Shitandoh: Guest House in Hayakawa

Interested in getting a taste of rural Japan and relaxing surrounded by nature? Shitandoh is the perfect place for experiencing the countryside in Japan.

At Shitandoh, everything is well-organized and prepared for you and your family so you can spend a good time and enjoy the experience. But perhaps you’re under the impression that life is boring in the countryside? If so, we invite you to continue reading to see just how fun of an experience it can be!

This guesthouse is located in a special place, the cozy town of Hayakawa in Yamanashi, which is the least-populated town in Japan. Despite being small in population, the land area is recorded as the second-largest town in Japan. It has a deep valley with a clear blue river flowing beautifully through the mountains. 

As soon as we arrived at the home (let’s call it home, because that’s what it really feels like) we met Mr. Nemoto, the manager and owner, a very gentle and overall happy-go-lucky guy. Even though he was not fluent in English, he did his best to interact with us, which made the experience all the more enjoyable. As soon as we placed our bags in the bedrooms, he invited us on a walk around the village. Just a short walking distance away was the river and birds, old homes, and fruit tree's that dub Yamanashi "Fruit Kingdom."

The facility includes 3 bedrooms, a bathroom, a dining room, a living room, a fully-equipped kitchen, an attic, and a yard.

In addition to a regular toilet, there is a big bathroom with a shower area and bath, just like most older homes in Japan. The water of the bath is always set to 42 degrees Celsius, so it's always ready for someone to take a dip. For those seeking something new (or rather, quite old) Shitandoh has a fire-wood heated, open-air bath. Take a look below!

In order to make the experience even more authentic, Mr. Nemoto invited us to go out to collect firewood for the bonfire and help him set it up. He said that this is important to do before sunset because the water takes an hour or more to get hot.

I confess that this was quite an enjoyable experience for me, and I couldn’t help but reminisce about visiting the farms I used to when I was a kid. To give you privacy, the bath area is surrounded by a fence.

When it was time for dinner, Mr. Nemoto invited Ms. Yuri over to cook for us. She is the owner of a café in the village and a very experienced chef. She brought all the ingredients over, and invited us to help her in the kitchen while teaching us how to prepare traditional Japanese cuisine. Ms. Yuri has lived abroad for volunteer work and her English is great. During the meal preparation, not only did we talk about Japanese cuisine, but also history, culture and travel. She is truly such a lovely person!

After a while, we started to get hungry, so it was time to set the table. We laid out small dishes for each guest, then sat on zabutons (Japanese-style floor cushions). It was the perfect space for interaction.
For dinner, we invited Mr. Nemoto and Ms. Yuri to join us. We had a nice time talking, learning about Japanese traditions, seasonal food and how life is like living in the peaceful town of Hayakawa.

   
▲Dinner at Shitandoh

After dinner, some of us decided to go for a walk around the village. Looking up at the bright stars and moon as we sat completely in the dark was absolutely fascinating.

When it was time for bed, there were futons waiting for us on the tatami floor, which made it feel like an authentic Japanese-style inn (ryokan). I love sleeping on futons, because I always feel well-rested the next morning.

▲Futons where we slept

If you wake up early enough, there is another traditional and fun experience to join, the morning radio calisthenics (Rajio Taiso). The community gets together every morning to follow the same standardized exercises played by Japan’s National Radio NHK.

Ms. Yuri prepared our breakfast, including toast, eggs, salad, coffee and juice. And of course, everything was tasty and delicious.
 
Unfortunately, our stay was only for one night. But that was enough time to relax, feel the fresh air from nature, join in on traditional Japanese activities and learn more about this incredible culture. Next time, we would like to stay longer to enjoy the countryside atmosphere even more!

More Info

E-mail: shitandou@gmail.com
Shitandoh Reservation website: https://www.kusasio.com/

Address: 397 Kusashio, Hayakawa, Minamikoma District, Yamanashi 409-2714