Takahan Ryokan some of the author's personal effects. 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
Ryokan (inn) aside and set out the futon. Most ryokan offer dinner and breakfast, which are often included in the price of the room. Most visitors take their meals at the ryokan, which usually promote themselves on the quality of their food. Meals typically consist of traditional Japanese cuisine known as "kaiseki", which features seasonal and regional specialties. ("Kaiseki" originally referred to light meals served during a tea ceremony, and today refers to a meal consisting of a number of small, varied dishes.) Some ryokan instead serve local specialties such as "basashi" or food cooked in an "irori" hearth. In order for