Half a year ago, I decided we should book a Japanese suite at The New Sanno. This weekend we finally got to see what that entails. There are several factors which make a suite "Japanese." Here are a few of them:
1. A genkan, or entryway, where one leaves his/her shoes. (It is important not to walk in this area without shoes on, so as to not bring dirt into the home or suite.)
2. A tea set, complete with complimentary green tea in a canister covered with washi paper. And of course a hot water pot. (Japanese tea sets usually have 5 cups, but since this suite only accommodates 3 people, there are only 3 cups.)
4. Tatami, or woven straw mats as flooring. And a tokonoma, or small alcove showcasing usually a scroll of calligraphy and Ikebana, a Japanese floral arrangement.
5. A Japanese garden view, with sliding shoji (or rice paper screens) framing the large window.
6. A zataku, or low seated table. Usually with zabuton, or floor pillows for seating, not always with the chairs seen here.
8. A deep Japanese bathtub for a clean hot soak, after first bathing in a separate shower area. (This suite had a larger bathtub, but was not traditional in that the shower area was not separate. Many Japanese inns have a shared bathroom or onsen, natural hot spring bath.)
Our experience was a good one, but hardly a "zen experience" with two children. We're just glad we made it out of there without having to replace the shoji (children aren't usually allowed in these suites) and without getting lost driving home (as we did on the way there--long story, but I've never been so happy to see Tokyo Tower)!
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