Things to do in Japan

Oyado Koto no Yume: a traditional ryokan in Takayama

People are delighted to be able to spend a night or two in a classic family-run ryokan so close to all of Takayama’s sights….

By Ms Akira

Member of the hospitality team at Oyado Koto no Yume

Oyado Koto no Yume, Takayama

People come to Takayama to get a taste of what life used to be like here in the past, so they’re delighted to be able to spend a night or two in a classic family-run ryokan so close to all the sights – we’re only a 10-minute walk from the riverside morning market and the old merchant quarter. When you arrive at Oyado Koto no Yume, you’re offered a choice of yukata – a cotton kimono-style robe – and shown how to put it on; guests seem overjoyed when we help them to take a picture of how they look in their yukata and they often wear it for the rest of their stay.

We have just 18 rooms, so the atmosphere is calm and peaceful – and we do all we can to make it even more soothing for our visitors. We have a large shared onsen, and after you’ve bathed in it to get rid of all your aches, there is herbal tea at the lobby waiting for you. We also offer origami and calligraphy experiences. Or you can just relax in your room wearing your yukata and enjoying the smell of the aromatherapy oils.

I feel very happy seeing people from all over the world enter with a smile and leave with a smile; it warms my heart when guests return with a shout of “I’m back” as if coming home after a long day. I once received a letter from one guest which simply said “arigato” written beautifully in Japanese.

Available in these itineraries…

Itinerary

Best of Japan
by Claire Ross

Length14 Days

Price range£6,500 - £7,300pp
Itinerary

Japan Alps
by Malcolm Holcroft

Length11 Days

Price range£4,690 - £5,675pp

Alfred & Ms Akira

Ms Akira is part of the hospitality team at Koto no Yume, a ryokan in the traditional town of Takayama. Living in a city steeped in culture, she enjoys helping guests to get to know a little more of the traditional arts and crafts, as well as the beautiful sites of Takayama.

Alfred&

Your journey will start with one of our UK team – someone like Malcolm, who's travelled extensively in Japan. They’ll shape your ideas into the trip of a lifetime. But they won't do it alone. They'll draw on the expertise of our contacts on the ground, connecting you to the people who'll make your holiday one you'll always remember - the tea devotee who'll introduce you to the ceremony surrounding Japan's national drink, the noodle guru who'll teach you how to make the perfect bowl of soba and the ryokan owner who'll tutor you in the relaxing art of the onsen.

Malcolm Holcroft

Asia Travel Expert for Alfred&

Malcolm has always been fascinated with the far east, especially China and has visited five times so far. While he loves exploring the big cities, he also loves getting off the beaten track immersing himself in the local culture. He admits there can be challenges when it comes to things like language but relishes in how beautiful and untouched China still is, in our modern globalised world. One of his favourite activities is people watching in the public parks and he can quickly become absorbed as he observes how differently the people go about their day to day lives. This is a country that will at times throw you out of your comfort zone but will also teach you so much if you let it.
Takeaki Shibuya

Experience coordinator for Destination Asia, Alfred&'s partners in Japan

After 14 years of experience travelling in more than 70 countries as a tour conductor and planner, Takeaki has come home to Japan, which he truly believes is the most unique place in the world to explore. His unusual experiences are a source of creation which draws out the esoteric and the hidden of Japan.
Ms Makishima

Nakai-san at Gion Yoshi-Ima

A long-time employee at Gion Yoshi-Ima and resident of Kyoto, Ms Makishima embodies the Japanese spirit of hospitality: a welcoming character, dedication to her work, and joy in the everyday. Care and devotion is given to her guests and she is always on hand to attend to needs or offer advice to adventurous travellers.
Fabien Fleury

Wine educator, oenophile and guide

Tokyo-based Fabien was born in Saintes, near Cognac, in the south-west of France. As a boy, he used to help his grandfather take care of his vineyard, which instilled in him a love of the whole process of wine-making. Fabien has been giving tasting seminars to wine lovers between Europe and Japan for 10 years and enjoys sharing his expertise on tours of Japan’s wine-making Yamanashi area outside Tokyo.
Ms Akira

Member of the hospitality team at Oyado Koto no Yume

Ms Akira is part of the hospitality team at Koto no Yume, a ryokan in the traditional town of Takayama. Living in a city steeped in culture, she enjoys helping guests to get to know a little more of the traditional arts and crafts, as well as the beautiful sites of Takayama.
Satoshi Inuki

Japanese literature enthusiast & one of Alfred&’s guides in Japan

Satoshi is originally from a small town in Hyogo prefecture. In his early 20s he lived in Edinburgh where he met many people from all over the world who asked him questions about Japan. This prompted him to study more about his own country’s culture, history and traditions. He moved to Kyoto around 10 years ago and became a licensed guide in 2011, since when he has come to know every inch of both his new home town and destinations such as Hiroshima, Okayama and Naoshima to the west.