Wakasa Kajitsu: An Inn to Enjoy the Sea, Cuisine, and Culture of Miketsukuni Wakasa

I was captivated by the soothing scent of hinoki cypress upon arrival. After taking a bath, I relaxed and cooled down in the kura lounge. No matter when I went, the lounge was neatly kept and very comfortable. The Room was also close to the seaside, and for the first time I fell asleep—and woke up—listening to the sound of the waves. The meals were wonderful as well; we enjoyed plenty of seasonal local ingredients. We were truly able to unwind. I’d love to visit again in a different season.

Even though I don’t swim in the sea, I travel solo year-round in search of gourmet Accommodations near the coast (for the food and scenery).I was delighted to be upgraded to a sea-view Room. It was a Japanese-style Room, but it also had a leather sofa and ottoman, so I could stretch out and relax while gazing at the ocean.When I woke up around 5:00, I was able to watch a beautiful sunrise from the Room.There is a calm inner-sea beach right in front of the Accommodation, and there are showers as well—great for families with small children.The meals were outstanding, featuring an abundance of local specialties. My main goal was Wakasa-guji (tilefish), but it was even more delicious than I imagined—the Wakasa-guji ochazuke was exceptional.And the Matsunaga rice was unbelievably good (probably the best I’ve ever had).I didn’t use the public bath and used the shower in my Room instead, but I loved that the shampoo and conditioner were Hokurokusousui—one of my favorite brands—and it helped me relax.Recently there have been more Accommodations renovated from wooden buildings, but some noise—voices and footsteps—is unavoidable. You can often hear children as well. It’s not exactly quiet.However, more than making up for that,I felt each staff member’s hospitality and way of interacting with guests was wonderful.In particular: the woman with glasses who assisted me at check-in; the woman at breakfast (I’m sorry—I forgot your name); and one of the male staff members who kindly gave me helpful advice for sightseeing in Obama after check-out. Thanks to them, it became more than just an overnight stay—I had a chance to learn even more about Obama, making this trip extremely satisfying.I heard that midwinter is especially good for grouper, pufferfish, and Echizen crab.As transportation access improves from here on out, this will be an Accommodation you’ll want to visit even more.Next time it would be perfect if I could borrow a firmer pillow!! Please make that happen on my next visit!! (I can’t sleep if a pillow doesn’t suit me.)Thank you very much to all of your staff for everything.