Kaori was a very generous, warm host and did many things to make sure that we had a great stay at her apartment. She offered to meet us at the train station and take us to the apartment when we arrived, she offered to make us breakfast in her cafe each day (which I'm sorry to say we didn't take advantage of because we're not breakfast people), she provided shampoo and conditioner as well as laundry and dish soaps, and she welcomed us to some of the artistic events at her cafe. We stayed in her western style apartment and it was very much as described. We especially liked the large windows and the comfortable bed.

The neighborhood was one of our favorite aspects of staying in Kaori's apartment. The small walkway outside of the apartment was beautiful and very quiet, and the train station was only a short walk away. There was a grocery store at the station so that we could easily pick up anything we needed, as well as a post office so we could mail postcards home. We really enjoyed getting the feel of everyday life in Japan rather than only seeing the tourist side of the big city.

We were able to have lunch at Kaori's cafe (Patina) with our family and it was both delicious and beautifully served. Every aspect of Kaori's hospitality was very thoughtful and we hope to stay with Kaori again on our next trip to Japan.