Wow Place #349: Wakaba Ryokan, Kurokawa Onsen, Japan
When you think of a stay in a Japanese onsen (hot spring) hotel, what tends to come to mind is a traditional room with futons and tatami mats, a delicious, multi-course Japanese meal and, of course, an outdoor bath surrounded by beautiful nature.
What no one ever talks about is all the slippers!
During my stay at the Lovely Wakaba Ryokan (traditional Japanese Inn) in Kumamoto prefecture, I counted five different slipper changes, including:
- The soft, indoor slippers you wear in your room…
- The sturdy outdoor sandals you step into when walking from a room in the wings (like ours) to the main hotel building…
- The indoor slippers you slide on when shuffling around the main building on your way to the outdoor onsen…
- The tiny slippers (always a size too small) you change into when using a restroom…
- And finally, the wooden geta (a cross between a flip-flop and a clog) you wear when walking around town, visiting other onsens. Ideally, you’re also donning a yukata (an unlined, casual summer kimono traditionally made of breathable cotton or linen).
That’s five costume changes in the course of one day. And they say visiting Japan isn’t a production!
What is the reason for all this slipper-swapping? Honestly, I have no idea. My guess is that the goal is for every surface to remain clean and pristine, the dirt, grime and bacteria (of the bathroom and the outside areas) quarantined to their own sites of infestation.
This is Howard Hughes-level germaphobia, taken to another level.
What are you gonna do? When in a bubble, do as the bubble-denizens do!
Apart from the slippery slipper situation, Wakaba Ryokan is a gorgeous traditional inn situated smack in the middle of the “downtown” area of what is widely known as Kurokawa Onsen. Located about 20 km north of Mt. Aso, Kurokawa dates back over 300 years to Japan’s Edo period, when the springs were used as a place for daimyo (feudal lords) and weary travelers to recuperate while traversing between Hita and Taketa.
Gathered around a small river, the hotels and shops in Kurokawa are committed to a unified vision of removing neon signs, banning large concrete resorts, and ensuring all structures follow traditional wooden designs. Their credo: “The entire town is one large inn; the streets are hallways, and the individual inns are guest rooms”.
To encourage guests to explore the whole town, the tourism bureau offers an iconic, wooden onsen-hopping pass, the Nyūtō Tegata. For $1,500 yen (~$9.00), you can visit up to three hot springs; the pass is good for 6 months.
Myself, I decide to forego the Nyūtō Tegata this time. The idea of wandering into a strange hotel, stripping down to my birthday suit, taking a naked bath, drying off, getting dressed, and then doing the same thing at another hotel (or two) seems a bit too hot and sweaty for my taste. I’m more of a monogamous bath user, thank you very much.
And why not, when staying at an onsen as gorgeous as Wakaba! Beautiful room, elegant meals, and oh, that outdoor bath – steam wafting off clear water, a surrounding of mossy, cut rocks, with an atmospheric bamboo forest as backdrop.
Wakaba Ryokan (and Kurokawa Onsen in general) is a place to linger. As I wander the atmospheric, narrow streets, absorbing the view of the scenic river and the historic inns, stopping for a cup of green tea or a sweet potato snack, I can’t help thinking this place just “fits” me.
Like a comfy slipper, one might say.
(On the face of it, the expression “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” makes a world of sense. Why wouldn’t you adhere to the local rules and customs of the place you’re visiting? It’s just basic respect, right? And yet, what do you do when the culture you’re visiting doesn’t match your values or your health regimen? What do you do if you’re a teetotaler visiting a country where everyone expects you to drink alcohol? Or a you’re a vegan taken out to dinner, pushed to eat chicken or steak by your local, meat-loving friends? Do you drink a beer out of courtesy? Do you eat that steak fajita? The line between societal expectation and personal preference is exceedingly blurry, not only when traveling abroad but also here at home. In the end, it’s a question of how far are you willing to bend out of a sense of politeness and a desire to “fit in”, without breaking your ethical code. It’s a fine, fine line! Sometimes the best you can do is bend but not break. Adhere to the dictates of the culture you’re visiting, say 80-85%, but know your redlines and when to hit the ejector seat.
“Always do what is right. It will gratify half of mankind and astound the other.”
― Mark Twain)