Here, at the ryokan, weary travelers found not only a
place to rest but a place where they would be pampered
and their every whim attended to by diligent chamber
maids, ever mindful of the mama-san's watchful eye!

While cicadas sang their evening song,
the weariness of the day melted away
as guests sampled culinary delights of
the region, enjoyed the relaxing comradeship
of the "ofuro," a steaming-hot communal bath,
and raised their voices and glasses in a bout
of song and drink with fellow travelers who,
earlier in the day, had been strangers.