The traditions and culture that still remain in Murakami tell the story of its long history. The city is a picturesque town with rows of town houses and attracts tourists from all over the country.

In Murakami, a bare-bones inn opened in September 2018. The inn, Yohakuya, is located just a short walk from the sightseeing area lined with townhouses. It is a great location for tourists, as they can walk to the shopping street where shops are gathered immediately before and after check-in. In this issue, we will introduce the inn and some spots where you can enjoy a little bit of deep Murakami.

An inn where you can relax as if you were at a relative's house.

The first thing that caught my eye was a small sign saying 'Yohakuya'. When I passed through the curtain and opened the front door, I was greeted by the innkeeper, Ms Noriko Takahashi.

Noriko Takahashi, owner, giving a tour of the inn.

Check-in is in the common area. As well as explaining about the inn, they will also tell you about the history of Murakami City and information about shops in the area. Shops that cannot be found only in tourist information, but which are known only to the residents, are also introduced. From the evening stage, you can look forward to the night.

Tea and tea cakes were offered at check-in.

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A choice of rooms to suit all numbers and tastes.

Shared rooms available for women only and men and women only.

There are four types of rooms. The shared rooms are all Japanese-style rooms and are divided into women-only and men's and women's only. When sleeping, each person has a partition made of shoji screens. When you hear of shared rooms in inns, you might imagine bunk beds, but here you have futon mattresses. You can even feel a sense of security as if you have returned to your parents' home.

Western-style private rooms with pleasant light streaming in through the windows.

There are two types of private rooms: Western and Japanese. Both have impressive atmospheric lighting. The lampshades were given to Mr Takahashi by a friend before the inn opened. They were rescued from a building that was about to be demolished. These rooms are perfect for when you want to relax in your own private space.

Private Japanese-style rooms offer a relaxing atmosphere.

Four rooms with different atmospheres. You can choose between shared or private rooms, depending on the number of people and how you want to spend your time.

Shared space where you are free to talk to someone or read a book on your own.

The dining room and kitchen and a Japanese-style room with two connecting rooms are shared spaces. Here you can freely use the space to socialise with other guests, relax and read a book, or lie down and relax after a long journey.

Of course, you can go and visit the shops recommended by Mr Takahashi, or just relax at the inn. You can talk with people you have never met before without worrying, and have a warm time.

Tell people about travel that is more integrated into the local area, not just the tourist attractions.

Mr Takahashi used to work at Sennen Salmon Kikkawa, a salmon specialty shop that is also a tourist attraction. In the course of dealing with many tourists every day, she came to feel that she wanted people to experience Murakami in a relaxed and ordinary way, and not just as a regular tourist attraction.

Salmon speciality shop 'Sennen Salmon Kikkawa'.

This blur was cleared up when I visited Omusubi no Ie, a guesthouse on Awashima. On the night I stayed there, people from outside the island and people living on the island got together and drank together. There was no tourist element to it, but a sense that they were intruding on the daily life of the island, and they felt that it was a place where they could have experiences that money couldn't buy.

I would like to do this in Murakami. I would like to do this in Murakami, so that people can enjoy the ordinary Murakami", thought Mr Takahashi. He decided to set up his own inn.

The house used to be a cookhouse, and traces of it remain in places.

He then walked around the town and consulted with the government and shopkeepers in the shopping arcade to find a property. The search continued for about two years while working and raising children. Then, in March 2018, she was introduced to her current property by someone who had helped her, and she started working towards opening an inn.

Go to the shops in town, where you can see the usual Murakami

When we asked Mr Takahashi if he would like to visit shops that are not just tourist attractions, he immediately gave us his recommendations. This time we will introduce two of these shops.

1. pure coffee shop Cattleya

About 5 minutes' walk from Yohakuya. A coffee shop at the end of a shopping street that has been running for nearly 50 years. I was greeted by a friendly wife. She told me a lot about Murakami in the past and its festivals, even though it was my first time here.

I ordered the Neapolitan. The familiar taste of ketchup is mixed with the flavour of vegetables and has a rich taste. This is a restaurant where you can relax with a cup of coffee after dinner.

2. premature death

Another place recommended by Mr Takahashi was the long-established bar Yohakutei, which will celebrate its 45th year in 2019. It is located right in front of Yohakuya, a 30 second walk away.

The exterior of the restaurant is a little difficult to enter, but when you open the door you are greeted by a friendly master. We don't have a menu. What kind of drink would you like?" The master asks you what you want and makes it for you.

They also act as a conversation link with other customers, so you don't have to worry about going alone. I found myself talking and laughing about the same topics with everyone in the restaurant.

Not only local customers, but sometimes people come to Murakami from other prefectures to meet the master. Even if it's your first time there, you can somehow understand why you want to go back again and again.

As an inn that values 'yohaku' and lives in harmony with the local community

'I named it Yohakuya because I want it to be a place where I and the inn are the margins and the town and its guests stand out. We are here today because the people of the town have been good to us. That is why I want people to focus on the town and not on me or the inn," says Takahashi.

The Yohakuya inn serves as a complement to visitors to Murakami so that they can feel the usual Murakami. Why not visit when you want to slowly savour the usual Murakami without being caught up in sightseeing?

Shop locator .

night after night

Residence: 4-23 Hosoko-cho, Murakami City

Opening hours: check-in/16:00-20:00, check-out/10:00.

Fee: Shared room / from 4,860 yen; private room (single use) from 8,100 yen; private room (for two people) from 14,040 yen.

*Prices vary depending on the time of year. For more information, please contact us via the official website.

Telephone: 0254-75-5489 (9:00～20:00)

Official website: https://www.yohakuya.com/home