Visit the tip of Ishikawa Prefecture

Sakamoto Yujyuku is located in Okunoto, in the northern part of the Noto Peninsula. After passing through a forest in the city of Suzu, you will find a solitary inn standing alone. At the entrance hangs a cool-colored curtain. What kind of world awaits you at this “nondescript inn,” as the owner says, where there is no TV or telephone?

On the other side of the sliding door

When I rattled open the sliding door, I saw a bright pink azalea growing in a corner of the dimly lit earthen floor. Until then, I had only seen azaleas as ordinary flowers that could be found in any planted area, but for the first time, I truly thought they were beautiful. The pink azaleas seemed to bloom out of the darkness. The word “glamorous” fits the appearance of the flower, which emerges more vividly because it is in the darkness.

Invitation to the World of “in Praise of Shadows”

The essay “in Praise of Shadows(In-ei Raisan)” by Junichiro Tanizaki describes the Japanese people’s sensitivity to beauty, which was different from that of today, when electric lights were not yet available. In the book, he wrote about the charm of lacquerware, but I was still unable to understand its beauty. When I arrived at the inn that night, a dish was brought into the dimly lit room. A red lacquer bowl filled with buckwheat noodle dipping sauce was placed on a table with a deep bark. This is what Tanizaki Junichiro called the beauty of lacquerware. The sheer beauty took my breath away.

The beauty of Japan lies in the twill of darkness and light.

Many guests said it was too dark by candlelight, so I decided to make it this way, but I told them that I would bring a candlestick if they still preferred the old way. I had come to enjoy it, so I asked him to replace it with a candlestick, but what I felt at the time was that the beauty of Japanese lacquerware can only be truly appreciated in such a dimly lit room.

“Lacquerware has been described as dowdy and lacking in elegance, partly because of the “brightness” brought about by lighting and lighting fixtures. In fact, it is fair to say that the beauty of lacquerware cannot be considered without including ‘darkness’ as a condition.”

Junichiro Tanizaki, In-ei Raisan (Pi International, 2018)

Lacquerware was created in an age when candles were used to light the area. The charm of lacquerware lies in its ability to stand out from the darkness. I believe that the coloring of lacquerware was inevitably created by taking darkness into account. Japanese beauty lies in the shades of darkness and light, and rather than being beautiful on its own, beauty is determined by its relationship with its surroundings. The “Yuyado Sakamoto” taught me firsthand about the Japanese sense of beauty.

Enjoy your time away from home

A short walk from the main house is a separate house that can be used before or after check-in. The large glass window in the front of the house reflects the entire view of the pond and woods. Compared to the main house, this room has a more modern atmosphere and is furnished with records, books, coffee, and tea sweets. The scenery and utensils are all available to enjoy the time that passes slowly while sitting in the chairs.

An inn where you can feel the quiet style

The website describes the hotel as a “no-stay, no-take inn,” with minimal amenities and modest service. Baths and toilets are shared. However, you can sense a sense of beauty and quiet style that is unique to this inn. What to do and what not to do are clearly defined, and when it comes to what to do, no stone is left unturned. I feel such a spirit. The breakfast and evening meals have a gentle taste that will soak into your body.

*Written based on my experience during my stay in May 2019