Takahan Ryokan Takahan Ryokan Takahan Ryokan is an historic ryokan (Japanese inn) located in Yuzawa, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. The inn is over 800 years old. The inn has an onsen (bath) called "Tamago no Yu" (English: egg-water) that is supplied by natural hot springs with a slight amount of sulfur. The inn has approximately 20,000 annual visitors, many of whom visit to soak in Tamago no Yu. The setting for the book "Snow Country" authored by Yasunari Kawabata is based upon Takahan Ryokan's location. The inn has preserved the room that Kawabata stayed and wrote in when he was there, along with
Castle Inn English Heritage as being probably 18th century. The West Country is known for its cider but many pubs in the area are tied houses and so only stock a limited range. The Castle Inn is a free house and stocks many different varieties including "real cider". Cider in the UK is legally allowed to contain as little as 35% apple juice (fresh or from concentrate). CAMRA says that "real cider" must be at least 90% fresh apple juice. Real cider is an artisanal product made in the traditional way from pure fresh apple juice, and local examples offered include "Dorset