Honen Mansaku

Walking a short distance from Fukuroda Falls is the ryokan we are staying for the night, Honen Mansaku 豊年万作. Our Room 301 is a 11-mat traditional Japanese-style room 和室11畳, with veranda 広縁 and balcony. The veranda has a comfy chair looking out the window. There is also a Hori-Gotatsu 掘り炬燵, a traditional seating with cavity on the floor and a table covering it, with a heater inside, ideal for the cold seasons. From the balcony it looks out to the parking lot and the road, with the trees and hills on the background. The make-up room is simple. And the bathroom is also basic, with a bathtub and showers. Finishing the snack provided, we go to the public bath to relax. The indoor section is a hinoki cypress bath with natural wood aromas while the outdoor section is larger, offering a comfortable wild nature ambience. The water of Fukuroda Onsen 袋田温泉 is simple alkaline in nature. Dinner is served at Tokinone 時季の音 on G/F, which also offers breakfast and lunch. The appetizer 前菜 includes Pike Conger Eel Jelly 鱧煮こごり, Smoked Duck Breast 鴨薫製, Deep-fried Eggplant with Seafood 茄子海鮮はさみ揚げ, Tomato Tofu トマト豆腐, and Edamame 枝豆. The bowl dish 御椀 is Corn Tofu in Soup とうもろこし豆腐. The sashimi 御造り includes Tuna 鮪, Sea Bream 真鯛, and Salmon 妻いろいろ. The small dish 凌ぎ is Hitachi Wagyu Beef Sushi 常陸牛の握り寿司. The meat dish 肉料理 is Stone Grilled Hitachi Wagyu Beef 常陸牛の石焼き. The light dish 中皿 is Roasted Hitachi Wagyu Beef 常陸牛のローストビーフ. The meal 御食事 is Hitachi Wagyu Beef Rice 常陸牛しぐれご飯, which uses the local rice, with the pickles 香の物 including three types of vegetables 糠漬け三種盛り. The dessert ヂザート includes Matcha Yokan 抹茶水ようかん, Warabimochi わらび餅, and Red Beans 小豆. For the drink 御飲物 I have picked Coffee コーヒー. Waking up to a beautiful day, we go to 時季の音 again for breakfast. The hearty breakfast has salad, homemade tofu, grilled fish, vegetables and different pickles and delicacies, tasty and healthy. While the room is not particularly impressive, the food in this ryokan is very good. Total cost for the stay and other expenses is 43,686 yen for two.