Waraku-An

I had sat at Kyoto's Cheapest Inn long enough, so I took a break from the place and decided to stay a few nights in a slightly more expensive, more traditional Japanese inn called Waraku-An. Well worth the price! To get there, you had to walk down this short path to the entrance:



The inside of the place was great- hardwood floors everywhere, beautiful Japanese paper lamps, and a Japanese-style garden in the middle of it all! The whole time I was there I was hoping it would rain, because it would have been incredibly relaxing and enjoyable to sit right next to the garden through a storm, but alas- not a drop. If I ever build a house, I'm definitely installing one of these babies.





Even the toilet room got the special treatment. You can see why I don't call it the bathroom. I guess w.c. would be applicable, here. Maybe t.c.? Do periods go at the end of sentences that end like the previous one or is a question mark substituted? I'd sure like to know.



The rooms were in the traditional style:



In all, staying at Waraku-An was an excellent decision. It was only 2500 yen/night, which is extremely reasonable especially when considering the peaceful, traditional atmosphere. A Japanese girl staying at the place asked me if I thought the inn seemed "Japanese", to which I responded, "Well, I guess so. I mean, it seems like it is". She informed me that it was very Japanese style, except that it was a little bit western. This meant that it was "too nice", as she put it. The place wasn't always so nice, however. The owners, apparently a new-ageish French dude and his Japanese wife, remodeled the inn after purchasing it in somewhat rundown condition. They had a small album which recorded the remodeling process- very inspiring, what they did. It really makes me want to build a house. The French guy was an interesting character, and his new-agedness definitely rubbed off on the place. My first encounter with him was at the reception desk. He had long black hair pulled tightly in a ponytail, and was garbed in a traditional Japanese shirt with big, billowing pants. In his left hand he wielded his baby daughter, and in his right a fully loaded breast pump with bottle. It was a bit like sleeping at Pier-one. I even overheard Dido and Enya a number of times, which was strangely acceptable considering the atmosphere.

Anybody see that episode of South Park with the Chinese singer Wing that covers (with reliably awful and hilarious creative interpretation) such musical acts as AC/DC and Elvis? Well, I overheard Wing playing at Waraku-An a couple of times. I've also heard her in a number of stores around Kyoto. Weird!