Experience traditional Japanese culture at Chitose Guesthouse (Japanese-style guesthouse) , a renovated 60-year-old house located 7 minutes from Okayama Station. We will introduce you to some fascinating accommodation experiences that are popular with tourists from overseas, including a Goemon-buro (Traditional Japanese Iron Cauldron Bath), Katsushika Hokusai (Renowned Ukiyo-e Artist)'s sliding door paintings, and a stroll through castle ruins from the Warring States period.
2025.05.23-
Table of Contents
- What is the appeal of Chitose Guesthouse , a 60-year-old traditional house renovated into a modern home?
- Okayama Station and Kurashiki Station are both just two train stops away!
- A modern Japanese interior that makes the most of the charm of architecture from the 1950s
- Highlight 1: The sliding doors depicting Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku Sanjūrokkei) of Katsushika Hokusai (Renowned Ukiyo-e Artist)
- Highlight 2: Goemon-buro (Traditional Japanese Iron Cauldron Bath) : Traditional Japanese Bathing Culture
- Highlight 3: Display of colorful uchikake kimonos worn at Japanese weddings
- Highlight 4: A tranquil bedroom overlooking the castle moat
- Highlight 5: A functional kitchen that utilizes the closet
- Highlight 6: A spacious garden where you can enjoy barbecues
- Nearby tourist spots: 1. Historical stroll at Ruins of Niwase Castle (Niwase-jō ato)
- Nearby tourist spots: Experience the Warring States period at the Ruins of Natsukawa Castle (Natsukawa-jō ato)
- Deals & Summary
Due to the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo and the Setouchi Triennale, interest in Japan is on the rise worldwide. Okayama Prefecture is particularly well-accessible from the Kansai region, with JR Okayama Station only about 45 minutes away from JR Osaka Station on the Sanyo Shinkansen (Japan's high-speed railway). It is also about 55 minutes away from JR Takamatsu Station in Kagawa Prefecture by express train.
This time, we will introduce a special accommodation that is also popular with tourists from overseas. Chitose Guesthouse , which opened in November 2024, is a renovated building built in the Showa, and is a lodging facility where you can deeply experience traditional Japanese life. It is conveniently located just about 7 minutes by train from Okayama Station, making it an ideal base for sightseeing. The ruins of a castle from the Muromachi period (the Sengoku period from the late 14th century to the late 16th century) remain around the accommodation, making it a valuable area where you can experience Japan's long history.
What is the appeal of Chitose Guesthouse , a 60-year-old traditional house renovated into a modern home?
This is a private accommodation facility that can accommodate up to seven people, renovated from a 60-year-old old house (traditional Japanese folk architecture) built in the 1950s. One of its great attractions is the Goemon-buro (Traditional Japanese Iron Cauldron Bath), which is rarely seen even among people living in Japan these days. It is especially popular with people who want to deeply enjoy the local culture and daily life of Okayama, people wishing to stay with a large group such as two families, and overseas travelers who are interested in old Japanese folk architecture. It is also known as a pet-friendly accommodation facility where you can bring your pets along.
Okayama Station and Kurashiki Station are both just two train stops away!
JR Okayama Station is a transportation hub where trains bound for the Shikoku and Sanin regions converge, including the Sanyo Shinkansen. JR Niwase Station on the Sanyo Main Line, where Chitose Guesthouse is located, is just two stops away from JR Okayama Station, about seven minutes away. JR Kurashiki Station, where the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter , which retains the beautiful streetscape of the Edo period, is also two stops away, within 10 minutes, making it a highly recommended base for sightseeing.
For those arriving by rental car, there is a paid parking lot nearby with reasonable rates starting from 300 yen for 24 hours.
(One free parking space available for guests)
The area in front of JR Niwase Station is a quiet residential area with a calm atmosphere. It takes about 5 minutes on foot from the station through the quiet residential area. There are two local supermarkets and pharmacies near Minpaku Chitose Guesthouse, making it convenient for daily shopping.
A modern Japanese interior that makes the most of the charm of architecture from the 1950s
The sliding doors (paper or cloth partitions), shoji (paper screens attached to a wooden frame), tatami (traditional Japanese flooring made from rush grass), and tokonoma alcove that are found in Japanese Tokonoma (Decorative Alcove in a Japanese-style Room) have been carefully preserved, while a former closet (storage space) has been converted into a kitchen, resulting in a modern Japanese interior that still retains a sense of the old days. The one-story 2LDK (2 rooms and a living/dining/kitchen) layout is fully equipped with a living/dining room, 2 bedrooms, a kitchen with a 3-burner stove, a Goemon-buro (Traditional Japanese Iron Cauldron Bath) , a Western-style toilet, and a large garden where you can enjoy barbecues.
Highlight 1: The sliding doors depicting Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku Sanjūrokkei) of Katsushika Hokusai (Renowned Ukiyo-e Artist)
The living room in particular is a place where you can fully experience the unique features of a typical Japanese home. The sliding doors depicting "The The Great Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa-oki Nami Ura) Wave off Kanagawa," a masterpiece by the Edo period ukiyo- Katsushika Hokusai (Renowned Ukiyo-e Artist) , are the first thing that catches the eye of visitors. On the right side of the photo is the Tokonoma (Decorative Alcove in a Japanese-style Room) , a space that is originally used to display artworks, paintings, and calligraphy. And when it comes to Japanese-style rooms, tatami mats come to mind. The room uses pulp tatami mats made from paper and handled by a company in Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture . The Yukimi Yukimi-shoji (Snow-viewing Sliding Paper Door) (paper screens for enjoying snowy scenery), which slide Joge and are partly made of glass, are also a must-see.
Japanese houses are imbued with the wisdom of efficiently utilizing limited space according to its purpose. This living room is a multi-functional space that can be used as a place for the family to gather during the day and as a bedroom at night.
Highlight 2: Goemon-buro (Traditional Japanese Iron Cauldron Bath) : Traditional Japanese Bathing Culture
The Goemon-buro (Traditional Japanese Iron Cauldron Bath), which gives off a traditional Japanese vibe, is one of the biggest features of Chitose Guesthouse . A Goemon-buro is a traditional bath with an iron kettle placed on top of a hearth (a firewood-burning kitchen) and a large wooden tub attached to it. In the past, this old house also used to have firewood in the hearth and boil water over an open flame below the bath kettle, but now, only the iron kettle remains and the hot water supply system has been changed to a modern one so that anyone can bathe safely.
Though it is no longer in use, this hearth was used to make fires back then, creating a nostalgic scene reminiscent of a scene from Studio Ghibli's (a famous Japanese animation studio) film, My Neighbor Totoro.
Highlight 3: Display of colorful uchikake kimonos worn at Japanese weddings
Please take a look at the displays inside the inn. This kimono is called an Irouchikake, and is popular as a gorgeous outfit worn by brides at traditional Japanese weddings. It is beautifully decorated with gold embroidery on a red background, which represents happiness and prosperity, and a crane pattern, which represents longevity.
Highlight 4: A tranquil bedroom overlooking the castle moat
The main bedroom is equipped with one queen-size bed and one semi-double bed. From the room, you can see the moat of the ruins of Ruins of Niwase Castle (Niwase-jō ato)(a waterway used to protect the castle), and time passes slowly and quietly. The light purple kimono is a personal item of the owner's wife, who is a kimono lover, and is displayed as a decoration.
The room has a simple and warm atmosphere with a white base and is equipped with one semi-double bed. The lighting, switches, and outlets are from the Showa, creating a retro and tasteful atmosphere.
Highlight 5: A functional kitchen that utilizes the closet
What was originally a closet (storage space) has been renovated and transformed into a spacious kitchen. As meals are not provided with the accommodation plan, many guests enjoy shopping at local supermarkets and cooking. There is a full range of necessary cooking utensils, including a rice cooker, microwave, toaster, electric kettle, pots and pans, so you can rest assured. There is also a takoyaki maker (a special tool for making takoyaki, a specialty of Osaka), so a takoyaki party is sure to be a hit.
As you can see, there is a Toyotomi variety of tableware available. There is also Bizen Pottery(a traditional pottery from Okayama Prefecture), one of the Six Ancient Kilns of Japan (Rokkoyo: Japan's six representative pottery production areas). In addition, baby chairs, tableware, and play equipment are also available, making it an easy-to-use environment for families with children.
Highlight 6: A spacious garden where you can enjoy barbecues
You can have a barbecue in the garden on the premises. You can rent a barbecue grill for a fee, so why not have a good time? In spring, you can enjoy cherry blossom viewing under the cherry trees.
You can also enjoy a barbecue in the garden on the premises. Barbecue grills can be rented for a fee, so why not spend some fun time with your family and friends? In spring, you can enjoy cherry blossom viewing under the cherry trees.
The owner, Mr. Kageyama, has realized his childhood dream of "running a lodging facility someday." The lodging facility was named after his wife's grandmother, "Chitose," and he aims to be a lodging facility that will be loved for a long time. He said he hopes that Chitose Guesthouse will become a travel destination and a memorable lodging facility for guests.
Nearby tourist spots: 1. Historical stroll at Ruins of Niwase Castle (Niwase-jō ato)
The Ruins of Niwase Castle (Niwase-jō ato) are located right next to Chitose Guesthouse . It was built by Mimura Motochika of Bitchu Matsuyama towards the end of the Muromachi period (late 16th century). In 1602, Togawa Higonokami Tatsuyasu, a senior vassal of the Ukita clan, expanded the castle and developed the castle town. You can also see aquatic animals such as turtles and carp in the moat of the castle ruins.
Currently, the "Kiyoyama Children's Square" is a place of relaxation for local residents, with swings, slides, and jungle gyms. The "Kiyoyama Shrine" in the square was built by Itakura Itakura in 1793.
Nearby tourist spots: Experience the Warring States period at the Ruins of Natsukawa Castle (Natsukawa-jō ato)
A few minutes' walk from the Ruins of Niwase Castle (Niwase-jō ato) through a quiet residential area is the Ruins of Natsukawa Castle (Natsukawa-jō ato) , a historic site designated by Okayama Prefecture . It is said that in 1559, Mimura Iechika, the lord of Nariwa Castle in Bizen, built the castle in preparation for an invasion by Ukita Naoie of Bizen. Currently, the Ruins of Natsukawa Castle (Natsukawa-jō ato) and Ruins of Niwase Castle (Niwase-jō ato) are called separately, but it is believed that they were originally a single castle.
There is also a beautifully maintained park near the Ruins of Natsukawa Castle (Natsukawa-jō ato). Families staying with children will be happy to know that there is a safe place for them to play nearby. The area is rich in the historical atmosphere of the Sengoku to Edo periods, with the Niwase Orai, one of the official roads built by the Okayama Domain during the Edo period, shrines and temples, the old Niwase Port, a lighthouse that serves as a guide at night, and road signs remaining around the castle ruins. Be sure to enjoy a stroll around the area.
Deals & Summary
If you would like to stay at Chitose Guesthouse at a good price, we recommend that you make a reservation directly via direct message on the accommodation's official Instagram.
The area around JR Niwase Station was a wonderful place to get a glimpse of the daily life and culture of Okayama. A stroll to the Ruins of Niwase Castle (Niwase-jō ato) and the ruins of Ruins of Natsukawa Castle (Natsukawa-jō ato) is also a valuable experience that allows you to discover new charms of Okayama. Buy ingredients at a supermarket loved by locals and enjoy cooking at your accommodation. Take a stroll around the area and experience Okayama's long history. Why not go on a trip to experience the true charm of Okayama, which goes beyond just the famous tourist spots?
(Some of the photos were provided by the accommodation)
[Chitose Guesthouse (Japanese-style guesthouse) ]
Address: 882-3 Niwase, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture Kita Ward
TEL: 090-5373-1834
Parking: 1 car (free)
Check-in: 15:00
Check-out: 10:00
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