We interviewed Hitsumoto Yurie, who works as a front desk clerk at Ryori Ryokan Tsurugata.
A long-established ryokan cherished as a special-occasion venue in the Bikan Historical Area for generations
Ryori Ryokan Tsurugata is said to be the second-oldest building in the Bikan Historical Area.
Hitsumoto (honorific omitted)
That's right.
Our building was constructed by a carpenter who designed ships for the Murakami Navy, a group of pirates who sailed the Seto Inland Sea. The second-floor banquet hall makes use of a space that was once a warehouse. Its distinctive feature is the thick, large beams in the ceiling, which look as if a ship has been turned upside down.
The second-floor banquet hall is mainly used by tour groups and for celebrations hosted by local residents. It is also used for weddings and receptions.
A wedding in a building with such character sounds wonderful.
Hitsumoto
Thank you.
Some guests hold their wedding ceremony here at our inn, while others have their ceremony at nearby Achi Shrine and hold their reception here. Many choose traditional Japanese attire to suit the building.
We are also partnered with Kurashiki Kokusai Hotel, so we can arrange cakes and Western-style attire as well as traditional Japanese attire.
Of course, as a ryokan, we also have guests who stay with us before or after their wedding. Although fewer do so now, in the past there were families from both sides who stayed at our inn and enjoyed a leisurely time around the wedding ceremony.
We have staff who specialize in wedding ceremonies, as well as partner dressers, so please feel free to discuss your requests with us.
Could you tell us about your favorite spot?
Hitsumoto
I like the lobby.
Since it is a traditional Japanese house, the entrance is spacious. My favorite moment is when the light comes into the entrance, where you can feel the warmth of the wood.
Our inn faces the Kurashiki River, so there are many spots where the reflected light sparkles as it comes in.
Flexible accommodation plans tailored to guests
What kinds of guests typically stay here?
Hitsumoto
We welcome families with children and couples in their 50s and 60s, of course, and we are also seeing more young guests traveling alone. We have six-tatami-mat rooms, so solo travelers should have plenty of space.
We are also seeing more international guests. We have 11 guest rooms, and on some days around six of them are occupied by international guests. Over the course of a year, about 30 percent of our guests are from overseas.
Do you offer any special services for international guests?
Hitsumoto
Many of the international tourists who visit Kurashiki seem to be experienced travelers in Japan.
We do have knives and forks available at meals, but most guests eat with chopsticks. For breakfast, we also offer Western-style meals at our partner, Kurashiki Kokusai Hotel, but everyone requests Japanese food.
We do have many guests who stay for multiple nights. Some have stayed as long as six nights.
Since we don't offer a room-only plan, our head chef put his skills to work to provide a different dinner menu for all six days.
In this way, we also flexibly adjust our accommodation plans to suit each guest's travel itinerary.
Tsurugata as a “ryori ryokan”
I hear the food is another highlight.
Hitsumoto
As a ryori ryokan, we put a lot of effort into our cuisine.
In particular, we recommend our winter plan featuring shabu-shabu made with cold-season Spanish mackerel. As a Japanese restaurant, we also offer plans year-round that let you enjoy delicious fish.
Lunch is available to the general public at Restaurant Tsurugata, but breakfast and dinner are served exclusively to overnight guests, so we hope you enjoy them.
Enjoy a relaxing escape from the everyday at the inn
What do you consider important when serving guests?
Hitsumoto
I pay attention to the tone of my “Welcome” so that guests feel a friendly atmosphere when they arrive.
A ryokan is a place where guests come to relax and rest their minds and bodies, so I speak a little slowly and make sure I am easy to understand. I hope that the moment guests enter our inn, time will seem to slow down and they can enjoy a peaceful stay away from the everyday.
This is a place to enjoy some rest, after all, so I hope guests will take their time and make the most of every moment from check-in to check-out.
What kind of stay would you like guests to experience?
Hitsumoto
Since our inn is a traditional Japanese house, I think it is a space where time passes slowly. I hope guests will savor that unhurried pace to their heart's content.
We will do our best to help guests who are usually caught up in the routines of work, raising children, and housework spend some precious time relaxing and getting away from everyday life when they visit us.
We hope to remain an inn cherished by both visitors and locals
Who would you recommend Ryori Ryokan Tsurugata to?
Hitsumoto
Of course, I hope visitors will stay with us and experience the atmosphere of the Bikan Historical Area.
But I also hope our inn will become more familiar to local residents.
The historic character of our building goes very well with Japan's traditional seasonal events. In May, we display May dolls, and in autumn, we exhibit folding screens for the Byobu Festival.
Local residents who don't usually stay here have told us, “It's not easy to just walk in.” Through seasonal events and other occasions, we hope to make it easy for local people to visit, too. And if they like the place, we would be happy to host their local events, such as meals and gatherings.
When we are not attending to overnight guests, visitors who are not staying here are also welcome to tour the inn. Please feel free to ask us anytime.
Ryori Ryokan Tsurugata will celebrate its 55th anniversary in 2025. What are your hopes for the future?
Hitsumoto
I hope we can be an inn that guests who have visited once will want to return to.
Our cuisine changes completely with each season, so I hope guests will come and savor it.
Finally, do you have a message for our readers?
Hitsumoto
Ryori Ryokan Tsurugata is the second-oldest building in the Bikan Historical Area, and its architecture preserves the atmosphere of the time it was built. We hope many people from both within and outside the prefecture will come and see it.
Please feel free to visit us anytime.
From the Writer
Ryori Ryokan Tsurugata offers a space where you can savor delicious cuisine unlike everyday home cooking and experience the extraordinary by staying in a building steeped in history.
With Ryori Ryokan Tsurugata standing in the heart of the Bikan Historical Area, we felt that it can confidently recommend sightseeing in Kurashiki, including an overnight stay, to visitors, while also offering Kurashiki residents a nostalgic feeling when they visit. That is the kind of place it is.
For sightseeing, an overnight stay, or a special occasion.
Why not spend some peaceful time at this ryori ryokan?
Ryokan Tsurugata Information
| Name | Ryokan Tsurugata |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-3-15 Chuo, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-424-1635 |
| Check-in | 3:00 p.m. |
| Check-out | 10:00 a.m. |
| Payment methods |
|
| Facility information | Guest rooms: 11 (all Japanese-style) Capacity: 34 individual guests, 38 guests in groups All rooms have air conditioning, heating, a TV, and a Western-style toilet |
| Baths | Large communal baths (men’s and women’s) (Some rooms have an en-suite bathroom) |
| Wi-Fi | Available Wi-Fi available in all rooms |
| Parking | Available Please contact the inn in advance to use the parking lot. Guests staying overnight may use the Kurashiki Kokusai Hotel parking lot (a 5-minute walk) free of charge from 1:00 p.m. until 11:00 a.m. the following day. The 40-space parking lot is shared with Kurashiki Kokusai Hotel and available on a first-come, first-served basis. If the hotel parking lot is full, guests will be directed to a nearby affiliated parking lot. *Use of the hotel parking lot outside these hours costs 250 yen per 30 minutes. |
| Website | Ryokan Tsurugata |
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