The sleepy town of Kitakata in northwest Fukushima hasn't much to interest tourists. The ramen is famous, but once you've seen the lacquer museum and some of the old storehouses, you may be stuck for ideas. The locals are rather proud of their Daibutsu, an 11th-century golden Buddha, but it is hardly worth the three-hour trip from Tokyo.
None of this will matter, though, as long as you are staying at Osaragi no Yado. Just get yourself to Kitakata Station; the staff will do the rest. We were met at the station by a welcoming staff member, and 10 minutes later we had slipped into cotton kimonos and were enjoying hot tea and cakes in our 12-mat room.
The Osaragi forms a hexagon around a garden of maple trees, visible from any point indoors. The pretty wooden walkway that runs the length of the building is lined with red lacquer tansu chests, vases and cups. The only sounds are creaking floorboards and the splash of carp in the garden pond.