13th December 2010. Written by Xin Li. Nara, Japan We spent one night in Nara at an inexpensive guesthouse located near JR Nara Station. The Nara Komachi Guesthouse which was opened only in February 2010 is a contemporary hostel cum guesthouse with modern Japanese, Western or bunk style rooms at affordable prices.
The facilities and services were adequate and comparable to a decent hotel. There is a kitchen available for your own use and computers with high-speed LAN access that you could use for free. The rooms were fully equipped with shower, hi-tech toilets, air-conditioning (which can function as a heater during the colder seasons) and a 32” television (free of charge!)
We stayed in a Japanese Style Twin Room (2900 Yen Per Person) and the toilet was interestingly separated by a transparent sliding door. If you are uncomfortable about our roommate able to see you going about your business, there is a curtain which you could pull down for privacy.
The room was clean and the futons were comfortable. Body soap, shampoo and towels were provided as well. The most interesting part is the television. It gives us a glimpse of what Japanese television is like in Kansai.
My personal opinion? Very very amusing. They have a channel dedicated only to a language learning software with different variation of advertisements of the software being aired at different timings of the day. There is also a channel that shows a giant mascot switching on appliances or a whole channel (under NHK) with this character call Gabby that seemed to be an English learning program that seemed be is teaching kids to be consumers. The episode we happened to what is 15-1 and 15-2 which revolved around the word “get”. You can watch them here .
I am also amazed how short a drama can be with the opening credits included. We happened to watch this drama called “Teppan” which is about an 18 year old girl trying to run an okonomiyaki store. The opening credits features everyone, young and old doing some amusing dance.
However, they also have interesting programs such as a cultural channel which featured a documentary (without narration) called Kyoto: The Sounds of Tradition which featured how the Noh stage design works to amplify the sounds onstage, the preparation for the Gion Matsuri as well as traditional silk weaving. The images and sounds combined to create an interesting montage of the various traditional practices in Kyoto.
Television aside, Nara Komachi Guesthouse, besides being located near the JR Nara Station is also in close proximity to the key sightseeing areas in Nara including the Naramachi district and Nara Park, all of which are easily accessible via foot (about 15 minutes) or by bicycle which you could rent for 500 yen a day from Nara Komachi Guesthouse.
To sum up, the Nara Komachi Guesthouse is an ideal place to stay and use as a base to explore Nara and the surrounding areas if you are looking for something affordable without compromising on location or quality. The owners were very friendly and helpful too!
I'm still reading your Japan posts! Keep going! :D
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