Kagurazaka ryokan still caters to writers
Asahi
There is more to Kagurazaka than fancy restaurants and geisha. On one of the area's many cobblestone alleys sits Ryokan Wakana. The inn, surrounded by a black wooden fence, has been in operation for more than half a century.
Inside the fence, only the footsteps of people passing by outside and the murmur of their voices can be heard.
Tokyo's ceaseless traffic noise cannot penetrate the walls of the inn. "This place is very quiet. It's perfect for writers to do their work," Toshiko Wada, the inn's owner, says. Wada, 84, is referred to as okami (female proprietor).
The Wakana opened in 1954. It's known as a honkaki ryokan (writers' inn). At first, the inn welcomed ordinary customers as well as writers and cultural figures. However, the Wakana began to serve writers exclusively because, Wada says, she and her staff "needed to get some sleep, too."...more...
A few days ago Bloomberg ran this...
French Cafes, Geishas Rub Shoulders in Kagurazaka: Tokyo Dining
Bloomberg
July 13 (Bloomberg) -- Just beyond the Imperial Palace's outer moat at Iidabashi lies Tokyo's old geisha quarter of Kagurazaka, a warren of cobblestone-lined alleyways with discreet lanterns promising exclusivity behind high walls.
For those without the inclination for geishas or the invitations necessary to gain entrance, the area's French restaurants offer an excellent alternative.
Small, relatively inexpensive bistros cluster around L'Institut Franco-Japonais de Tokyo, which has nurtured the French influence in Kagurazaka. The language school's cafe, La Brasserie, is one of the city's best places for a weekend brunch.
Sitting in the school's garden on a wooden deck surrounded by trees, with birdsong and Bossa Nova in the background, you might forget you're in central Tokyo. At 2,300 yen ($21), the brunch is a bargain, which will definitely make you think you've left Japan....more...
