Part five of seven: San Francisco, Japan, & Thailand (July 2013)
After a short walk, we come to the Konansou, a traditional Japanese inn, also known as a ryokan. The staff speak no English, and when we arrive a few hours before check, we are pointed in the direction of Lake Kawaguchi. Starving and tired, Deezy and I spot a convenience store just steps away and buy a bunch of junk food and drinks. We find a cozy place along the lake and gobble up our goodies. As I notice the beauty of the area, I cannot resist in taking some photos.
The lake was tranquil, with only a few locals paddling about. Nobody else was around. It was quiet and peaceful. As time passes, it grows more humid and we experience greater sleepiness. We make our way back into the lobby of the hotel and decide to wait. As soon as we place our luggage on the ground, a woman comes and ushers us to the front desk for check-in. Our room awaits: upon entering, we take off our hiking boots. Through gestures, we are told never to wear footwear into the room, not even the flip flops provided by the inn. Socks or bare feet are only permitted.
The room is spotless and simple, traditional yet well equipped. After being left in the room, we explore it more and discover yukatas for our tea and dinner. I walk through each section of the room. It is a very traditional room, except we have Western toilet facilities. Well...not exactly American-Western, more like Euro-Western. The bidet is definitely the most technologically advanced toilet I have ever seen or used. I become obsessed with it. Obsessed. Deezy begins to joke with me: I'm leaving him for the bidet! Hahaha!, I think. Maybe. I want one of those for my house; the Japanese know their hygiene. You know, it's not a bad idea, being a germ-a-phobe and all. Okay...I'm now delving into the TMI (too much information) territory.
Anyways, not five minutes after the bellhop leaves, there is a knock on the door. A woman dressed very traditionally, almost geisha-like without the white face paint or ornate head dress, is waiting to be invited in. She is flawless and elegant. Her mannerism reflect her undeniable beauty. Her demeanor is shy yet direct. Her English is, well, best communicated through gestures. And so we begin. First, she directs us towards the yukatas. She relays that she will be preparing us tea in fifteen minutes, and we are required to wear the yukata. She quickly demonstrates how they are worn and leaves. Punctually she returns.
Deezy and I are both dressed for tea. Before beginning, she sets a time for dinner and provides us with our dinner room number. She then prepares the tea, watches us drink it, and leaves. Neither Deezy nor I has an idea what the protocol is or if we should be doing something differently. For dinner, we arrive to the dining floor a few minutes early. We are greeted and instructed to our room. Before entering, we take off the flip flops we had been provided. The table is set with traditional cookware and food. Sitting in a chair on the floor, we cross our legs to get comfortable. Tea is promptly served, and curiously it's the only drink we receive. Course after course, the food is delightful and welcomingly light. The woman who prepared the tea in our room is our hostess in our small dinner room. That's right --- Deezy and I are sitting in a 10 X 10 room set up only for a party of two.
The windows on two sides of us are drawn with traditional paper shades, and we can see a shadowy reflection of the party next to us. There is much silence, as Deezy and I are unsure of what kind of behavior is acceptable, but A LOT of eye communication. Dinner lasts a little more than two hours. The rituals for preparing the foods are unforgettable and the simplicity of its presentation is inspiring. It is one of those times when a photograph would not have sufficiently captured the experience, and one that, maybe, I want to selfishly keep in my own memory. Pleased with the meal and the experience, we return to the room for the first real sleep we've had in over thirty-six hours. Out come the mats - quite comfy!
Tomorrow, it's back to Tokyo and then...Thailand!
