By KAZUNORI HAGA/ Staff Writer
September 12, 2022 at 07:00 JST
Ryoma no Yado Nansui, a ryokan inn that sits on the site where Sakamoto Ryoma was born, closed in February. (Kazunori Haga)
KOCHI--An inn that sits on the site where legendary samurai Sakamoto Ryoma was born will get a new lease on life as an accommodation facility continuing the tradition of remembering his role in Japanese history.
Ryoma no Yado Nansui, as the ryokan was called, was forced to close in February after its manager suffered from poor health at a time of dwindling guest numbers due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The manager died in April.
Ryoma (1835-1867) played a pivotal role in overthrowing the Tokugawa Shogunate (1603-1867) and ushering in the Meiji Restoration (1868-1912).
The inn opened in 1970 in a corner of the site of Ryoma’s natal home and established the Ryoma Library to feature TV programs and books about the eponymous samurai.
It was well known among fans of Ryoma, whose life was cut short by a sword-wielding assassin.
Minatoya Management, which operates Hotel Minatoya near Kochi Station, acquired Nansui for an undisclosed sum in June. It plans to renovate the ryokan as a new accommodation facility as early as next year.
“Ryoma is a symbol of tourism for Kochi,” said Masaki Iguchi, a manager at the company. “We want to create an accommodation facility centering on Ryoma by respecting the enthusiasm of the previous owner.”
The company plans to decide on details of the renovation plan by the year-end. One option calls for a luxury establishment where rooms cost tens of thousands of yen (hundreds of dollars) per night.
The name Nansui may be retained for the new facility.
Inn owner fears for his Ukrainian recruits trying to reach Japan
April 19, 2022
Stranger’s mask gift turns around life of suicidal ex-sex worker
June 19, 2020
Onsen ryokan inn catering to foreign tourists opens in Mie
March 17, 2020
Drinkers asked not to exchange cups in risky Kochi tradition
March 16, 2020
Old houses get new life as visitor lodging in Tomonoura bay
October 10, 2019
Meet Samurai, a wood-burning stove that looks set to do battle
January 9, 2020
Stories about memories of cherry blossoms solicited from readers
Cooking experts, chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life.
A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry
A series on the death of a Japanese woman that sparked a debate about criminal justice policy in the United States
A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II
Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors.
