The Fabled "watari-roka" of Bessho Onsen's Hanaya
「日本の宿」
何階建ての鉄筋コンクリート建物？
それか木造の平屋、坪と中庭、渡り廊下、離れ風の部屋…
私は亀清旅館を憧れる理由、後継ぐ為に態々守りにきた理由は亀清の作りです。鉄筋・コンクリートの一部はあるけど、ほとんどは木造で、中庭があって、渡り廊下があって、坪庭や離れ風の部屋があって、とってもいい雰囲気だと私が思います。日本らしい。旅館らしい。
「渡り廊下」と言えば、「別所温泉の花屋が一番参考になる」とよく聞かれました。昨日の旅館青年部研修会で花屋に泊まりました。私には初めてでした。やっと噂の花屋。やっとその有名な渡り廊下。いくつかがあって、食堂やお風呂へ、あちらこちらにつないでいました。花屋の渡り廊下ははらきって、壁がないです。真冬は寒くていやだという声もあるらしいけど、そういう人は甘い！花屋はただの歴史資料館や博物館だけじゃない。本物の実際な旅館。大正時代、そのまま。私は涎（よだれ）だらけでした。何階建ての「モダン」コンクリート建物より、やはりこういう趣のある宿を憧れる。
我が亀清旅館はスケールが全然小さいけど、私にとってはとってもいい参考になりました。
飯島社長、ありがとうございました。
"Nihon no Yado" means a Japanese Inn.
It also means wooden buildings, koi ponds, tsubo-niwa pocket gardens, detached guest rooms, and, perhaps most importantly, 'watari-roka' passageways connecting them all.
It doesn't mean multi-story ferro-concrete buildings.
One of the things that has attracted me so much to Kamesei Ryokan, in fact has led me to move here to continue the business, is that while there is one ferro-concret part, most of the inn is built of wood, with a koi pond in the center, pocket gardens throughout, semi-detached guest rooms, and ... a 'watari-roka' passageway connecting everything.
When it comes to 'watari-roka', the venerable Ryokan "Hanaya" in historical Bessho Onsen reigns supreme. I had always heard about Hanaya and yesterday I finally had a chance to go, as part of the ryokan junior association's study seminar. I finally got to see and walk those fabled passageways. Hanaya takes 'watari-roka' to the extreme, by leaving the sides open to the gardens. Some people complain of the bitter cold in the winter. To them, as my grandpa used to say, "tough titties." This ain't a history museum. It's an actual, working ryokan built in the Taisho Era and lovingly maintained in its original beauty. Hanaya left me drooling in awe and appreciation. You simply cannot get this much character out of a ferrconcrete building.
Hanaya is incomparably smaller vaster and luxurious than Kamesei is, and left me inspired.
Special thanks to the owner, Iijima-san.
「日本の宿」花屋＠別所温泉のＨＰはこちらClick here for the website of Bessho Onsen's Hanaya.
Nighttime 'watari-roka'
Passageways to the guest rooms
Watari-roka crossing a garden
Hanaya's entrance
Taisho-era lighting
timber beams
Amazing banquet spread
The ultimate in omotenashi -- a futon fit for 2-meter me
