HIIRAGIYA-RYOKAN

HIIRAGIYA-RYOKAN

NEXT

NEXT

"On a drizzly afternoon in Kyoto, sitting by the window, I watch the falling rain,listen to it's calming sound. It is here, at Hiiragiya, that I wistfully recall thatsense of tranquility that belonged to old Japan.

Yasunari KAWABATA

K A-CHO-FU-GETSU, f lower, birds, w i n d , a n d m o o n . A n i m a g e o f n a t u r e t h a t r e c u r s t h r o u g h o u tJ a p a n e s e l i t e r a t u r e - t h e i m p o r t a n c e o facknowledging the changing seasons. Theunador ned beauty and fee l ing o f coo l -ness evoked by handwoven ajiro mats ins u m m e r. . . t h e l u s t r e o f w o o d e n b e a m sw h o s e n a t u r a l s h e e n c o m e s f r o m c o n -stant hand-pol ishing. . . the clean, astr in-g e n t t a s t e o f g r e e n t e a . . . o r t h e f r e s hqual i ty of a cuis ine that re l ies more ont h e f l a v o r o f n a t u r a l i n g r e d i e n t s t h a no n r i c h s a u c e s o r h e a v y s e a s o n i n g s . . .al l these elements characterize the lovefor unaf fected beauty that can be foundat Hi i rag iya . Even the s imple p leasur eof s i t t ing s t i l l enough, long enough, tohear the sound of water tr ickl ing into as m a l l s t o n e b a s i n j u s t o u t s i d e t h ewindow o f your r oom. An appr ec ia t ionf o r t h e s u b t l e t i e s o f n a t u r e - K A - C H O -F U - G E T S U - i s a n e s s e n t i a l p a r t o f e x -p e r i e n c i n g a n e v e n i n g . . . o r b e t t e r y e t ,a m o r n i n g a t H i i r a g i y a .

BACK NEXT

" The light from the pale whitepaper , powerless to dispel theheavy darkness of the alcove, isinstead repelled by the darkness,creating a world where dark andlight are indistinguishable . . . arare tranquility not found inordinary light . . . "

Junichiro TANIZAKI

Hiiragiya-Ryokan

BACK NEXT

MOTENASHI, an atmosphere of graciousness, hospitality, and welcome. The inscription thatholds such a prominent place in the en-try hall of Hiiragiya - "Kuru mono, kaerugotoshi " - has become this innkeeper'smotto . . . that a guest at Hiiragiya mightfeel "as if he has come home". The serv-ice is attentive to a fault, but the realcharm lies in the time and care given tothe most inconspicuous details: catchinga glimpse of the gardener tweezing thelast microscopic weed from the mossygarden floor . . .or the maid, who hasbeen with the inn for over fifty years,fussing over the flower arrangement inthe alcove. She must slip the last andmost important flower into place justbefore you enter your room. Each visitto Hiiragiya is a delightfully new experi-ence. Every room is designed differently,and great pains are taken to insure thatyou will not be served the same mealtwice. . .unless you should request other-wise. Individual preferences are cateredto impeccably. Unobtrusive , meticulousattention to detail is a part of the spiritof OMOTENASHI , the hospitality forwhich Hiiragiya has gained its requ-tation as Kyoto's finest traditional inn.

O

BACK NEXT

IYABI, a sense of ele- gance and refinement , neither effusive norbaroque. . . simplicity and under-statement with an aristocraticpride that has no need toboast. These are the qualitiesthat have been associated withKyoto, which was the capitaland cultural center of Japan forover a thousand years. Hiiragiyais noted for this subtle quality,in the use of natural woods,paper, and sand. . . in the softlustre of lacquered furnishings. . . in the subdued reflectivequality of gold leaf on its classicfolding screens as the light froma stone lantern in the gardenreaches in to draw out this giftof M I Y A B I . Nobel Prize winning novelistYasunari Kawabata once wrotethis is praise of his favorite inn:"There have always been fineinns in Kyoto - intimate, peace-ful places-but today everythingis changing. Only here does timestand still. . . at Hi iragiya, asymbol of Kyoto, the ancientcapital of Japan.

M

YASURAGI , relaxation , plain and simple. . . the kind thatremoves all tension from body and mind. Water has alwayshad significance in Japan as a source of purification.It is used not only to cleanse , but to refresh andsoothe. Whether in the hot, purging water of our cedar baths,or in the gentle , reassuring trickle that flows. . . foreverchanging ,always the same...into an old stone basin smoothedand shpaed by centuries of constant caressing. . . water re-laxes the mind. YASURAGI : sip the green tea slowly, listen to the sound of water. . . to the rustle of bamboo. Take thetime to feel the time in the quiet privacy of Hiiragiya.

BACK NEXT

HIIRAGIYA-RYOKANOike-kado,Fuyacho,Nakakyo-ku,KYOTO JAPANTelephone. 075-221-1136E-mail : info@hiiragiya.co.jp

604

I I R A G I YA was established in 1818 , and has gained a requta- tion over the past one-hundred-and-fifty years as one of the most belovedof Japan's traditional inns, or ryokan.Under the ownership of the same familyfor five generations, Hiiragiya has beenhost to internationally famous men andwomen-writers, artists, politicians, sci-entists, and members of the imperialfamily. Both Nobel Prize winning nov-elist, Yasunari Kawabata , and notedauthor, Junichiro Tanizaki, consideredHiiragiya to be their home away fromhome. Hiiragiya takes its name from a typeof holly (hiiragi) that is believed to bringgood fortune. You'll find the symbol ofthe holly leaf, our tradmark, throughoutthe inn. It is our wish that it will bringyou the good luck it has brought us overthe years. Each of the thir ty-three rooms atHiiragiya was uniquely designed with itsown special motif. Some rooms featurelacquered bathrooms, while others are ofmarble or tile. Painted folding screens insome of the rooms are done on gold leaf;others have ink paintings on handmade

H paper in the Zen style. Details like pol-ished wooden beams, reed ceilings, andhand-carved transomes are to be foundin all the rooms at Hiiragiya, as well asantique maki-e lacquered writing boxes. . . gilded and inlaid with mother-of-pearl. All rooms are traditional Japanesestyle, with tatami mats, papered shojiwindow, and sliding fusuma doors. Contemporary amentities have beenunobtrusively combined with the overalltraditional design. Modern air-condition-ing and up-to-date communication facili-ties (including international telephoneservice and Telex) are available for yourconvenience. Since the turn of the cen-tury, the proprietors of Hiiragiya havetried to keep abreast of the times. Notethe specially-made lacquered remotecontrol boxes shaped like gourds inevery room-one of great-grandfather'streasured inventions. It not only turnsthe light of f and on, but opens andcloses the cur tains-a first in its day,and a symbol of Hiiragiya's wish toserve the needs of the present withoutdisregarding the aesthetic considerationsof the past.

BACK NEXT

HIIRAGIYARyokan

SHUGAKUINIMPERIALVILLA

KYOTO INTERNATIONALCONFERENCE HALL

GINKAKUJITEMPLE

NANZENJITEMPLE

HEIANSHRINE

YASAKASHRINE

HIGASHIOJI St.

KAWARAMACHI St.

TERAMACHI St.

GOKOMACHI St.

FUYACHO St.

KARASUMA St.

HORIKAWA St.

NISHIOJI St.

OMIYA St.

SENBON St.

GIONCORNER

KIYOMIZUDERA

SANJYUSANGENDO

AVANTITO AIR PORT

HACHIJO St.

KUJO ST.

TOJITEMPLE

NISHIHONGANJI

GOJO St.

HIGASHIHONGANJI

SHICHIJO St.

SHIJO St.

SANJO St.

OIKE St.

NIJO St.NIJOCASTLE

KITANOSHRINE

KORYUJITEMPLE

TENRYUJITEMPLE

KATSURAIMPERIALVILLA

KINKAKUJITEMPLE

RYOANJITEMPLE

NINNAJITEMPLE

MARUTAMACHI St.

IMADEGAWA St.

KITAOJI St.

KITAYAMA St.DAITOKUJITEMPLE

OLD IMPERIAL PALAGE

HIIRAGIYA ANNEX

HIIRAGIYA

KYOTO STATION

MAP OF KYOTO

In keeping with the inscription that hangs in ourentry way, a saying that has become our motto atHiiragiya, it is our wish that arriving guests feel". . . as if they are coming home. " But "home " to our Japanese guests may mean something different than it does to our guests from other countries. The amenities of a Japanese inn, or ryokan, aremuch the same as those of a traditional home. One ofthe advantages of spending the night at a ryokan whileyou are in Japan is that it offers you an opportunity toexperience the customs and lifestyle of the people. In an effort to insure that all our guests truly feel athome, we would like to explain the customs and courte-sie observed in a traditional Japanese inn. Upon your arrival at Hiiragiya, you'll notice that thestone walkway leading from the main gate to thedoorstep has been splashed with water, a symbol of wel-come in Japan. This informs our guests that they areexpected, and that everything has been made ready fortheir arrival. Taking off your shoes as you step up into a Japaneseinn is a sign that you acknowledge this welcome, andwish to return your host's courtesy. Corridor slippersare provided at the entrance, and are customarily re-moved as you enter your room to preserve the delicatesurface of the tatami mats. (You'll find an additionalpair of slippers for use in the restroom only.) If youshould wish to venture out into the garden, wooden getaawait you on the stone step outside. The guest rooms at Hiiragiya are constructed entirelyof natural materials-polished wood, sand and claywalls, ceramic tiles, straw mats, paper doors andwindows. The use of these materials creates a totallynatural environment, but at the same time necessitatesa bit of extra attention, especially since some of ourrooms are over one hundred years old. The tokonoma, or alcove, is one important featureof a Japanese-style room. This is the traditional place ofhonor. In the old days, a samurai would keep his swordon a special mounting in the tokonoma. Today theremight be a hanging scroll, a flower arrangement, andperhaps a porcelain incense burner or a treasured figu-rine, Placing anything else there is considered a breachof etiquette. At Hiiragiya, art objects that have beentreasured family possessions for several generations aredisplayed in the tokonoma of every room, and guests

CUSTOMS AND COURTESIES AT A JAPANESE INNare requested to take special care not to disturb them. One room in a ryokan serves many different func-tions, just as the rooms of traditional Japanese housesdo. During the daytime with a low table in the center,it serves as a sitting room or a dining room. After supperin the evening, the table is put up, and thick cushionedfuton bedding is laid down as the same room becomesa bedroom. Both breakfast and dinner are served in theprivacy of your own room, where you can enjoy anundisturbed view of the garden. A Japanese-style bathbefore dinner is a relaxing way to begin. The bath is a special feature of every ryokan. AtHiiragiya we have both private baths in every room, andlarger central baths for families or couples. The com-munal bath, once a popular custom in Japan, was aplace for "hadaka-no-tsukiai", or "skinship", if you will...the feeling of closeness between friends when all thepretenses have been removed. At Hiiragiya, our spaciouscentral baths can also be reserved for private use. In Japan, bathtubs are for soaking only. Washing isdone before you enter, seated on small wooden stoolsin front of individual water faucets. Splash yourself withwater from one of the wooden buckets, wash, rinse thenenter the bath for a relaxing soak. The temperatureof the water in a Japanese bath may be slightly hotterthan most Westerners are accustomed to. This not onlyrelaxes tired muscles, but was intended originally tokeep bathers warm throughout the cold winter eveningsin an age when central heating was not available inJapan. The baths at Hiiragiya are all hand craftedin the finest cedar, and the buckets and stools weremade by Tarugen, one of the last and finest of suchcraftsmen in Kyoto. Please note that room rates at a ryokan are deter-mined per peason, per night, with both breakfast anddinner, as well as tax and service, included in the price. At Hiiragiya our meals are prepared by some ofKyoto's finest traditional chefs. Formal kaiseki cuisineis our specialty, although meat dishes are also availableon request for guests who prefer it to sashimi(raw fish). Thank you for your efforts in observing these cus-toms with us. We offer them here in an attempt to addto your comfort and pleasure. Several English-speakingmembers of our staff are always on hand to answer anyquestions or requests you might have. Please enjoy yourstay at Hiiragiya.

KAMO R.

KATSURA R.

BACK TOP

HIIRAGIYARyokan

mailto:info@hiiragiya.co.jphttp://www.hiiragiya.co.jp/

Oike-kado,Fuyacho,Nakakyo-ku,KYOTO JAPAN