A Solo Traveler from Germany
A Quiet Solo Stay Experiencing Everyday Life in Japan
This is a four-day stay experience of a German man in his 40s who traveled to Tokyo on his own. Interested in Japanese homes, he chose Kinoie Morishita because he wanted to spend quiet time surrounded by wood and tatami. Here, we share his impressions of experiencing everyday Japanese living during his stay.
Shinjuku Station is about a 14-minute train ride from Morishita Station on the Toei Shinjuku Line. Kinoie offers a convenient balance between quiet time at the accommodation and easy access to central Tokyo.
Hello. My name is Shioya, and I am a staff member at Kinoie.
The guest featured in this article chose Kinoie because, rather than filling his schedule with sightseeing, he wanted time to experience what it feels like to stay in a Japanese home.
From reading in a tatami room to visiting bookstores in Shinjuku, I would like to share some of the moments that stood out to him during his four-day stay.
Reading in a Tatami Room Became One of the Highlights of His Stay
His First Experience of Tatami Felt More Natural Than Expected
Although he had long been interested in Japanese homes, this was his first time spending several days in a room with tatami flooring. Before his trip, he had wondered whether he would need to sit formally in seiza or whether sitting on the floor might become uncomfortable.
After actually spending time in the room, however, he found that he could relax in whatever position felt comfortable, and his impression of tatami changed. He told us that he had previously thought of tatami as something to see in traditional buildings, but during this stay it became an ordinary place where he could read, rest, and unwind. It seems that staying in a Japanese-style room gave him a different perspective from simply seeing Japanese homes in photographs.
Taking Time to Read the Books He Brought with Him
One of his favorite ways to spend time at Kinoie was reading in the tatami room. He had brought books with him and enjoyed having enough quiet time to open them and settle into his surroundings. He mentioned that on many trips he packs a book but returns home without ever reading it because he spends so much time out sightseeing. This time, being able to enjoy reading at the accommodation itself became part of the trip.
Why He Chose to Stay in a Home Filled with Wood
The Interior Caught His Attention While Searching for a Place to Stay
When choosing accommodation, he paid attention not only to location but also to photographs of the rooms. What first drew him to Kinoie was the combination of wooden interiors and a tatami room. Since he was traveling to Japan, he wanted to experience a type of home that felt different from his everyday surroundings in Germany.
When we later asked about his stay, he mentioned that he was pleased to spend time in the atmosphere he had hoped for after seeing the photographs. Rather than luxurious facilities, what mattered to him was being able to see and feel natural wood inside the rooms and to relax in a Japanese-style space. For him, choosing where to stay was clearly part of the enjoyment of the journey itself.
Four Days Gave Him Time to Settle into the Space
He also felt that staying for four days, rather than just one night, made a difference. Sitting on tatami felt slightly unfamiliar on the first day, but after a few days it began to feel natural. He appreciated having enough time to discover how the room felt in everyday use—something that cannot be understood during a short visit or tour. We are always happy when guests experience Kinoie’s wood and tatami not simply as design features, but as part of a place to live and relax.
A Day Trip to Bookstores in Shinjuku
Looking for Books on Japanese Homes and Architecture
When we later asked about his outings during the stay, one experience he mentioned was visiting bookstores in Shinjuku to look for books about Japanese homes and architecture. Although reading long passages in Japanese was difficult for him, he was interested in books with plenty of photographs and architectural drawings and wanted to browse them in person before choosing one.
Shinjuku Station is about a 14-minute ride from Morishita Station on the Toei Shinjuku Line, with no transfer required. He told us that this made it easy to plan the trip even while traveling alone. Kinoie is also only a two-minute walk from Morishita Station, making it a convenient base for guests who would like to visit the Shinjuku area.
Enjoying the Books He Bought During the Stay
The books he purchased were not simply souvenirs to take home. He was also able to enjoy them while staying at Kinoie. He especially liked looking through photographs of Japanese homes while sitting in a room with tatami flooring. His visit to the bookstore had a clear purpose, and together with the quiet time he spent indoors, it became a trip that allowed him to explore his interest in Japanese living and architecture more deeply.
Four Quiet Days Enjoying Books and Everyday Japanese Living
Looking back on his four-day stay, he told us that one of the things he appreciated most was having time to read at the accommodation without feeling that he needed to fill every day with sightseeing. Although experiencing Japanese culture was one of the purposes of his trip, he was particularly interested in simply spending time in a home with tatami and natural wood.
When introducing our guests’ experiences, we hope to share not only the places they visited but also what they enjoyed about the time they spent at Kinoie itself. For travelers like this guest, who value the atmosphere of a room and quiet time with a book, we hope his experience offers another way to imagine a stay in Tokyo.
If you are traveling alone and would like to experience everyday Japanese living, or if you want to explore Tokyo while also having a quiet place to return to, Kinoie offers a stay where both are possible. This four-day solo stay is one example of how tatami rooms, wooden interiors, and convenient access to Shinjuku can become part of the travel experience.
