若葉屋の玄関に椅子をご用意しました。
We furnished a chair at the entrance of Wakabaya.
特に欧米の方はよく歩かれるためか、紐靴をしっかりと履く方が多いです。若葉屋の玄関には段差がなく、かといってこの段差のない床に座って靴を履くという習慣もなく、さらには日本家屋のどこからどこまでが土足禁止なのかもよくわからず、靴下のままで外に出て、本来は踏まれるはずの踏石の上に腰掛けて靴を履く方が多かったのです。
I often see our Western guests putting on their laced shoes tightly, probably because they walk a lot. There are no steps at the entrance of Wakabaya, and Westerners are not accustomed to sitting on the flat floor to put on their shoes. Furthermore, many of them don’t know from where to where shoes are prohibited in a Japanese house, so they go outside in their socks, and sit on a stone (to be stepped on) to put on their shoes.
さてこちらは、先月、幸太郎（8）と歩き遍路したときに泊まった、高知県須崎市の一福旅館。そこで宿のご主人と少しばかり、宿主談義をしました。玄関の壁にあった手すりについて伺うと、お遍路さんたちが靴を脱いだり履いたりしやすいようにと、開業後に取り付けたとのことでした。私も無意識のうちに、靴を履くときにその手すりを握りました。やはり泊まるとわかりますね。宿主の気配りが行き届き、改善し続ける宿というのは泊まって気持ちがいいものです。
Now this is the Ichifuku Ryokan in Susaki City, Kochi Prefecture, where I stayed with my 8-year-old- son Kotaro last month for the pilgrimage. I had a little chat with the host there. When I asked about the handrail on the wall of the entrance, he told me that after his opening he had installed them for pilgrims to take off and to put on their shoes easily. I also unconsciously gripped the handrail as I put on my shoes. It is pleasant to stay at an inn run by an attentive host who continues to make improvements.
そんな一福旅館のご主人との会話も後押しとなって、ようやくいい商品を見つけ出すに至りました。
These conversations with him encouraged me to finally find a good product.
これまでにも玄関に椅子を置きたいと思ったことはあったものの、若葉屋の玄関は広くありません。大きなスーツケースが出入りするときはじゃまになってしまいます。というところで見つけたのが、この折りたたみ式で壁付けの椅子です。たたむとこの通り。木製なので若葉屋の雰囲気も損ないません。
Although I had tried to put a chair at the entrance, the entranceway is small. The chair would get in the way when a guest carries their large suitcases in and out. Finally, I found this folding and wall-mounted chair. When folded, it gives enough space like this. The wooden design doesn’t spoil the atmosphere of Wakabaya.
やはり、自分自身が旅行者、宿泊客になることは自分の宿を営む上で、貴重な経験です。どうぞ、靴を履く際は椅子に腰掛けてくださいませ。
After all, being a traveler and a guest is a valuable experience in running our own guesthouse. Try our new chair when putting on your shoes.
