Kayotei

Staying at the Kayotei in Yamanaka was an experience we will never forget. The quaint inn is so charming- every corner has an antique or special flower arrangement. Breakfast and dinner was served to us in a lovely small private room that looked out on one of the gardens. We had both the traditional and western breakfasts and they are both excellent and filling. You will not need lunch. Dinner is an 8 or 9 course meal, elegantly served, presented and delicious. The staff was ever helpful and kind- we felt so well taken care of. There are two onsens here- one has an outdoor pool. We were here during the winter and sitting in the outside onsen with the snow falling and looking at the stream coming down from the mountain was so calming- one cold morning a fox appeared for us. The Inn had us booked for one of our dinners at a local restaurant , a short walk from the Inn. The Enuma Station is the name of the restaurant. It is a French Japanese fusion restaurant run by a young couple- another outstanding meal. The town of Yamanaka is small and fairly quiet during the winter but the public baths are worth a visit as is the theater next door where we watched a traditional Japanese dance. We hiked the trail that runs along the gorge twice, once in the snow. This hike would be nice anytime of year. At the end of the trail just below Kayotei, we stopped into Higashiyama Bonheur for coffee and a piece of cake. We are so happy we found this area and The Kayotei.

We stayed at Kayotei with our two adult children during our first trip to Japan. The experience was 5-star in every aspect. The facilities are excellent, the service is beyond perfect, we also very much enjoyed our traditional Japanese breakfast and dinners. One of the dinner was at Enuma Station, a short walk from Kayotei. The multi course dinner was delicious. My wife is vegetarian and they did an excellent job substituting meat/ fish with vegetarian options while keeping the "spirit" of the dish in each of the courses. We also visited Mika and Laku's studio and workshop. They demonstrated paper making and helped us learn/ understand the art of ikebana. The manager & staff were always there, they were extremely helpful in arranging a car rental at very short notice when we changed our plans last minute (to drive to Kyoto rather than taking the train). I would highly recommend making a trip to Yamanaka and a stay at Kayotei a part of your Japan visit. The small tranquil town is a good break after spending time in Tokyo!

The Kayotei After 2 weeks on the go taking in the fast pace of Japan’s biggest and busiest cities, we looked forward for a couple of days of relaxing in a more rural setting. We chose the riokan The Kayotei for its reputation as one of Japan’s best of its kind. Arriving at the beautiful property we were warmly greeted by Jiro for some tea and the most delicate mini cake made by a local confectioner. Jiro is an exemplary host in a sublime family run property. We soon relaxed into the calmness, elegance and the ways of Japanese tradition. First night we had a suite with its own outdoor onsen overlooking the woods. The rooms were huge and appointed in Japanese style exuding restrained luxury so typical of the country’s culture. After some relaxing at our private onsen overlooking the woods (Jiro had warned us not to spend to long soaking and I understand why. All the pressure from travelling leaves your body and it would be easy to fall asleep or have to go straight to bed!) In the afternoon he took us to the studio of Yasushi Satake, a wood turner and lacquer craftman. He works with the tools made by his father and grandfather continuing the legacy of making museum quality lacquerware. I have never seen or felt these most delicate and exquisite pieces. You can really sense the art and its cultural significance. We saw other lacquerware throughout Japan, but none with this incredibly quality. Later on we had booked the traditional kaiseki dinner at the Kayotei. We were given a jukata (Japanese robe) to wear for dinner and were given a beautiful private room. We were served by a gentle lady who gracefully served each small dish. It was our daughter’s 15th birthday and they made this delicious birthday cake that enjoyed after dinner in our rooms. Every single produce served at this ryokan is organic and locally sourced from the many exemplary farmers and producers in the area. Next day we experience without a doubt the best Japanese breakfast in all of the country, out of this world. We enjoyed a walk in the woods and a browse at the artisan shops in the main road of this 9.000 people village. Back to the ryokan we enjoyed the communal onsen with stunning views of the mountain that belongs to the family (we met the father who was delightful) Jiro booked us to the nearby Yunomachi Bistro, Enuma Station, an impeccably designed restaurant that serves a superb example of French food made with Japanese precision. Each dish is a piece of art, flavors delicate and delicious. It is run by its talented young chef Kazu Kuchide and his charming wife Toyoko. Unmissable. At the Kayotei we felt the real tradition of Japanese culture, a truly authentic family run roijan. We were sad to leave The Kayotei, an amazing experience throughout that we shall never forget and hopefully repeat in the not to distant future. Thank you to all the wonderful staff for looking after us so well!