Kifu no Sato

First, we would like to express our gratitude for the warm hospitality of the Accommodation. Thank you for your thoughtful care in even the smallest details.This was our first trip to Okayama Prefecture, and thanks to all the staff, we were able to enjoy a comfortable Onsen getaway.We now have one more Ryokan we would love to visit again.Thank you very much.

When we arrived at the Accommodation and saw the exterior, my first impression was, “an old Ryokan.” To be honest, it dampened my excitement a little. However, a staff member was waiting in the parking area and kindly explained everything even though we arrived early, and their warm manner quickly lifted our spirits. The welcome drink was chilled green tea with homemade yokan. The tea had a slightly unique flavor but was easy to drink and soothing, and the yokan had a gentle sweetness that was truly delicious. Our Room was No. 101 on the first floor. When we opened the door, we were greeted by the wonderful scent of fresh igusa (rush grass). When I mentioned it to a staff member, they told us it had been renovated about a year ago. The garden view from the private open-air bath felt as if it existed just for this Room alone. We visited in summer, but I’m sure it would be beautiful in every season as well. Soaking leisurely in the open-air bath while looking out at the garden left us feeling completely satisfied—more than enough to make us want to return. Dinner was something we especially looked forward to. This time, it seemed the head chef created dishes themed around summer vegetables and corn: corn tofu, steamed corn dumplings (shinjo), and corn rice. In between were dishes such as hamo (pike conger) served in dobin-mushi style and an assorted platter including abalone sashimi—everything delicately seasoned and delicious. Not only was the food excellent, but our attendant served each course at just the right pace and kept things enjoyable with plenty of conversation. I don’t drink alcohol, but they noticed I gave my aperitif to my wife; they quietly said, “For you,” and brought me juice instead—a thoughtful touch that impressed me. When we went for an evening walk, there was a full moon in the sky; it shone so brightly that we couldn’t see many stars. Breakfast included black soybean tofu, simmered vegetables, mildly spicy meat miso, perfectly fatty grilled mackerel—and above all else, what stood out most was how wonderful their “Pikamaru” rice tasted (of course thanks to the chef’s skill). After breakfast in the lobby you can enjoy complimentary coffee as well—and it’s very good. Every staff member greeted us naturally without being overbearing, which made our stay truly relaxing from start to finish。 We’d love to come back when another season arrives so we can enjoy that garden view from our Room again。