Nihon Iro

Living in Shizuoka, I stayed at Konparu with my grandchildren visiting from Tokyo and our beloved dog. The kitchen is well equipped for simple self-catering, so it feels like a private rental villa. The Facility was clean and well stocked with amenities. Breakfast was delicious, the women in charge were pleasant, and the front desk staff were kind. The Onsen Facility about a 500 m walk away was also great. We said we’d like to stay in a different Room next time.

Building an Accommodation wing in a residential area and offering a stay that feels like “living there” is a fresh concept for both seasoned travelers and local residents. I hope it continues to succeed. It’s also convenient that you provide a Shuttle Service to the Onsen Facility and the alleyway area, especially as taxis seem to be less available.On the day of our stay it was raining, and we tried to have a taxi called so we could go out for dinner, but none could be arranged due to high demand, so we were taken by tuk-tuk instead. We appreciated that, but I think it’s important to build ongoing relationships with taxi companies so guests can secure rides more reliably when they request them. On our way back, the restaurant was able to arrange one immediately. Not only in rural areas, transportation is becoming harder to secure, and figuring out what to do at destinations is increasingly a concern.Using QR codes for Facility information may suit today’s times, but at minimum it would help if you showed guests where the entrance light switch is during check-in. Alternatively, having it turn on automatically when it gets dark would be worth considering. Also, since there is no light in the closet, we needed our phone flashlight when using the safe. It’s not essential, but small inconveniences can affect impressions of an Accommodation. In that sense, I also noticed minor details such as getting wet while unlocking the door because the eaves are short, and having limited space between the noren curtain and the door making it difficult to unlock smoothly. If the weather had been clear, these points likely wouldn’t have stood out as much.Breakfast was delicious with locally sourced ingredients. It seems you are developing nearby shops as well, so I hope Italian or Chinese chefs will open restaurants close by where guests can enjoy dinner.