This is footwear for when you leave the room. Etiquette in Japan regarding footwear is taken very seriously. The first rule is to remove your outdoor footwear at the door of the building before you enter. This place has slippers for your room and this pair are for when you are in the hotel but out of your room. Despite understanding this expectation, we invariably make mistakes. Japanese people have perfected a subtle and respectful way of helping you to do the right thing.
The view from our room at low tide. I know we have been saying how cold it is…and with the wind and rain, it is cold. Nonetheless, there is no snow, or ice and we are able to ride.
Our Japanese bedroom at the hotel has a seating area where we are enjoying incredible views. We enjoy staying in Japanese rooms, with one modification. Barry’s back need more cushioning, so we inflate his themrarest pad to make it more comfortable for him.
Having a yukata and jacket provided makes you feel so relaxed and comfy. Plus, they are very very nicely made. It is customary to wear them in the hotel to go to the Onsen and some also allow you to wear them for breakfast.
Another bit of etiquette to follow when in Japan. Going to an onsen, you leave your footwear outside. In this case, at our hotel, we will leave our slippers in a cubby and then walk the hallway to our respective onsen. Our baths are at the end of the hall.
This hotel has been around a long time and is facing lean times. It is a large facility with impressive facilities but not many people are here. We benefit from affordable pricing as a result. But none of this dampens the level of hospitality and service we receive. It must be hard to compete with newer, shinier buildings….we have a soft spot for these aging buildings…even if there is an air of Fawlty Towers that we feel at times.
When we arrived, the tide was high and it looked the hotel was built in the sea. But this morning, it is low tide and quite impressive. We were on the 3rd floor which they gave us so that we were close to the Onsen.
When we were leaving this morning, it was very windy. We watched a hawk catch a powerful gust with a wing and soar sideways at speed. What a feeling that must be.
This eye catching building is a place to get ice cream . We see them often in Kyushu. We aren’t sure about the octopus on top of the building, but it does catch your attention.
Not sure if we have explained Michi-no-Ekis on this trip. We are always excited when we see a sign telling us one is coming up soon. A Michi is truly a local treasure which supports locals farmers, fishers, craft people etc. It always has a restaurant which features local food and is also a massive shopping facility with local produce, freshly caught fish, local crafts etc. It is a nice way to learn about the area you are travelling in. Michi-no-Elis are rest stops for people who are driving or for local people shopping for fresh produce. An important note for travellers is that there are always bathrooms, soft serve ice cream, tourist information and great food at affordable prices.
This Michi is supporting the mandarin harvest in their area. We have never seen so many varieties…including a bright green skin variety. We appreciated that they had samples of each variety from the local farms so that we could make an informed choice. We loved watching a very senior local woman, who could barely walk, but was on an outing with her son and tested every sample. After much consideration, she slowly made a choice and upon trying the next sample it would all begin again. It was such a wonderful thing to watch…her joy and dedication to finding the perfect mandarin and also her son’s patience.
Each Michi has its own style of architecture, yet they are instantly recognizable by their size and some of the features. The van with its rear hatch door open is selling coffee.
This was humorous. Barry was taking a photo of this strange steel man built out of metal and saw this goat. He thought it was a garden statue and then it moved and it brayed. It’s alive!
Barry went for a walk to find some dinner for us. The Christmas lights are beautifully done. The blue whales is a nice touch and a nod to the 300 dolphins who live in this area.
