Saifuya Ryokan

I had a really wonderfull stay at this cosy Ryokan in Yanagawa. Though most people come to Yanagawa as a day trip from Fukuoka, I think its a nice enough place to stay for a couple of nights. The ryokan is in an old fashioned style building, so it transports you to a different feeling in time. The people who ran it were very generous, offering me snacks and tea constantly, even a welcome ice cream! Their warmth and comfort added to the atmosphere of the place. The room I chose was spacious, with a large window, air con, a TV and comfortable tatami floors. The atmosphere is very traditional, and when it rained, it felt rather peaceful. They are located 15 minutes's walk from the station, it's easy to walk to any location in the town, and when you do so, you get to see lots of hidden small canals and amazing buildings. Even close to the ryokan is a hidden shrine. There are lots of restaurants in the area serving the local speciality Unagi (Grilled Eel), which I highly recommend trying.  I would definitely stay here again! The best part is downstairs, they have a Jazz bar (Kissa) called Groovy, the owner was fun to talk to, he had many records from over the years and interesting stories to share. As a lover of Japanese jazz culture, this was the best thing ever. 

Very quiant little ryoken with a lot of family history. Great breakfast and amazingly warm hospitality.