I am not going to tell you where this amazing place is, so that you can look it up on a map of Japan. The trip in the Shinkansen ( high speed train) from Tokyo took us about 2 hours. The weather forecast predicted rain and it did rain for the three days we stayed in an amazing Ryokan ( traditional inn) located in a mountainous valley surrounded by the beauty of nature. One of those days we decided should be luxuriating in the space of this accommodation. Motoyu-Ishiya has several tastefully decorated traditional rooms with crimson walls – the Bird Room, Quail room and Peacock.

Ishiya has a 100 year old Noh stage on the site and guess what? Bill and I could look out from our bedroom window onto the gardens and stage. The atmosphere was truly elegant and serene.

We were served traditional food with regional specialities such as fresh sashimi, steamed lotus root, steamed sushi, traditional duck stew. I counted 10 dishes for breakfast and what flavours!

theatre stage outside

The onset was another experience for another blog. Steamy and seductive, everything a grandma needs when travelling to unwind. Romancing with grandma involves my first ever hot springs soak in a bath. A wondrous and sensual experience and because I like hot water, it helped me to relax after the hectic Tokyo pace.

Kanazawa Castle in the rain

The gardens in Kanazawa were sculptured, nurtured and mossy green with the most magnificent trees of pine, Cherry trees in their Autumn colours. The Flying Wild Geese bridge formation has 11 red tomuro stones laid out to look like wild geese flying in formation. Bill and I loved this garden with its perfection, stone lanterns and ponds, monuments, bridges and fountains.

It’s the simple things that bring pleasure, like these single floral stems in vases back in the Ryokan. The polite nod of the hosts, the slippers at the door, the hot green tea poured for us and the warm flushing toilets that I could easily take back home to Australia with me.

The chilly days here at 14 degrees with clear umbrellas and warm coats saw us step inside the warmish shopping centres or Starbucks for the Wifi. And all those selfies taken by school students outside the shops made us giggle. It’s time to get to sleep under the comfy Doona on the floor ( the woven mats)  Stay tune for the next Japanese adventure.