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Other entries in Takamatsu

Having no plans where to stay can pay off!

My third night in Shikoku I have once again left it up to the fates where I'll be throwing my carcass down for the night. I happen to find a rather quaint ryokan (Japanese inn) that's a converted section of the owners' house. The old lady that greets me at the genkan (entrance to a Japanese house where you take off your shoes) seems surprised to see a foreigner, but she recovers quickly when I make it clear that I can converse, at least a little, in Japanese. She shows me upstairs to my room. The upstairs is really just one giant room, sectioned off with sliding glass/paper doors and the occasional wall. I can hear the family down the hall from me as they bed down for the night. As she's leaving from my room, the owner tells me the bath will be ready in just a little while. Later I head down to soak in the Japanese bath, that's already been used by most of the other customers of the night. For those who don't know, in Japan you wash yourself off with the shower house (soap up, wash off) before you get in the bath. That way the whole family can use the same hot water for relaxing without having to empty the tub and then refill it for each person. This ryokan is the same way, but instead of family members, its serving paying customers. But there's something a little magical about this; I only glimpse the other people staying here, but already I've experienced a closeness with them that is uncommon back home.

Back upstairs dressed in the yukata the owner brought me for pajamas, I watch the olympics on the little TV near my bed until I hear call of sheep longing to be counted...

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