Guest House Okagesan — Hotel in Tanabe

Our lodging is a historic house, more than 100 years old. The house has all of the features of an authentic Japanese mountain home. The floors are covered with tatami mats, and rooms divided by sliding fusuma doors. There is an irori hearth and in the kitchen is an old- fashioned kamado rice cooking stove built into the floor. The house has lots of antiques and yet fully furnished with modern facilities.

Manabu San was consistently thoughtful and generous. He goes out of his way to make sure we have a comfortable and well-provisioned stay. The thought that has been put into everything we could possibly need is impressive. This is truly a home away from home. The house is very spacious, comfortable and warm (in the areas where we spent most time). It's a quiet and peaceful house next to the river, you get soothed at night with the sound of the flowing water. Manabu-san pops by our lodge with rice-balls. The rice balls are always accompanied with lovely handwritten notes to wish us well and to ask if anything is well with us! At the verandah of the house, Manabu-san has ready seeds and water for the birds. Each morning you will get up to the sound of birds chirping. The front paper-screen-door of the house has a special sliding window that opens up so that you can watch the bird through a clear screen in your warm bedroom. There is also the washing machine and a dryer in the yard in front ready for our convenience.

There are very generous supplies of provisions - really great coffee (instant and drip) and both black and green tea. There are all kinds of snacks which get replenished daily. We didn't cook but we saw supplies for cooking in the kitchen and fridge. Every morning, Mahabu san would bring us really great tasting rice balls! There's ample supply of toiletries and he provides ample towels for your convenience.

I read that the house was visited by Yamamoto Genpo Roshi, who is a famous and great monk in the Showa era. I cannot verify it but I did see photos of a monk on the wall of the house. By the way, you need to be comfortable staying in a house with no lock. We were fine with it. We felt very safe staying there.

Cars can be parked at a nearby grocery stalls where you can get supplies. Manabu san owns an izakaya nearby and you get to taste really yummy food. There is easy access to the onsens and Kumano Kodo trails. Watarase onsen is about 10...

Japanese countryside hospitality at its best.

Guesthouse Okagesan is a lovely traditional house converted into a traveler's inn located in Watase, an onsen town deep in Wakayama's Kumano Kodo region. Watarase Onsen, the largest in western Japan, is about a 15-minute walk from the guesthouse. I was pleasantly surprised how well-supplied this accommodation is, and even small traditional Japanese snacks were provided. There were also discount vouchers for visits to the Watarase Onsen (be aware that vouchers are only usable from 8am onwards). Overall, I love how cozy and comfortable I felt during my stay. The best part was the superb hospitality of its owner, Manabu-san. He is very helpful, friendly and has a great sense of humor! His playful and creative personality is reflected in the guesthouse. Make sure to check his yakitori place which serves delicious local specialties! What I appreciate the most is the delicious and filling onigiri breakfast he prepared before I left! It even came with a hand-written note of gratitude. As a foreign resident of Japan who has traveled quite extensively around the country, Wakayama is a lovely out-of-the-radar destination and my visit was made memorable and extra special by...

I had an amazing 2-day stay at this lovely house, and I can’t recommend it enough! The host is incredibly kind and friendly—he went above and beyond to make sure we had a great time. He even treated us to breakfast and snacks throughout our stay, which was such a thoughtful touch. One day, while we were out hiking, he made the bed for us, which really shows how much he cares about his guests' comfort.

The house itself has an old charm, but honestly, it doesn’t feel old at all. It's fully equipped with everything you could possibly need and was super cozy with a futon and heater mat that kept us warm. One of my favorite parts of the morning was feeding the birds and watching the sparrows in the garden as we woke up—it was such a peaceful and refreshing way to start the day.

Watarase is a small town, but it gives such a chill vibe. Please do go to their public hot spring and you can do stargazing on the way to the onsen. Even though I only stayed for two days, I really wish I could retire here. It’s a perfect little getaway, and I’m already looking forward to coming back one day. Thank you...