I stayed at "Hotel Suginaga" on a business trip to Kansai after several years. The hotel seems to be a popular accommodation for junior high and high school field trips, and it underwent a complete renovation a year or two ago. The newly renovated and clean interior made my stay very comfortable. The rooms are Japanese-style with a long desk and chair, and Wi-Fi is available, making it perfect for doing office work with a PC. For dinner, I had sukiyaki. It was cooked in a simmering sauce rather than the Kansai style of grilling with sugar and flipping the meat on the pot. The food was served in colorful square dishes on each table instead of a large shared plate, probably as a measure for infection prevention. It was delicious, and I ended up having seconds of both meat and rice, feeling so full after dinner for the first time in a while. After dinner, I had a meeting and couldn't enjoy alcohol, which was a bit disappointing. The breakfast was also meticulously prepared and very tasty! Unlike breakfast buffets at hotels where I tend to overeat, the breakfast here was satisfying without needing to eat a lot, as each dish was enjoyed slowly. Oh, I wish I could visit for leisure rather than business. I long for Kyoto...

Last year's New Year's trip was at a hotel called "Kyoto City Hotel" where we enjoyed all-you-can-eat shabu-shabu and all-you-can-drink dinner, along with a luxurious breakfast, all for around 6000 yen per person for one night with two meals included. However, it seems they no longer offer such a great deal, so since last year's Obon festival, we have been using "Hotel Suginaga" instead. The most affordable plan offers fewer dishes, but we get to enjoy a room service kaiseki dinner and can bring our own alcohol to enjoy during dinner. The menu was almost the same as Obon, which was a bit disappointing, but the wagyu steak was delicious. They also provided a chair and table for my mother who has difficulty walking, which made us very happy. For breakfast, we had osechi dishes and white miso soup, with the highlight being the grilled fish cooked on a charcoal grill. The black beans in the osechi were a bit too sweet for our liking. The room was a spacious 16-tatami mat room with a private bath, and there is also a communal bath in the hotel. The facilities in the communal bath are not the best, but for the price of 9000 yen per person for one night with two meals (for rooms with 5 or more people) plus a 200 yen accommodation tax, it is incredibly affordable and satisfying. If my mother is well enough, we would love to stay here again for this year's Obon festival. If you are interested, please check out the details here: http://shuren777.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-754.html

Unusually, I went on a trip to Kansai. I had dinner at "Hotel Suginaga" in Kyoto. I am not very knowledgeable about Japanese cuisine, and the menu wasn't particularly expensive, but you can tell that each dish is carefully prepared. Every dish was gentle and kind, with flavors that were not too light but also not lacking. It was very delicious. Thank you for the meal!

This year, I have been working at my regular classroom job from Monday to Thursday, and at a place called "Shuren" in front of Kintetsu Goryama Station for lunch and drinks on Fridays to Sundays. However, during Obon and New Year, I always take a break from my classroom job to spend time with my family. So, I decided to plan a one-night trip to Kyoto, where my father's grave is located, to spend time with my mother and my brother's family. I found a place called "Hotel Suginaga" that met all our requirements - a large tatami room with a bath and toilet, smoking rooms for my mother and brother, and the ability to bring our own drinks during dinner, which was a pleasant surprise. The seasonal kaiseki dinner was a bit limited in variety, but each dish was satisfying. The beef teppanyaki was delicious, and I was happy to have eel hot pot, which I love. The breakfast was served in a dining area with tables and chairs, which was convenient for my mother. It consisted of tofu dishes and pickles, which was healthy and enjoyable. There was also a buffet with bread, curry, sausages, scrambled eggs, yogurt, juice, and coffee. The hotel had a large communal bath where we could relax, and the price of 9,000 yen per person for the night was very reasonable. The hotel is conveniently located near Kyoto City Hall Station, as well as Keihan Sanjo Station and Hankyu Kawaramachi Station. The next day, we stayed at another hotel called "Sakura Terrace," which is not listed on food review websites yet. Feel free to check out my blog for more details.

Hotel Suginaga is located near Kyoto City Hall in Kyoto. Although they offer a paid breakfast option, this time I tried the complimentary breakfast. Surprisingly, it was delicious. They served scrambled eggs, sausages, yogurt, bread, and even curry for breakfast. The curry had a very homely taste, not spicy but comforting. It felt like a home-cooked meal. The coffee cups also had a homely feel to them, which was nice. The hotel is very affordable and conveniently located, making it a great choice. They also have a large communal bath and traditional Japanese-style rooms, perfect for those who want to relax and unwind.

This inn is specialized for school trips, and the facilities are very nice. It is new and equipped with the latest expensive hairdryers and amenities. There are no amenities for adults, but there are yukatas and towels, so that's fine. The meals are served twice in the morning and twice in the evening, and the dishes look stylish in bento boxes. However, the contents were disappointing. There were hardly any vegetable salads or side dishes that seemed to be made there. While the chemical items were not bad, I could easily tell, so I was a little disappointed. I wish there were fewer items but made by a skilled chef in a Kyoto style.