Kumeto

**Kumeto** (懑舎; *kume-tō*) is a type of traditional Kayonese inn that typically features wooden floors, communal bathhouses, and a restaurant-like eating area. Kumeto have existed since the tenth century, and recently many old buildings have been refurbished as a way of honouring their cultural value. Traditionally, kumeto have served wayfarers and travellers who are undertaking long, cross-country journeys. They are often found on national highways.

Kumeto are difficult to find in Haiwa and other large cities because they are usually much more expensive compared to modern hotels and hostels. Like most other countries, Western hotels have become a standard in Kayonese urban areas. Despite this, some cities (such as Akadan and Mikun) do offer kumeto with competitive rates. Traditional kumeto are more commonly found in scenic rural areas.

## Features

A typical kumeto has a relatively small entrance hallway, usually leading into a communal sitting room where guests can talk, rest and entertain themselves. Modernised kumeto will have a television; traditional ones usually retain their old-fashioned furnishings with books and paintings. Kumeto guest quarters are constructed using traditional methods; rooms are very small, but well-organised and practical. Almost everything is made from wood, even the floorboards, which is traditionally a sign of comfort and wealth. Sliding doors were commonplace a few years ago, but due to security risks, most kumeto have replaced them with the hinged variety.

Almost all kumeto feature communal bathing areas, known as *shichen-tan*, which are segregated by gender and utilising unpurified water from nearby rivers and lakes. The lack of purification is attractive to people who wish to feel relaxed and at one with nature; unpurified riverwater is also considered to be extremely good for one's health. Obviously if a water source becomes polluted, a purification process is enforced. More high-end kumeto may provide private baths as well, for an additional fee. Typically, kumeto also feature a very small in-house restaurant in which guests can eat and drink free of charge (the cost is included in their final payment).

Most kumeto also maintain water gardens which guests can explore. Some kumeto may also offer shrine worship as an additional activity.

Beds come in the form of traditional *etan*, a cloth mat similar to a futon. In summer, there will be no blankets available; in winter, two or three may be included. Typical kumeto bedrooms have three main features: the bedding, a large window, and a small wooden stand on which guests can place their valuables or anything they may be carrying. Large bags and suitcases are stored on an overhead shelf above the door.

## Meals

Most kumeto offer breakfast and dinner, which are included in the final cost of one's stay. It is very common for visitors to eat at the kumeto as the quality of food is often a top selling point. Additionally, the rural location of most kumeto makes it difficult for guests to find any comparable restaurants within reasonable distance.

Typically, kumeto will offer foods that are local specialities, such as seafood or barbequed meats. It is customary for guests to have no more than one dish at each meal. Food is served in a timely manner, and kumeto encourage their visitors to be punctual so as not to miss mealtimes. In some kumeto, an ordering sheet or *oshi-mita* is given out so that guests can buy their meals ahead of time.

Kumeto do not sell alcohol; establishments which do are known as *sure-kumeto*.

## Staff

Traditionally, kumeto are staffed by women only; in recent years this has become less common due to lack of workers and criticism of this practice. Staff are known as *sube-san* (literally 'serving people') and are responsible for the upkeep of the kumeto. Well-established kumeto may employ professional cleaners along with *sube-san* in order to keep the place as clean and tidy as possible, and take some strain from their workers.

In by-gone times *sube-san* would live within the kumeto; nowadays this is extremely uncommon unless the kumeto is family-run.

## Jinkuto

A *jinkuto* is a low-budget version of a kumeto, roughly equivalent to a British bed-and-breakfast. The facilities are similar to a hostel or may simply consist of spare rooms in a family home. Jinkuto often serve as the only form of accommodation in towns or villages too small to warrant a dedicated hotel or kumeto. The overall experience is much the same, but the food is usually poorer, there is no restaurant, bathhouse or water garden, and only one or two members of staff.