During one of my trips to Japan, we ended up skipping Nikko and heading straight to Yunishigawa, a small mountain destination that offered a very different experience from the busy streets of Tokyo. The funny part? It was entirely by accident. We thought Nikko would be a lot closer than it actually was, and before we knew it, our plans had taken a different turn. But half the fun of traveling is discovering somewhere new, especially places you never expected to visit in the first place. Looking back, I’m glad things didn’t go exactly as planned.
Yunishigawa was home to a beautiful ryokan we’d booked for two days. A vacation within a vacation. A place to relax and unwind, and boy, was it needed.
Getting there, however, was an adventure of its own.
On the way, we weren’t entirely sure where we were headed, and neither was our taxi driver. Even his GPS seemed to struggle with the mountain roads. Meanwhile, we were starving and watching the yen tick up and up with every mile we drove. That taxi meter was becoming a little too interesting to watch. At one point we took a wrong turn and nearly drove off the side into a tree. At least the yen meter would have stopped.
Looking back, it’s funny. At the time, with hungry stomachs, winding mountain roads, and a taxi fare that seemed to climb by the minute, it was a little less amusing.
Finally, we found our way, and it was worth the struggle.
Walking into Kamenoi Ryokan felt like stepping back in time. In the lobby, hosts dressed in suits were waiting to welcome us and lead us to our shared room. After the journey we’d just had, it was a relief to finally arrive and settle in.
Our room was spacious enough for four adults, even though there were only three of us. A kettle and tea were waiting for us, along with comfortable beds that looked especially inviting after our long trip through the mountains. And then there was the promise of a traditional Japanese dinner over a hearth.
It was everything we’d hoped for when we booked our little escape. I only wish I’d appreciated it more in the moment.
I had made the mistake of taking the weight of the world onto my shoulders, blaming myself for getting us so lost in Japan. Instead of enjoying where we had ended up, I spent much of the time feeling responsible for how we’d gotten there.
It took until the first light of morning for me to finally shake that feeling off. With a little distance from the stress of the night before, I realized that getting lost hadn’t been some terrible, trip ruining mistake. It had been an adventure.
And as it turned out, that unexpected detour became one of my favorite parts of the entire trip.
Japan will humble even the most experienced traveler in unexpected ways. But embrace it. Learn to enjoy the chaos. No matter how much you prepare, surprises are what bring you back time and time again.
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