24.09.27Upon arrival, you are struck by a panoramic view of Matsumoto and the surrounding mountains. A staff member greeted me as I parked the car, spoke English well, and carried my very heavy bag to the entrance. He guided me to the front desk where the owner had me complete some paperwork and pre-select the time of my dinner and breakfast. I was then shown to my room which did require going down some stairs and walking on some stones on the ground. The hallways and interior of the ryokan is decorated like a museum with a water feature in the middle. The room was wonderful with a calm view of the frog pond.
The dinner was served in the room, and each course was brought in sequentially, each time, the worker showed the upmost respect and explained the dishes. I know this was such hard work for him because he had to go up and down the steps every time he brought a new course (total 8+?) Always had a respectful attitude, answering my questions, and kept a kneeling posture to show respect (even though as an American I don't demand that sort of thing). Afterwards, I saw that he was doing the washing up in the kitchen, so he is a diligent worker. What a wonderful staff member!
The bath was not that large but still nice and the water was a good temperature.
The breakfast, served in the bright dining room, was delicious and nicely displayed. Both coffee and tea were available.
I saw couples staying there and they seemed to have good time, even taking photos in front of the ryokan as a memory.
The owner was very gracious and kind when checking out. Following me to my car and making sure I left satisfied.
Overall a wonderful stay.
