Kakujoro, a 100-year-old ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) in Aichi Prefecture, became the setting for our mother-daughter birthday trip in May, under the early-summer sun. Between quiet omotenashi (hospitality), a ferry journey across Ise Bay, and a visit to the sacred Shinto shrine of Ise Jingu, the stay offered the gift of joy, reflection, and renewal.
Delighted by the details
I’ve heard it said that character is found in the details. From that point of view, joy and integrity best describe the character of Kakujoro, the 100-year-old ryokan we found in Tahara City, Aichi Prefecture. Together with its nearly 200-year-old sister property, Izutsuro, both are registered as Tangible Cultural Properties — literal hidden gems in the out-of-the-way town of Fukue.
My daughter and I visited for my 60th birthday and her 28th, spending two nights surrounded by tradition and comfort and even making our way to Japan’s GOAT, Ise Jingu. Whether purposeful or not, I found multiple images of love and companionship throughout the antique wooden building.
Cats cuddling together, two wide-eyed owls standing watch, a big, laughing statue, and a mother-and-baby frog duo in the little pond on the way back to our room. The twin beds on the maisonette floor of our suite were close enough for comfort but far enough apart for privacy, and the balcony on each floor gave us both a little getaway for quiet morning time. The smooth, well-organized mealtimes kept the dining room uncrowded and serene. My daughter’s vegan meals were brought out without fanfare, as a perfectly natural part of the omotenashi provided by CEO Uemura, his wife (the ryokan okami, the proprietress), and their international team.
Power spot, Ise Jingu
We took my car, Mikan (named after Japan’s beloved mandarin orange for its similar bright color), to the nearby ferry and crossed the pristine Ise Bay to visit Ise Jingu for the first time. As we walked through the holy grounds of Ise, it felt as if happiness were rising up from the aina (Hawaiian for “ground”), through our legs, and into our souls. Ise is a place for beginnings, with a sacred association with the Rising Sun, and both of us felt the hope of new beginnings as we celebrated our own birthdays.
On the way back, a pod of excited dolphins danced around the ferry, and as we closed in on them, I worried they might be hurt by the lumbering piece of steel on which we rode. But those dolphins knew exactly what they were doing, and as they surfed the wake behind us, I was reminded that despite how scary and crazy this world has become, nature can still provide that sprinkle of joy we all need to make it through.
A sweet surprise
Returning for our second night at Kakujoro, the staff surprised us with a homemade cream pie complete with candles, fruit, and two flutes of bubbly. They did not stay; they simply delivered the surprise and let us cut the cake and enjoy the moment together, just my daughter and me.
There is a fine line between warm hospitality and service that can feel intrusive or burdensome. We both left our birthday trip feeling rested, rebooted, and ready for all the challenges awaiting us back home.
Like the dolphins, I will look for moments of abandon when I can ride a wave. I will remember the happy power I felt at Ise. I’ll reminisce about birthday candles in a swanky yet antique ryokan. And I’ll continue to focus on how much good I see in this world, and on the hope I choose to hold close, no matter what may lie ahead.
