Historically, the renowned ryokan "Kurashiki Ryokan" is said to have been a regular lodging for Ryotaro Shiba and Shiko Munakata.
The lunch at Kurashiki Ryokan is very reasonable and quite good!
You can enjoy traditional Japanese lunch dishes, including "Shiki no Sanpomichi," which is packed with seasonal ingredients throughout the year.
In fact, the author's first lunch in the Bikan Historical Area was here at Kurashiki Ryokan.
It is also a memorable place where I entered with my mother, feeling excited in a dignified restaurant.
While gazing at the beautiful garden, you can enjoy a special lunch in the Bikan Historical Area. You can spend your time quietly and leisurely.
The long-established ryokan "Kurashiki Ryokan" in the center of the Bikan Historical Area
The beautiful white walls of "Kurashiki Ryokan" stand out, and it is an established ryokan located almost in the center of the Bikan Historical Area, just across Nakahashi Bridge.
Founded in 1957, it utilizes the main building and rice storehouse of a sugar wholesaler built in the late Edo period.
The architect who designed Kurashiki Ryokan is Shizutaro Urabe.
Kurashiki Ivy Square and Kurashiki International Hotel are also among the designs of this representative architect of Kurashiki.
Guest rooms of Kurashiki Ryokan loved by Shiko Munakata and Ryotaro Shiba
The building of Kurashiki Ryokan, designed by Shizutaro Urabe, is a historically valuable structure that retains the traces of the time, including beams, pillars, and window frames.
The guest rooms have been renovated to meet the times and needs, reducing from 30 rooms at the time of establishment to 6 rooms, and then to 8 rooms since 2018.
Let me introduce a little about the 8 guest rooms, each with a different charm. This is "Matsunoma."
This room features a spacious layout with a bedroom, Japanese-style room, and Western-style room, and you can see the courtyard from the bedroom.
The retro-modern furnishings are also lovely.
"Nishinoma," renovated from a 160-year-old sugar wholesaler.
From this second-floor room, which consists of an 8-tatami mat Japanese-style room and a Western-style bedroom with thick beams, you can also view the Kurashiki River.
It feels special to gaze at the scenery of the Bikan Historical Area from your accommodation.
This is "Tatsuminoma," renovated from a rice storehouse about 260 years old.
It has a somewhat attic-like atmosphere.
It is known as a room loved by Shiko Munakata and Ryotaro Shiba, and it seems that literary fans often visit.
Now, I would like to have lunch!
The restaurant is on the left side as you face the entrance.
A restaurant interior with classical music playing. Seasonal limited menu also available
The restaurant at Kurashiki Ryokan was renovated in 2007, and lunch started then.
It is a quiet and calm restaurant where classical music plays.
There are six 4-person tables and three 6-person tables, all designed to maintain privacy.
The large windows overlooking the garden are also nice.
The courtyard visible from the window is a beautiful Japanese garden where flowers bloom in each season.
(During the interview in February 2020, some construction was ongoing)
The lunch menu at Kurashiki Ryokan started with the desire to "let local people enjoy it" as well as tourists.
The "Shiki no Sanpomichi," limited to 50 meals a day, includes chirashi sushi with seasonal flowers, and the seasonal limited menu features hot pot, stone-grilled curry, soba, and more.
Additionally, there is a completely reservation-based kaiseki meal called "Kurashiki Ryokan Gozen," which can be reserved at any time during lunch hours.
Limited to 50 meals a day, the beautiful two-tiered box lunch "Shiki no Sanpomichi"
I will have the restaurant's recommendation, the two-tiered box lunch "Shiki no Sanpomichi" for 1,850 yen (excluding tax: service charge included 10%).
"Shiki no Sanpomichi" is limited to 50 meals a day and can only be reserved at 11 AM.
It includes 12 types of seasonal small dishes featuring seafood and mountain produce!
It comes with a bowl of soup and rice, making it a perfect box lunch for women who appreciate small portions.
The menu during the interview in February 2020 included 12 types from sashimi, simmered dishes, grilled dishes to desserts.
Bachi maguro (bigeye tuna), buri misoyuuan yaki (grilled yellowtail with miso), mamakari (a type of fish), hijiki simmered, chawanmushi (savory egg custard)….
You can enjoy the meal while checking the menu and dishes.
The menu may change depending on the availability of ingredients, but they try to use local ingredients from Kurashiki and Okayama, so you can enjoy it no matter what season you visit.
"In order to please the eyes as well," attention was paid to the color of the dishes in the box meal.
You can feel the care of the long-established ryokan down to the smallest details.
Elegantly seasoned, each seasonal ingredient's deliciousness
Now, let's enjoy "Ryokan Kurashiki's Shiki no Sanpomichi."
First, we have "Mamakari and Cabbage with Shio Koji."
It's a combination of sour mamakari and cabbage seasoned with shio koji.
Mamakari has its origin in the phrase "a fish so delicious that you want to borrow rice (mama, manma) from your neighbor," and it is famous as a specialty of Okayama Prefecture.
This is "Buri Miso Yuuan Yaki and Yuzu Daikon."
The fatty, slightly sweet buri melts in your mouth. The yuzu daikon is refreshing and leaves a pleasant aftertaste.
This is "Hiryōzu," also known as ganmodoki, served with silver sauce and green onions.
The hiryōzu topped with a generous amount of flavorful silver sauce has a rich and luxurious taste.
"Tako Ume Koji Sauce and Hijiki Simmered." The pink ume koji sauce is beautiful!
The chewy tako pairs well with the refreshing acidity of the ume koji. It's a dish that's gentle on the body.
"Komatsuna Age Dashi and Boiled Shirasu."
The gentle saltiness of the boiled shirasu adds an accent.
"Bachi Maguro and Fresh Yuba."
This dish features sliced bachi maguro, fresh yuba, and a sesame sauce made with koji soy sauce.
The aroma of the koji soy sauce is wonderful, bringing out the sweetness of the bachi maguro and fresh yuba.
This is "Satoimo and Pumpkin Inaka-ni," simmered in dashi.
The satoimo is sticky, and the pumpkin has a fluffy texture. Among the luxurious meal, it brings a sense of comfort.
In addition, you can enjoy a box meal that allows you to savor the deliciousness of Japanese cuisine, including nanban-zuke, chawanmushi, and desserts.
Also, during the café time from 2 PM to 5 PM, you can enjoy Ryokan Kurashiki's special warabi mochi and sweets like banana cake.
Enjoying the seasons with your eyes. A stroll in the courtyard of Ryokan Kurashiki
After your meal, how about a stroll in the beautiful courtyard of Ryokan Kurashiki?
You enter the garden from the terrace room, which usually serves as a waiting area for guests.
With the call of "Please take your time to enjoy," I forgot about the interview and relaxed.
You wouldn't think you're in the heart of the Bikan Historical Area, as a quiet and serene atmosphere flows here.
The camellia is elegantly colored in a light pink.
You can see seasonal flowers, including the lovely weeping plum.
The courtyard leads to the back entrance. Of course, you can also enter the restaurant from this side.
This is the courtyard of Ryokan Kurashiki as seen from the back entrance. The stone pavement leads to the restaurant.
While exploring the courtyard, I discovered two swans.
They are likely inspired by the swans of the Kurashiki River.
A delicious lunch at "Ryokan Kurashiki" where you can spend quality time
The author revisited after about 10 years and was once again moved by the nostalgic classical atmosphere, thinking, "It's still good, it's wonderful."
While retaining the charm of the Bikan Historical Area, they are not afraid to change in pursuit of even greater hospitality.
I felt that this attitude is what has allowed them to be loved and supported for a long time.
During the interview, I only visited during lunch time, but I hope to stay someday.
Lunch while gazing at the garden is a very elegant and luxurious moment.
I recommend it for elderly people or those who want to spend a quiet and leisurely time. It would also be nice to invite someone.
Please be sure to taste the high-quality lunch of this long-established ryokan.
Data of Ryokan Kurashiki
| Name | Ryokan Kurashiki |
|---|---|
| Address | 4-1 Honmachi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-422-0730 |
| Parking | None Parking available for guests only |
| Business Hours | Lunch: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM Cafe Time: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM |
| Regular Holidays | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday Lunch service only on weekends and public holidays |
| Payment Methods |
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| Reservation Availability | Available Reservations can be made only at 11:00 AM Reservations for "Ryokan Kurashiki Gozen" can be made at times other than 11:00 AM |
| Seating | 42 seats, Number of tables: 9 |
| Smoking | Completely non-smoking |
| Toilet | Western-style toilet |
| Website | Ryokan Kurashiki |
