Akitsu Ryokan
Shiga Prefecture, Japan
Named for the old Japanese word for dragonfly — that quiet symbol of presence, of moving forward without rushing — Akitsu is a guesthouse in a traditional kominka-style farmhouse, tucked into a small woodcarving village in Shiga, an hour from Kyoto and steps from Lake Biwa. Owner Nikita runs it the way you'd want: attentively, unhurriedly, with very good coffee served in the shop below each morning.
The room is a single suite, traditionally proportioned, with tatami floors, a futon, a desk by the window, and a hinoki ofuro soaking tub that earns its place at the end of any day. Bicycles are included. Breakfast baskets of pastries and seasonal fruit are optional, and worth it. This is a place built for the particular pleasure of having nowhere you need to be.
1 bedroom · Up to 2 guests From ¥27,000/night (~€165)
