We arrived at the Shiraume traditional ryokan on Monday morning and we had to pinch ourselves because we thought we were in heaven! Tomoko (the owner/manager) greeted us with a beautiful smile and gracious welcome. She is simply stunning. In Kyoto, the tradition is that the daughter inherits the family business - this is my kind of place! The unofficial host is a heron that gets shaimi for breakfast and is four times as old as every other heron ever known to man.. He gets lunch next door which explains his longevity and happy demeanor.
