an excellent sound and thermal insulator as well as a cheap and renewable material.The thatched roofs of Kayabuki No Sato.The setting is just stunning. The village is nestled at the foot of a mountain filled with fir trees, with a series of rice fields just in front. The fields of crops used for thatched roofs are on the other side of the river.After admiring the super cute map of places, we crossed the little-used road and set off to explore the village. I quickly noticed that the roof of one of the houses was in the process of being replaced. If the sky is overcast, it does not take away from the magnificent and varied colors of the different flowers responding to the call of spring.A map of the village.Some roofs look newer and pristine while others are covered with green moss contrasting with the blue of the sky offering a few breaks through the clouds. In all, there are 38 houses listed with a thatched roof out of the 50 making up the village.As it is an attraction, some houses have been converted into restaurants, guesthouses (or minshuku I should say) or cafes and others, offer tours, like the small Indigo museum, and another, preserving the image of the country house.It is nevertheless an authentic village and its inhabitants, formerly living from forestry.The mountain surrounding a thatched house, away from the village.Little Indigo MuseumIt was Jitima who spotted the sign indicating this small museum, and it was by passing under a wooden porch that we arrived in the garden of the museum, located in one of the houses of the village. At the entrance, an old gentleman greets us politely.Given the location, we are rather surprised when he approaches us in advanced English. The man turns out to be Hiroyuki Shindo, an artist and craftsman, passionate about the color indigo. This passion, which began when he was living in Kyoto, took him all over the world for 30 years, which explains his level of English.The passage leading to the Little Indigo Museum.The house housing the museum:Having become a textile artist and master of natural indigo dyeing, he continues to make his own creations in his ground floor workshop, in this peasant building dating from 1796, which he moved into in 2005.The artist took us to his studio, which he showed us around, explaining that he had developed his own machine. The result of his accumulated experience in this know-how that began its decline in the 60s. Among the techniques learned and used, shibori. His work is made only with natural indigo, obtained by fermenting with ashes, lime, bran, and sake (cheers!) in his ceramic vats.Mr. Shindo giving us a tour of his workshop.Tinting tanks.Currently drying.Mr. Shindo discovered indigo dyeing while he was a fine arts student at Kyoto University. Despite this decline, he decided to train in this traditional, time-consuming and complex natural dyeing technique, not hesitating to cycle miles after class to learn in workshops that still exist.It should be noted that before, the blue color was in great demand, especially because it was used for wedding outfits, before suddenly changing to white, following the marriage of Queen Victoria, who wore a dress of this color.Demonstration of his machine by the master, Hiroyuki Shindo.Upstairs, you can admire the pieces of his collection, the "little indigo museum", and, beyond seeing some beautiful antique and well-preserved pieces, allows you above all to immerse yourself under the roof of one of these magnificent multi-centenary houses. Among these pieces, clothes, scraps of fabric and cloth are exhibited, all obviously dyed with natural indigo.If you are interested in its history and locations, it has its own website: http://shindo-shindigo.com/As we were alone during this visit, it was frankly pleasant, and we warmly thank Hiroyuki Shindo for the time he gave us.Price: 300 JPY Opening hours: 10am – 17pm (closed Thursdays and Fridays, and from December 1st to March 31st)Folk Museum: old typical houseAfter stopping at the small local temple of Kamakura, with a view of the village, we had a short coffee break before continuing our visit. Buses of tourists had arrived in the village, but quite honestly, with people spreading out here and there, I didn't feel like I was being invaded either (most of them just took a few photos and left quite quickly).Shinto at the entrance of the Kamakura temple.View of Kayabuki No Sato village from the small temple.Then we came across a little further on a house, open to the public and apparently run by an old couple. The idea here is to visualize what the interior space of a peasant house was like at the time (after which era, I could not specify, but let's say, not modern times to be concrete).In the entrance area, where you took off your shoes, there were large clay stoves, I guess, the kitchen area. Then comes the main area, similar to that of our cottage that we were leaving that morning. We find the tatami floor, the decorative alcove and, behind the wooden panels, the terrace overlooking the outside. Next to the latter, there is a small table with a tea service, which is offered, the visit being of Passing through the area where the stairs to go under the roof are, we can see a space furnished with a little hay.Oven towards the entrance of the Folk Museum.Main space at the Folk Museum.The idea being to keep livestock warm during the winter while using it as a source of heating as was customary in the past. I then went up the stairs, not without taking a look at the room that served as a bathroom, where a wooden basin stood as a bathtub.Here again, once under the roof, one could admire all the architectural work of the framework, on which the bales of straw are placed. I finally took a look in a room storing various agricultural tools of the time before concluding this visit.The “radiator” space.The old bathroom, simple and efficient (or not).The framework of the Folk Museum.A room containing period agricultural tools.Price: 300 JPY Opening hours: 9am – 17pm (April to November) 10 a.m. – 16 p.m. (December to March)Kayabuki no Sato, Countryside Village and FestivalsAs I said earlier, going to Kayabuki no Sato is like getting a glimpse of life in a rural village, somewhere in the middle of the mountains of Japan, and yet only 50 km from Kyoto.Once we had gone around, we passed through one end of the village to go along the rice fields and have a view of the whole village, the latter reflected on the rice fields just planted in this season. In doing so, we passed in front of another small temple, behind which stands a chestnut tree over 400 years old.Another shrine at the other end of the village.I admired the work in progress on the renovation of a thatched roof before returning to the level of the small bridge crossing the river, next to the parking lot, just to have a last look at this small village which did not disappoint me.Kayabuki no Sato is the scene of at least 2 special events each year. The first is linked to the special character of the roofs and the protection given to this heritage of cultural and historical interest.As the thatched village is highly flammable, it is protected by an elaborate system of 62 pipes that automatically spray water over the entire village if a fire breaks out. Every year, on December 1st and May 20th (considering that it was the 14th on the day of our visit…), the pipe system is tested by the local firefighters and it is quite a spectacular sight, the photos of which had caught my eye without me understanding why or how.Thatched roof renewal in progress.If the weather is good, the water jets create rainbows over the thatched houses and the festival is therefore popular and always well attended.The second is the snow lantern festival, or the Snow Lantern Festival, which, I'll bet you, takes place in winter (next dates from January 27 to February 3, 2019). The village, whose roofs are then covered in snow, lights up with hundreds of lanterns made of snow, but also bamboo, or even more modern, LED lamps.Reflection in the rice field in front of the village.The rice was just planted recently.Overview of the village from the bridge crossing the river.The river and the mountain in front of the village.Getting to Kayabuki no Sato from KyotoFrom JR Kyoto Station, take the JR Sagano Line to Hiyoshi Station, north of Nantan (40 minutes, 760 JPY) and then the Nantan Buses (Miyama-Sonobe Line) to Miyama. Kayabuki no Sato is at the stop named Kita (30km from Hiyoshi Station, 60 minutes, 660 JPY).The alternative is to take a taxi from Kurama or Takao.Back to KyotoWe stayed 2h30 in total to walk around the village and go around it. All that was left was to return to Kyoto and continue our visits of the day, on the program, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, after which we ended this “busy” day at Higashiyama Historic District.This return to Kyoto, under much better weather than on the way there, finally allowed us to appreciate the beauty of the mountains to the north of the city, covered with fir trees and dotted with pretty rivers flowing with clear water.Lots of tunnels.And lots of fir trees!This concludes this short but enjoyable road trip which allowed us to have a micro glimpse of life in Japan, beyond the megacities. So, tempted by a stroll to Miyama?Did you like the article? share on Pinterest! Did you like the article? Vote on the article Note globale 5 / 5. Number of votes: 6 No votes yet. Be the first to rate this article! Did you like the article? Follow me on social media Culture and traditions Mountain Local meetings Village 0 0 Roman 22/12/2018
