|
Ryokan name: Tamahan
Opened for Business: 1926
Location: Higashiyama district in eastern Kyoto
Size: 11 Japanese-style rooms
Price Range: 15,000-25,000 yen per guest (dinner and breakfast
included)
Web page:
http://www.JapaneseGuestHouses.com/db/kyoto/tamahan.htm
Could you give us a bit of background on your ryokan?
Tamahan: We got the name “Tamahan” from my mother. She used to work at a
famous restaurant in Kobe called “Harihan.” Her nickname at that time was
“Tama.” She combined her nickname and the name of the restaurant to get
Tamahan. Tamahan is a traditional ryokan. This building was constructed in
the Taisho era within a group of other traditionally styled homes. This
neighborhood has strict building codes which preserves the old charm of
the district. The rooms are of an original design unique to the Tamahan.
We do not stick to the traditional ryokan design rules (for example,
during the fall an autumn scroll must be hung). We have a fabulous garden
and in the spring guests can see the cherry blossom trees from their
rooms. We serve Kyoto-style “kaiseki” (formal Japanese dinner), cuisine.
Tamahan is located in the heart of Higashiyama and it is a short walking
distance to the area’s temples and shrines.
Tell us about your experiences with foreign guests
Tamahan: A very long time ago the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and large
Japanese corporations sent us our first foreign guests. These days guests
make reservations on their own by phone, fax, and e-mail. Approximately
10% of our guests are foreigners. Foreigners seem very happy when they
stay here, and they are forever commenting how quiet and peaceful it is
here.
What are the main differences between your Japanese guests and
your foreign guests?
Tamahan: Foreigners are very knowledgeable about ryokans and we never have
any problems hosting them. They are just as knowledgeable about ryokans as
Japanese, even more so than young Japanese who know about hotels but have
little ryokan experience. Most guests know how to use the baths, the
“kaiseki” (formal Japanese dinner), and so on. We even had one German
couple recently who spoke very nice Japanese, sat “seizai” (traditional
Japanese sitting style) throughout their entire meal, and when the checked
out we found they even folded their yukatas (Japanese kimono) properly!
Foreigners seem to deeply appreciate our traditional way of doing things
at our ryokan, and they heap us with praise saying things like
“fantastic!” Our Japanese guests, on the other hand, are very quiet and
never say anything about our ryokan. What a difference!
Have you had any difficulties or problems dealing with foreign
guests?
Tamahan: No, we have never had any problems. Sometimes there are strict
vegetarians who will not eat fish – even “dashi” (fish flakes) – but we
will change the menu to accommodate them. One thing that is difficult to
explain – not just to foreigners but also to Japanese – is a ryokan’s
pricing system. Prices depend on the size of the rooms, their location,
their view. The food prices also change throughout the year. For example,
during the seasons the price of fish changes and even a certain type of
fish can have different prices depending on its quality. All this has to
be taken into account when pricing a room.
|
