Teiennoyado Sekitei

We chose to stay at Teien No Yado Sekitei (the ryokan's official and full name) due to our desire to stay at a smaller property (what with COVID and all), and at a place that was between Hiroshima and Iwakuni. Location wise, it fit the bill for us, although I'd imagine most Hiroshima tourists would prefer to be closer to the city center (it's about 40 minutes by car from the A-Bomb Dome.) It is not far from the Miyajima Ferry port, however, but even then, I'd still recommend you stay in Miyajima itself if you have the time to do so. In any case, Sekitei is about as luxurious and intimate as it gets when it comes to ryokans in the Greater Hiroshima area. However, there are some shortcomings that prevent it from being rated higher (at least by me.) First, the positives - the food is simply wonderful. The full-blown Kaiseki fare is extravagant, unique, and takes advantage of the local ingredients, especially from the Setouchi Inland Sea and various wild mountain vegetables. For instance, there's a Japanese Mugwort (vegetable) that's delectable when fried, tempura style, and it was served with Mugwort-Buckwheat Soba Noodles, which were absolutely delightful. Also, Conger Eel is a specialty of the region, and they did a masterful job in preparing it in a few different ways that gave a different perspective on the texture and flavor of Conger Eel. The dishes were fresh, uniquely and creatively prepared, and were served lavishly in very nice pots, bowls, cups, lacquerware, ceramics and baskets made by local artisans. You can tell that Sekitei pulls out all the stops in an attempt to make the meals there a memorable one. Another big bonus - you get your dinner (but not breakfast) served in the comfort of your own room, which is huge for us. Breakfast was similarly a grand affair. The sheer variety of small dishes, as well as the creativity of each of them, was definitely up there with the best of them. We really enjoyed the Rice Porridge with (unsweetened) Azuki Red Beans, which was a wonderful combination! Sekitei definitely didn't cut corners when it came to providing an awesome Washoku breakfast spread. You won't walk away disappointed. As others have mentioned, the property grounds are pretty, especially the inner garden that has expansive views of the Setouchi Inland Sea and Miyajima beyond - it's quite hypnotic, really. And for those looking for a more traditional Japanese ryokan, Sekitei's architecture, art and furnishings won't leave you wanting. The downside of this (as is the case with many "heritage"-style ryokans) is that it comes at the expense of some amenities that we've all come to expect. Namely, the internet was non-existent to slow. Our room, incorrectly spelled "Oimatu" (should be Oimatsu (老松)), had no connectivity at all. Square footage wise, Oimatsu was decent - it's just that there are so many segregated areas with various little nooks & crannies that it made the room feel more claustrophobic than it otherwise should be. There'