Located in a quiet rural town around 15-minutes drive from JR Hiroshima station is a guesthouse in a 40-year-old single storey house.

88house hiroshima was opened in Higashi ward, Hiroshima city in April 2014. Not only does it host guests from within Japan, it is also visited by foreign tourists. Even on the day of our visit, a German couple was staying. Why on earth do sightseers choose 88house hiroshima from among a number of other accommodation choices?! We headed inside to find out!

The interior has a nostalgic air that almost makes you want to say “I’m home-“! Before the building became a guesthouse, it was lived in by the previous owner, and an air of everyday life still lingers…

In the corridor you can see hanten, traditional Japanese indoor winter coats of various sizes from children’s to adults’. Although they are meant for guests, it’s almost as if they’ve always been there.

There are 3 types of room, but this corner one is the most recommended. The ceiling is of traditional wickerwork, and on the other side of the window abundant nature can be seen. it’s a calm room that even has an alcove where flowers or artwork is traditionally displayed in Japanese houses.

This is one of the corners of the communal living room. The large windows offer a view of fields and mountains. A small stream flows next to the house and during summer you can even see fireflies!

I took a look at the bookshelf at the back of the living room, and here and there I can see books related to the outdoors or traveling.  These are all the current owner’s personal belongings, but I wonder, what kind of person the owner is?!

Mr. Kengo Momota used to work at a large outdoor equipment maker as well as at an Osaka guesthouse. He loves nature and is currently both growing rice and running 88house hiroshima. “This house used to belong to my wife’s family. It was built 40 years ago, so the building is not so old, but you can still feel the charm of Japanese style architecture. It’s also quite near to the city, so I thought this was the place to start a business,” he says. Apparently, most guests visit because they admire the traditional Japanese style of living. I also realized the wonders of life not so many decades ago.

Come autumn, the field in front of the house is dyed golden.

The guesthouse is good for adults, and families with children are also warmly welcomed. If you’re planning a trip to the area, do stay at this guesthouse, which is filled with nature like the backyard of Hiroshima! Happy travels!

－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－

88house hiroshima
Location: 1-7-3 Umaki, Higashi Ward, Hiroshima
Tel: 080-3770-9769
Accommodation: Starting at JPY3300 (per person, not including meals)
http://88hiroshima.com/  (Japanese & English)

Setouchi Finder Photo-writer: Izumi Furukawa