Onsen ryokan stay leads to some surprising discoveries.

If you’re a writer, content creator, or another type of “digital nomad”, most of your days are likely spent in front of a screen, either at home or in an office-type environment. That’s the situation our writer Ahiruneko finds himself in, and while he doesn’t typically like working in cafes or co-working spaces, there is one place that he’s always longed to spend a working day in: an onsen ryokan.

The thought of writing while holed up in a hot spring inn has an old-time romance to it, and Ahiruneko has always imagined that it would make him feel like an esteemed novelist from yesteryear. So when he found himself reporting from Gyoza no Manshu Tomeikan, a ryokan in Numata City, Gunma Prefecture, he had some free time after work, and as it was a weekday, he realised this was his chance to live out his dreams of writing from an old inn.

Seizing the opportunity, he booked himself in for the night and immediately changed into the loungewear provided by the establishment. Looking around the room, he found the perfect place from which to write — the hiroen, a type of engawa (verandah) usually seen in traditional homes. This space is generally included in the room setup of most ryokan, where it acts as a sunroom, often with a view, while evoking the nostalgia of traditional Japanese houses.

▼ The hiroen sits off the main room, with a small table and a couple of chairs.

From this vantage point, Ahiruneko was able to glance at the scenery outside while working, and it gave him an indescribable sense of calm that was different to his usual weekday shift.

He felt a lovely sense of fulfillment and satisfaction as he typed out his words, and though the room was silent, he didn’t feel the need for any music as there was no sense of loneliness or unease.

▼ For Ahiruneko, the silence of the still ryokan was the ultimate background music.

His concentration was better than usual, but after a while, he couldn’t ignore the heat from the laptop on his thighs so he moved over to the low table in the middle of the room.

This was no ordinary desk or table, as the low height meant he had to sit cross-legged, and as he hunched over the laptop while seated on a cushion, he felt as if he were channeling the old writers, who would’ve sat in this same position.

▼ Oh, for a quill and some parchment instead of a mouse and computer.

Just as Ahiruneko felt that this change of scenery was improving his writing style, he came across a rather modern inconvenience.

▼ There were no power sockets nearby.

This wouldn’t have been a problem for the old writers putting pen to paper, but for a digital nomad like Ahiruneko, who didn’t have an extension cord with him, this was an issue he couldn’t ignore.

As he closed his laptop and set it up to charge next to the wall socket, he didn’t mind the inconvenience because it meant he could take this opportunity to have a break and enjoy a change of pace.

▼ So he headed out of his room…

▼ …and made his way to the hot spring bathing area.

One of the big perks of working from a ryokan is the chance to step into a hot spring whenever you feel like it, and Ahiruneko couldn’t resist soaking in the outdoor bath, which he had all to himself.

The flowing hot spring water got Ahiruneko’s creative juices flowing, and as he figured his laptop still had some time left to charge, he took the opportunity to relax his muscles in one of the luxury massage chairs.

Before making his way back to his room, he stopped for a quick spot of solo table tennis, using the racket to hit the ball against the wall.

▼ With the light of the day now fading, Ahiruneko made his way down the hall…

▼…and over to the vending machine, where he was able to pick up a cold can of beer for some evening refreshment.

Returning to his laptop, he took a sip of the beer and felt the true pleasure of the ryokan stay wash over him.

The deep sense of emotion he felt while sipping his beer in the sunroom as he watched the sunset surprised him. It was like an ultimate blend between working day and holiday, and after closing the curtains, he felt the cosiness of the room wrap its arms around him.

Typing his last words to meet his deadline, there was nothing left for Ahiruneko to do but eat and sleep…and maybe take another bath or two before checkout the next day.

As he enjoyed the quiet solitude of the inn, far away from his workmates in the office, Ahiruneko felt a yearning to stay here forever and never return. The perks of working from the hot spring inn definitely outweighed the cons, and it turned out to be an even better experience than he’d imagined. Now he’s looking for ways to explore other ryokan stays and further his love for beer in the hiroen.

Ryokan information
Gyoza no Manshu Tomeikan / ぎょうざの満洲 東明館
Address: Gunma-ken, Numata-shi, Tonemachi Oyo 1519-2
群馬県沼田市利根町大楊1519−2
Website

Photos©SoraNews24 
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
[ Read in Japanese ]