Ryokan Kurashiki — Local services in Kurashiki

We stayed two nights at Ryokan Kurashiki. The property is famous throughout Japan and is highly regarded, so we went in expecting a a memorable time there. With a few exceptions, it met our expectations.||||The ryokan is centrally situated along the main canal in the Kurashiki Bikan historical quarter, right along the bend of the river and right in front of the Nakabashi Bridge. While Kurashiki is a rather touristy place, it's gorgeous, authentic and filled with interesting sights. It's not a sprawling tourist area, so 1 full day may suffice for those who enjoy blitzing through various tourist spots. We wanted to take it a bit slow and thorough, so 2 nights was just right for us.||||The building of the ryokan is historic and well preserved, and exhibits an old-world charm that is appropriate for the area it's located in. Inside is much of the same - it's beautifully appointed with Meiji-era antiques and furnishings, all in darned good shape. We chose to stay in the Luxury Suite Inui, a room located on the 2nd floor of a stand-alone building just across the rear garden of the main building, and a sufficiently spacious 63.1m² in size. We selected this Suite because it appeared to be the newest of the rooms, with the most modern appointments. While we did not get to see the other rooms in the property, we felt a bit cheated in one respect... it was the only room where they didn't offer the option of being served meals in the room. Ryokan Kurashiki does not note this fact online. When I asked why they didn't offer it for guests staying at Inui, they said that the stairs were too steep for the servers to continually bring food to the room - they consider it a hazard. While we can't argue with that, we definitely wished we were made aware of this limitation in advance, as part of what makes a great ryokan stay is the ability to dine in the comfort of one's room.||||The Inui Suite itself was what we expected it to be, for the most part. it was bright, airy and thoroughly modern. It was far from the largest Suite we've stayed at, but the vaulted ceilings and the light-colored wood gave the room an airy feel. One minor nitpick: there was only one sink, which is unusual for a ryokan of Kurashiki's caliber. One other thing to note: there is no Onsen (hot spring bath) in the room; your only choice is to pay a visit to a small Onsen bath in a separate facility that is on premise.||||Meals (especially the dinners) were generally of high quality. We enjoyed the vast majority of dishes, which were well presented although not particularly innovative - it was straightforward Kaiseki fare, and what they offered was more than satisfactory. Breakfast, on the other hand, was a bit lacking. The portions were on the small side, and the variety of dishes was less than what we're accustomed to from our stays at other luxury ryokans.||||But the big irritation with our dining experience had to do with the service itself. We were assigned the same waiter for each meal, which is good... if only he was more knowledgeable and passionate about his work. We were very disappointed in his inability to thoroughly and deeply explain each dish that was served. When you consider that Kaiseki meals are elaborate affairs with tons of little dishes that contain a bountiful of ingredients, there is absolutely no way that a printed menu can do it justice. Not to mention, some courses consist of 5 or more little plates, each containing a wide variety of ingredients. I want to know all about them. On multiple occasions, when we asked about some of the food, he grabbed the hand-written menu that was on our table, and read it out loud. Umm, we can read, too... we expect more than what's written, in a way that's not unlike a connoisseur would like to enjoy fine wine - you don't just read the label and call it a day. You need to dive deep. You need to tell a story. Kaiseki dining is about as much about being educated and delighted, not just about eating good food. If the executive chef is truly proud of his/her creations, I would like to think that he/she and the ryokan management would have the wherewithal to train the servers about the intricacies of each dish. That's what top ryokans do. Ryokan Kurashiki, unfortunately, does not, and it really detracted from our experience. If this doesn't matter to you, then Kurashiki more than fits the dining bill.||||If ever we were to return to the area, we wouldn't hesitate to try out Ryokan Kurashiki once more. But, we would definitely choose a different room, and let them know in advance that we wish to be served by someone who is a veteran and who is knowledgeable, passionate about food, and well versed in explaining each dish that is intended to be served...

We stayed two nights at Ryokan Kurashiki. The property is famous throughout Japan and is highly regarded, so we went in expecting a a memorable time there. With a few exceptions, it met our expectations.||||The ryokan is centrally situated along the main canal in the Kurashiki Bikan historical quarter, right along the bend of the river and right in front of the Nakabashi Bridge. While Kurashiki is a rather touristy place, it's gorgeous, authentic and filled with interesting sights. It's not a sprawling tourist area, so 1 full day may suffice for those who enjoy blitzing through various tourist spots. We wanted to take it a bit slow and thorough, so 2 nights was just right for us.||||The building of the ryokan is historic and well preserved, and exhibits an old-world charm that is appropriate for the area it's located in. Inside is much of the same - it's beautifully appointed with Meiji-era antiques and furnishings, all in darned good shape. We chose to stay in the Luxury Suite Inui, a room located on the 2nd floor of a stand-alone building just across the rear garden of the main building, and a sufficiently spacious 63.1m² in size. We selected this Suite because it appeared to be the newest of the rooms, with the most modern appointments. While we did not get to see the other rooms in the property, we felt a bit cheated in one respect... it was the only room where they didn't offer the option of being served meals in the room. Ryokan Kurashiki does not note this fact online. When I asked why they didn't offer it for guests staying at Inui, they said that the stairs were too steep for the servers to continually bring food to the room - they consider it a hazard. While we can't argue with that, we definitely wished we were made aware of this limitation in advance, as part of what makes a great ryokan stay is the ability to dine in the comfort of one's room.||||The Inui Suite itself was what we expected it to be, for the most part. it was bright, airy and thoroughly modern. It was far from the largest Suite we've stayed at, but the vaulted ceilings and the light-colored wood gave the room an airy feel. One minor nitpick: there was only one sink, which is unusual for a ryokan of Kurashiki's caliber. One other thing to note: there is no Onsen (hot spring bath) in the room; your only choice is to pay a visit to a small Onsen bath in a separate facility that is on premise.||||Meals (especially the dinners) were generally of high quality. We enjoyed the vast majority of dishes, which were well presented although not particularly innovative - it was straightforward Kaiseki fare, and what they offered was more than satisfactory. Breakfast, on the other hand, was a bit lacking. The portions were on the small side, and the variety of dishes was less than what we're accustomed to from our stays at other luxury ryokans.||||But the big irritation with our dining experience had to do with the service itself. We were assigned the same waiter for each meal, which is good... if only he was more knowledgeable and passionate about his work. We were very disappointed in his inability to thoroughly and deeply explain each dish that was served. When you consider that Kaiseki meals are elaborate affairs with tons of little dishes that contain a bountiful of ingredients, there is absolutely no way that a printed menu can do it justice. Not to mention, some courses consist of 5 or more little plates, each containing a wide variety of ingredients. I want to know all about them. On multiple occasions, when we asked about some of the food, he grabbed the hand-written menu that was on our table, and read it out loud. Umm, we can read, too... we expect more than what's written, in a way that's not unlike a connoisseur would like to enjoy fine wine - you don't just read the label and call it a day. You need to dive deep. You need to tell a story. Kaiseki dining is about as much about being educated and delighted, not just about eating good food. If the executive chef is truly proud of his/her creations, I would like to think that he/she and the ryokan management would have the wherewithal to train the servers about the intricacies of each dish. That's what top ryokans do. Ryokan Kurashiki, unfortunately, does not, and it really detracted from our experience. If this doesn't matter to you, then Kurashiki more than fits the dining bill.||||If ever we were to return to the area, we wouldn't hesitate to try out Ryokan Kurashiki once more. But, we would definitely choose a different room, and let them know in advance that we wish to be served by someone who is a veteran and who is knowledgeable, passionate about food, and well versed in explaining each dish that is intended to be served...

Ryokan Kurashiki is in the middle of Kurashiki Bikan historical quarter. ||The Front hall is old and harks back to historical times. Once in through the sliding door, the ryokan interior is modern and yet timeless. ||Black tiled floors and corridors that lead you in many directions. We were given tea in the terrace and check in formalities were quickly completed.||We were then brought to our room, where our luggage, which was left with the hotel earlier, was now placed.||We took off our shoes and entered a tatami room off to the left was a separate toilet from the double sinks and further in, a large Japanese-style double shower area and a bathtub. Toiletries are provided in his and hers baskets beside the sink. Inside, you’ll find hair wash and conditioner, body wash, and various items that he or she would need. A powerful hairdryer is placed beside the sink. There is ample space for your personal toiletries.||Toilet has the usual Japanese toilet functions. There’s also a sink here.||There are two large areas before the master bedroom. The main entry tatami area where we placed our luggage on luggage rack, which in turn rested on a carpet (to protect the tatami floor). A large clothes rack for hanging jackets and other clothing is provided. My son slept in the room tatami style.||The next room has a low table and seating for how ever many is in the room. A medium sized flat screen TV is in a cupboard and the owner has decorated the rooms with her western antique finds such as old clocks or radios. ||A tea set rests on the table and a kettle is plugged into the nearby wall socket. You can fix yourself a cup of Japanese tea.||Our bedroom had a hidden fridge, safe and a smaller TV. The items in the fridge are part of your room charge. There’s a couple of bottles of fruit juice, a beer, soft drink and water.||The ryokan provides yukuta to go to the onsen as well as really comfortable pyjamas to sleep in.||WiFi can be received in the room and it is a strong fast signal. An Additional treat was the daily delivery of English newspapers. ||There’s a smaller toilet and separate bathroom, both with sinks in their respective areas. ||Our rooms were large and very generous in terms of space. It was also very Classical Japanese. The beds in our room were, however, modern in that it was raised on a platform, had side table and electrical points on my side of bed. Light switches are shared in the Centre of the bed bead. ||Without the air conditioning in the room, it would have been really cold. We were glad to run some of the air cons at 1/2 speed to at least keep the room at a comfortable temperature. The shower area also felt cold to start. But once you run the shower for awhile, the room gets quite comfortable. ||Onsen|The onsen can be booked for private use during certain times. The staff will ask you at breakfast for your preferred timing as well as your meal time schedules.||The onsen is small and can fit three showering individuals. There’s a small drying area where you can also get water or apple juice scented with rosemary.||The shower area has bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body wash. The Onsen water is generally hot.||Food was generous and delicious. Our kaiseki meal was just right and we really enjoyed ourselves. ||Breakfast was just as plentiful with a portion of fish to be grilled by us at the table. Food was enjoyed to the sounds of classical music. ||If you’re driving, ask the staff to guide you to their special parking lots not too far away. ||Surrounding area is the Bikan historical quarter and it’s quite touristy. Visit the nearby art museum or shop at the Denim alley across the canal. The area is known for its textiles, and denim in particular.||We had a great time staying at this ryokan. Given a chance, we would come...