Atami Sekitei Annex Sakuraoka Saryo

This was my second stay this year, and I visited with my mother.My mother is nearing her 88th birthday, but she still has a great appetite and finished everything, even having seconds from the rice tub.I visited long ago with my mother and grandmother as well, so I feel truly happy to have an Accommodation we can return to across three generations—my grandmother, my mother, and me. Unfortunately it rained this time, but thanks to that the signature stones and garden trees were gently wet, letting us enjoy a different kind of beautiful scenery than usual.Thank you again for your warm hospitality. I look forward to visiting again.

I made this Reservation to spend two days doing nothing and taking in no information at all. Unfortunately, the annex could not be registered in my navigation system, so I arrived at the main building instead. At the main entrance, several staff members helped me with a map and clear directions—and even ran partway to guide me. I truly appreciated it. I safely reached the annex entrance and was escorted by a charming staff member. Passing through the kabukimon gate, then straight on through another gate without even catching my breath, I arrived at a beautifully understated entrance with an earthen floor (doma). The living room had wonderful character. From the garden, I could see a Noh stage across the pond, and colorful koi welcomed me. When I fed them with the food prepared for their “hospitality,” they gathered even more—so I got carried away and asked for another serving of feed. One point to note: this Accommodation is spacious—detached rooms, landscaped hills, ponds, glimpses of Sagami Bay as a surprise here and there—and all of it is connected by stepping stones and stone stairways. It can be quite demanding to walk around. Considering how often the staff must go up and down those steps is impressive, but it may be tough for elderly guests. I saw an older couple who looked close to losing their balance while a porter watched; perhaps he was in overseas training—I ended up helping without thinking. Please make sure staff are taught how to assist in such situations—that’s my one request here. My wife had an esthetic treatment and looked very happy. The kaiseki meal goes without saying—there was even a hidden “surprise” dish included. Breakfast featured delicious dried fish; I liked it so much that I bought more on Ginza Street on our way home (with some expert tips from the shop owner). After staying secluded on-site, that kind of human warmth really stayed with me. Because we were keeping to ourselves during our stay, we also ordered lunch: simple rice balls paired perfectly with pickles. We also enjoyed watching ripples on the pond as we listened to surrounding sounds—it was soothing entertainment in itself. One more highlight: the open-air Onsen bath shows different faces morning, noon, and night. In daylight, sunlight along the granite seams made small fish in the Onsen water look like they were performing; in the morning light, steam danced like an aurora (my own fanciful impression from staying in this detached room). Overall, our 2 nights/3 days were completely stress-free—though sitting long in hot water wasn’t easy because my hips hurt against the granite floor surface after a while. And one last thing: my detached room was Japanese-style with no chairs; sitting cross-legged for long periods for the first time in ages made my hips sore as well.”