Staying In Japan, Part One

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It has been a while since we have made a blog post, so it is time for the post all travel blogger's make at least once.  That's right, this is the "we're sorry it's been so long, but we promise to be more diligent with our posts" post. For those of you still reading and following (thank you!), here is part one of our "Staying In Japan" post. Part two will come very soon, to be followed by a Japan wrap-up post (or two) and Korea posts.  We are getting close to three weeks behind so here we go...

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Staying In Japan, Part One

Livin' Large in Toyoko Nara

The types of Japanese accommodations we stayed in helped make our trip there more authentic and memorable than it would have been had we stayed at only one type of lodging or only in familiar Western chains.  The chains we did stay in were Japanese, which makes all the difference.

Our first Japanese accommodation happened to be such a chain.  We stayed at the popular Japanese business hotel Toyoko-Inn our first three nights in Osaka.  During our time in Japan, we stayed at three different Toyokos for a total of eight nights over the course of our three and a half week tour.

The Toyoko-Inn rooms we stayed in were wonderful in their efficient design, cleanliness, and outrageously cheap prices.  An American Motel 6, Best Western, or Holiday Inn with rooms as cheap as the ones offered by Toyoko would never have been as modern, clean, or well-equipped.  The true marvel of the Toyoko brand is what you get in such a tiny space for the money.  Toyoko packs an amazing amount into a very small area, without sacrificing comfort. Each Toyoko room we stayed in had high-speed internet, a queen bed, an electric hot water kettle, hair dryer, fridge, T.V., microwave, pants press, large lamp, desk with chair, and a full bathroom with a bathtub.  And each of these rooms, including their bathrooms, were tucked neatly (and skillfully) into a space about the size of a smallish American  bedroom.

Just calling to say
"I love you Toyoko!"

Another thing that makes Toyoko superior to its American counterparts are the wonderful staff and service.  Despite our inability to speak Japanese, we were always greeted by chipper, friendly staff who went out of their way to provide excellent service. The night reception gals at the first Toyoko we stayed in helped save us about $30 that night by signing us up for a Toyoko membership.  That same membership saved us over $100 over the course of our Toyoko stays, and we are just two nights from a receiving a free night. Booyakasha! We've stayed in business hotels and similar hotel types in other countries before, but Toyoko-Inn truly takes the cake.  We have to tip our hats to Toyoko and the Japanese business principals (a dedication to efficiency, for one) that make such a magnificent thing possible.  Here's to you Toyoko! 

Kyoto K's private room

But a trip of this magnitude wouldn't be possible if we didn't rely heavily on hostels along the way. Although Toyokos were sometimes the least expensive option, Japan has some great hostels that were sometimes the better choice. We stayed in Japanese youth hostels in Kyoto and Hiroshima, for a total of nine nights.  Both were K's House hostels, a small chain with eight across Japan. 

TV with BBC in Kyoto K's!

The Kyoto K's was fantastic enough for Jeff to declare it one of his three most favorite hostels he's stayed in. (Jeff chose the number three because that seems to be how Japan rates everything from gardens to castles, and from islands to temples. Kanazwa has one of the three best gardens in the country, while Hemiji has one of the three best castles.  It's never "One of the five best," or " The best."  Always, "One of the three best.")  K's Kyoto is pretty great no matter where it ranks in Jeff's fictional "best hostels ever" chart.  It has a large kitchen, rooftop terrace, wifi throughout, and a friendly staff.  It was also clean, with wide bunks and private lights, and huge lockers below the beds.  No matter how terrific a hostel might be, there will always be those who snore like the dickens or arrange and rearrange their belongings at 6 am in the morning, God love 'em.  We know K's can't do anything about them, so we dawn our earplugs and sleeping masks, and salute the aspects the owners and staff can control - such as organizing free walking tours, providing free bicycles, and maintaining a light, airy, comfortable common room.

A Miyajima map-eating deer 

We met a friendly Aussie named Brad over breakfast in the attached "Zen Cafe" of Kyoto K's.  Brad gave us several tips about what to see and eat in Kyoto, but none of his tips were funnier or more memorable than what he said as we saw him later that afternoon riding a free hostel bike. Beaming and pointing at the bicycle Brad hollered in his thick Aussie accent, "Best way to see Kyoto!" Priceless.  We also met a friendly couple from England  over our dinner and their beers in the common room one night.  They relayed helpful tips about traveling in China, comical stories about crack addicted squirrels in Brixton, and the map-eating deer in Miyajima, Japan.  (Funny thing about the map-eating deer in Miyajima is that the maps all have a small note in the corner: "Please do not feed the deer.") We really appreciated the conversation and advice.

Hiroshima K's is a bit smaller than Kyoto K's, but it's still a pretty nice hostel.  Both are undeniably Japanese, offering tatmi rooms, keeping a shoes-off policy, and providing friendly, helpful staff.  Hiroshima K's is distinctly Hiroshima, while Kyoto has touches of the city of Kyoto throughout.  Hiroshima packed a lot of charm into a small space, including a huge wall of photos from guests and "Peace Books," which were guest books filled with color penciled drawings from guests from around the globe.  Jeff busted out a piece for peace from us and all Seattlites!

A-bomb dome

The Peace theme in the Hiroshima K's is a product of the city's obsession and dedication to peace.  It was moving and stirring just to be in Hiroshima, with reminders of the horrors inflicted on it's citizens on 8:15 on August 6, 1945 and the triumphant Japanese spirit all around.  The A-bomb dome and the Peace Memorial Park and museum were touching, emotional, educational, and exhausting sites. But they were all very necessary and we were so glad we included Hiroshima on our Japanese itinerary.  The A-bomb dome used to be a  government building that was almost directly beneath the bomb when it detonated. Because the building was made of brick and steel, unlike many Japanese structures at the time, most of it survived as a mangled reminder of the devastation caused by the bomb. The A-bomb dome lies at one end of the Peace Memorial Park, which has several monuments and memorials for different groups of people killed and affected by the bomb - most notably the Children's Peace Monument and the Cenotaph for Korean Victims.  There was a lot to see and discuss in the museum.  Jeff was especially moved by the two full walls covered with engraved copies of letters of protest sent by the mayor of Hiroshima every time any country developed or tested an atomic bomb after August 6, 1945.  Some of the most moving items in the museum were large images of the city after the bomb went off, art by survivors, and tattered children's clothes and belongings. There were also thoughtful exhibits about prewar Hiroshima, Japan and Hiroshima during the war, postwar Hiroshima, the dropping of the bomb, after affects of the bomb, atomic bomb development and repercussions of its invention, and efforts of peace and the complete abandonment of nuclear weapons spearheaded by Hiroshima. 

Children's Peace Monument

Hiroshima was one of our favorite cities in Japan.  It is amazing to think of how far it has come since August 1945, because even though there are reminders of the A-bomb throughout, the city hides it's history quite well at times. We felt moved and honored to be in such a resilient and noble city.  Although small Hiroshima K's Peace Books represented the city well, as it stands proud as a testament to both the evil and the good humans are capable of. By the time we left Hiroshima we felt we had a better understanding of Japan's history and culture. The hostel played only a small part in our Hiroshima experience, but it is important to note how deep Hiroshima's dedication to peace really goes.

We felt that the decidedly Japanese touches at the K's and Toyokos we stayed at improved our Japanese experience and helped set them apart from hostels and business hotels we've stayed at in Europe and America. We also stayed in a Buddhist temple, a Minshuku, and a traditional Japanese inn called a Ryokan.  To be continued in Part Two...

Ryokan Fujioto, Tsumago, Japan