How Momiji-yado began

It began as a small inn in the hills of Saga. A family trade, carried down through the Kazama line, of offering guests a little poetry and the turning of the seasons. Of the year of founding, we say only: sometime in the Meiji era. Rather than dwell too much on the old building, we hope you will simply see what is here now.

Three generations of women

The okami of Momiji-yado has been carried by the women of the Kazama family. The names of the three generations each pass through a plant.

• Murasaki Kazama — present senior proprietress

  Lady Murasaki, and the wisteria. She loved the Tale of Genji and passed that heart on to the next generation.

• Tsubaki Kazama — Kaede's mother (late)

  The camellia of winter. The previous proprietress. She passed away several years ago. The camellia in the inner garden was planted by her when she married into the family.

• Kaede Kazama — present proprietress

  The maple of autumn. Born at the height of the autumn leaves. She stands at the inn as young proprietress while her grandmother is in convalescence.

The camellia in the inner garden

A single camellia stands in the inner garden, planted by the second proprietress Tsubaki when she married into the family. Every year, it blooms at the end of winter. A keepsake, and a quiet emblem of the inn. In winter, Kaede often spends time before that tree.

The Tale of Genji, and this place

From the senior proprietress Murasaki, on to Kaede. A love of classical Japanese literature has been handed down across generations. The Arashiyama and Saga of the Tale of Genji are, for Momiji-yado, the very root of our story. Among our guests, there are sometimes scholars from abroad who come for fieldwork on the Tale of Genji and stay with us for a season.

The four seasons we have kept

• SpringCherry blossoms and sakuramochi. Sharing the new season with our guests.
• SummerYukata, the riverside seating, wind chimes. The sound of time passing.
• AutumnMaple leaves, moon-viewing, visiting kimono with autumn motifs. The inn at its brightest.
• WinterSnow-viewing baths, the camellia, the brazier, the formal kimono. A season for remembering.