Our stay at Hana Iwato Ryokan and viewing the Tochimata Rice Terraces

6 and 7 November 2024

After visiting the Amano-iwato Shrine and Amano-yasukawara, we checked into Hana Iwato Ryokan, a small traditional Japanese inn located near to the shrines. 

I chose to stay overnight at Iwato mainly because we had planned to visit the famous Takachiho Gorge, located about 11 km away. Accommodations near the gorge are scarce and extremely overpriced. A fancy modern hotel room without meals at Takachiho cost about the same as a stay at Hana Iwato Ryokan with half board included.

We had parked our car at the free public car park outside the Amanoiwato East Main Shrine. From there, it was only 50 metres walk to the entrance of the ryokan. The ryokan was not very conspicuous from the road.

Entrance to Hana Iwato Ryokan.

Once inside, we were welcomed by the proprietress who speaks good English. She said the ryokan has their own private parking behind but it was alright for me to leave our car at the public car park at the shrine if we are leaving early in the morning, before the tour buses arrive.

Lobby of the ryokan with the traditional kettle over a mocked-up hearth.

Check in process was fast. She explained the facilities to us and also confirm the timings for our meals.

We were assigned a corner room on the second floor. Our room faces the road but there was little or no traffic noise in the evening. The Japanese style room came with Western style beds, an en-suite toilet and shower over a bath tub.

Although the ryokan has private hot baths, the water is heated tap water, not natural hot spring water. We decided to just use the hot shower in our room.

Corridor on the second floor. Our room was right at the end on the left.

“Hana” means flowers in Japanese and the ryokan is decorated with fresh flowers all over.

Dinner was served in a large dining hall. Beside us, we saw two other couples at the dining hall. Since this is a small ryokan, we had good personalised service.

A menu in Japanese describing the multi-course Kaiseki dinner was placed on the table. The proprietress gave us another menu printed in English since she knew we are not local. The English menu was simple and not detailed. I used Google Translate to get better understanding of what was served from the Japanese menu.

Description of the courses in our kaiseki dinner in Japanese.

The ryokan serves local Takachiho cuisine using ingredients that are locally produced and locally sourced. 

This was laid out on the table when we were seated. Sweet potato gratin, sweet and spicy baked potatoes, dried daikon strips in vinegar as appetisers.

Oku-hinata salmon carpaccio and vinegared vegetable salad.

One of the dishes is 'Nishime', a classic Japanese dish of simmered root vegetables. 

Takachiho tea soba that we cooked on the table-top stove.

Miyazaki branded pork that was steamed on the table. Came with dipping sauce.

Beef Stroganoff made with Takachiho beef and served with black-rice French bread.

Steamed black rice. The rice used is Hinohikari branded rice from Takachiho.Okuhinata salmon miso soup.

There is also simple fruit dessert at the end of the courses.

Overall the kaiseki dinner was not as elaborate as those we had in the more fancy ryokans at Yufuin and Kurokawa Onsen but was still delicious and value for money.

After a good night sleep, we were served a homemade Japanese-style breakfast that uses as few pre-made products as possible.  Once again, a Japanese menu was provided and I used Google Translate to decipher it. In essence, the breakfast is rice, rice porridge, salad, miso soup and side dishes that included ingredients such as grilled yamame trout coated with honey, raw eggs (which we left untouched), purple flower beans, seaweed with shiitake mushrooms, local tofu, boiled butterbur and stir fired melon with miso.

Japanese style breakfast at Hana Iwato Ryokan.

Buckwheat flakes with milk and coffee.

Overall, I was glad we stayed at Iwato and especially at the Hana Iwato Ryokan.

From Iwato, we drove to Takachiho via Highway 7. This highway offers scenic views of farmlands and rice fields on our left side. This is one bonus of staying at Iwato instead of Takachiho.

We made a stop at a viewpoint to snap photos of the landscape with the Tochimata rice terraces, farms and mountains beyond.

    Beautiful rural landscape with terraced farms.

Farmers harvesting and packing cabbages.

Photographing the photographer at work.

Morning mist and some smoke over the valley.

Tochimata terrace rice fields.

 

We also saw a railway bridge with a metal grid-like structure. This is the bridge where the Takachiho Amaterasu Railway sightseeing train would make a stop for passengers to view Takachiho’s beautiful terraced rice fields and also the gorge from above. This bridge is also Japan’s highest railway bridge, 105 meters above the ground.

Fields with the red and white Takachiho Amaterasu Railway Bridge in the back.

I enjoyed snapping photos of rural Japan along my road trip. I think staying at Iwato was a good decision, giving me the opportunity to drive this scenic route to Takachiho.

I looked forward to more scenic views and photo opportunities at the gorgeous Takachiho Gorge, our actual destination.

Next post: Morning at Takachiho Gorge.