Kita-no-miyako Ashibetu / Hokkaido

Mr. Tom Royal reports the present situation of Kita-no-Miyako Ashibetu in English. His research is very precise and informative. So the information of  huge statue of Kannnon is enough that I should report the other side of Kita-no-miyako, the hotel.

I stayed this hotel two times. It was almost ten years ago, first time visiting Ashibetu. I knew that there was the huge kannon statue with a curious hotel. At that time, I didn't have reservation but I could check in of the hotel. There are two lodgings, one is imitation building of Sanjusangendo temple in Kyoto and the other is also imitation of the Gojyu-no-tou of Houryuji temple in Nara. I stayed a former accommodation without reservation. Inside the hotel, I found a display of suits of amour for Samurai and a classic car with large portraits of Western ladies. In contrast to curious entrance and corridor, a room is confortable Japanese style. Then I took a bath of a large Roman style and enjoyed a dinner show of historical drama with a typical tray service and beer.

Next, we revisited there four years ago with reservation. Because I requested to stay the tower (Gojyu-no-tou), I could do that even the gust was just only us. The top of the tower has various statues of chinese goddess, paintings, and so on but the room was really simple Japanese style. After a bath, we enjoyed dinner show like before except that this time there was the only one audience, us ( my wife and I),  for the performance of popular songs by sisters Umizawa.

Unfortunately we can not stay there any more because a religoius organization bought these lodgings last year. But the Kannon tour is avarable for all people.

Photos are here, 2002, 2011 (Nika-no-page, sorry Japanese only)