Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - A Sleepy Stay at a Ryokan: Part 1

Starting point is 00:00:00 This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Though the new year feels like a natural time to change and improve things about yourself or your life, it is also important to recognise all the areas where you're already excelling and to expand on and take confidence from them. This is something my therapist really helped me identify during my sessions. It's not just about trying to alleviate negatives, but also reminding yourself of all the great things you can be proud of already. Therapy empowers you to be the best version of yourself. If you're thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try.

Starting point is 00:00:45 It's entirely online. You just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist, and you can switch therapists anytime for no additional charge. Celebrate the progress you've already made. Visit betterhelp.com slash get sleepy to get 10% off your first month. That's better help H-E- listen, we relax and we get sleepy. Thanks so much for tuning in. I'm your host, Thomas.

Starting point is 00:01:39 Tonight we'll travel to beautiful Japan and explore the delights of a traditional inn. Riokan are famed throughout the country for their hot spring baths and tranquil gardens and for their multi-course cuisine and five-star hospitality. Soon we'll experience it for ourselves. This is the first of two parts to our story, with the second installment coming up on Wednesday this week. So be sure to come back then to enjoy the rest of our stay at the Rear Cam. A big thanks to Joe for writing this lovely tale. So find a nice comfortable position to unwind in, and begin to focus on your breath. Slowly breathe in, feeling the chest and stomach expand.

Starting point is 00:02:57 And exhale gently, with a sense of relief. Let's do one more together, breathing in and softly releasing the air back out. Continue to breathe at this so and steady pace, which will help your mind to gradually switch off, for your body. Your legs carried you throughout the day, taking you wherever you needed to go. Your neck held your head high. Your hands helped you accomplish your goals. Your face and all of its features helped you communicate and perhaps share a warm smile with people you passed by, bringing some light to your day and theirs. The list could go on, but every part of your body made it possible to live and thrive throughout the day. So take this moment to smile inward and say thank you. Thank you body for taking care of me throughout the day.

Starting point is 00:05:14 When you're ready, let your breathing return to its natural rhythm, enjoying that sense of gratitude as we turn to tonight's story. Imagine that you're standing outside of the ryokan, the Japanese inn, on a snowy afternoon. You're examining the building before you enter. The first thing you notice is the entrance porchway, held up high by dark wooden pillars. Above it is a roof set in front of the building, triangular in shape with an enchanting curved gable. It looks like the roof of a shrine or temple and gives the impression of a sacred space. Added to this is the magic of Snowfall. It rests like a blanket across the dark slate roof. The signs of winter are all around you, but they're already fading beneath

Starting point is 00:07:31 a fresh layer of snow. The walls of the main building are cream in colour, lined with dark wooden beams. The wood sparkles, a shade of icy silver, and tiny icicles have formed at points below the beams. More ice decorates the bottom of a plaque, a mahogany sign placed high upon a wall. On it, the name of treasure, you think. Rheocan are synonymous with peace and tranquility, and this is evident even before you enter. The whole place has an aura of serenity, one that uses from the walls of the building. Perhaps this is down to its neutral decor, as it's simply decorated with natural wooden trimmings. Or perhaps it's the sound of snow

Starting point is 00:09:12 falling against the flow of running water somewhere in the distance. Maybe it's the trees planted along the pathway, the leaves of evergreens tinged with white snow, or it's the gravel beneath your feet that's been raked into patterns. You see symmetrical rows below a veil of frost. Whatever the reason, you feel calmer already as you stroll along the pathway towards the building. You tap your shoes, releasing loose snow. Then you enter through the doorway, stepping onto a section of carpet. The inner entrance is known as the genkan, and it marks the boundary between outside and inside.

Starting point is 00:10:28 Before you on the carpet is a raised wooden floor. This is where the inside begins. A line of outdoor shoes has been organized on the carpet. They jut out neatly, below the raised wooden step, all pointing towards the door. You step out of your shoes and onto the wood. Your feet clothed in fresh, clean socks. You slide your feet into a pair of slippers provided for you. Then you collect your shoes and add them to the line, tips pointing towards the door. A stay at the ria can is bound in such rituals, and already it feels different to any place you've stayed before. It's as if you've crossed some sacred divide between the ordinary world outside the rear can and the magical realm that lies within. There's a warmth in here, both in temperature and feeling. It's a place where you feel instantly welcome. The faces

Starting point is 00:12:11 of the staff light up as you approach. Their bows are respectful and their greetings heartfelt. Japan is famous for its omottanashi or earnest hospitality. Nowhere is this clearer than in these traditional wins where the customer experience is of paramount importance. Ria Khan have existed since the early 8th century and were initially built along a busy highway. They offered rest and shelter to travelers and samurai who had previously slept outside beneath the stars. Today there are thousands across the islands and they're visited by people from all around the world.

Starting point is 00:13:30 Most are situated in rural locations within the picturesque surroundings of the countryside. But they're also found in towns and cities offering respite to weary city dwellers. Some establishments are hotel-like complexes, modernized versions of the traditional inn. Others are smaller family-run businesses with a history of hospitality that goes back generations. You've chosen a family-run business, baths, the delicious meals, and the stunning Zen garden. The staff are said to be wonderful people who treat you as if you're one of their family.

Starting point is 00:14:46 You walk across the room to a central desk, where a man in a suit stands behind a marble counter. He takes your name and welcomes you kindly, before inviting you to sit in the lobby area. You take a seat on a bamboo chair beside a window with a view of the snowfall. You sink into the fabric of the soft beige cushion and wiggle your toes in your snug, comfy slippers. He leaves you to fill out your checking in form, and promises that his wife will be with you shortly. Moment Saita, a woman arrives, beautifully dressed in a magnolia kimono. It's held in place by a wide cotton belt, embroidered with the branches of a cherry blossom tree. At the back, it's tied in a beautiful bow with

Starting point is 00:16:09 a decorative cushion fixed in place. In her matcha served in a tea bowl and a plate of sweets that look like snowballs. The lady tells you that they're a version of mochi, little round balls made of gluttonous white rice. They're a type called daifuku, which means good luck. Inside are strawberries and a sweet bean paste. Before she leaves, the lady introduces herself. Her name is Hina, and she's very pleased to meet you. to meet you. You've already met her husband, Ren, is smiling at you both from behind the main counter. It's common for guests to be assigned a specific person, a go-to staff member available throughout their stay. The staff member organizes the check-in and shows guests to their room. They also serve meals and assist whenever asked. You're delighted to have Hina as your go-to person. She seems as sweet and

Starting point is 00:18:13 lovely as the cherry blossoms on her belt. Hina takes your checking in form, then leaves. She'll return later to show you to your room. For now, you're left to enjoy your time and savour the experience. First, you turn your attention to the handmade tibal, which is charmingly rustic and beautifully decorated. It's painted into sections with two distinct colors, moss green at the bottom and sky blue above. The foamy tea inside is a light green, the steam rising above the top of the bowl. The aromatic scent is warm and inviting, and your palms are warmed by the drink within.

Starting point is 00:19:51 The bowl is small, but heavier than you expected. This is by design, as it encourages concentration. as it encourages concentration. Bringing the bowl to your lips, you slowly drink the foamy green tea. You explore the flavours on your tongue, uncovering new layers with each mouthful. At first, the tea seems beautifully mellow. It has a calming taste that feels fresh and earthy. Then you become aware of a natural nuttiness, a sweetness in the drink. It's a taste that lingers on the tongue. The sweetness is balanced by a hint of bitterness, so subtle that it's easily overlooked. And there's another taste too, which is savory and broth-like. It's the umami flavour that Japanese cuisine is famed for.

Starting point is 00:21:33 Throughout your life, you've had many cups of tea. Yet somehow, this feels like your very first taste. Your senses are absorbed by the tea's complex flavours, and the action of drinking feels new and wonderful. This feeling is enhanced as you turn to the desserts, enticing white mochi cakes, the size of satsumas. Beside the cakes is a piece of string which can be used to cut them open. Carefully you thread it beneath the center of one sweet before crossing it over the top and pulling outwards. Slowly, the string cuts through the cake, revealing the beauty of its inner layers. At the centre is a strawberry, cut directly through the middle. It's encased like a gemstone in red bean paste. The sweet is framed in a white outer layer, the gluttonous white rice powdered with sugar.

Starting point is 00:23:07 It's common in Japan for these kinds of treats to be paired with a bowl of tasty green tea. The complex flavours of the matcha go particularly well with the taste of the strawberry filled cakes. You learn this as you bite through the sweet treat savoring the taste. The outer layer is soft and chewy, not unlike the texture of marshmallow. Within the strawberry tastes fresh and tangy, while the azuki bean paste adds a jam like sweetness. You remain here eating until your plate is empty, before returning to the tea bowl and finishing your drink. You can't remember ever eating so slowly, or enjoying a meal as much as this one.

Starting point is 00:24:29 Once you've finished, you look around the room and take in the details of the Rheakan lobby. The decor is understated and neutral, with walls painted in a light shade of beige. The furniture is wooden and beautifully simple. A few decorations you see around the room all appear to have been carefully placed. You notice a table with a vase at its center. It's filled with the glimmer of an overhead light. The lobby's interior is representative of a concept that derives from Zen philosophy. Kanso is about simplicity of design.

Starting point is 00:25:57 It's believed that a room free of unnecessary clutter will naturally aid a sense of inner peace. Therefore, objects should be few and functional, or beautiful enough that they evoke feeling. It's hard to argue against this notion, as relaxed as you are in the Riyakans lobby. The feeling stays with you as Heena returns, leading you through a hallway and upstairs to your room. It's a large room with tatami-matt flooring, positioned in squares, like the surface of a chessboard. The squares are coloured in cream and beige, matching the walls. At the centre of the room is a low wooden table. It glows beneath the light of a large paper light shade.

Starting point is 00:27:19 Chairs sit around it, seats resting on the floor. around it, seats resting on the floor. They are topped with cushions, which are a shade of dusky pink. Behind the table, you see the door, known as a shoji. Diffused sunlight pours in through its surface, a translucent paper within a lattice wooden frame. Grinning, Hina asks you if you would like to see what's behind the shoji. Then, with delicate steps and an element of theatre, she gradually slides open the door. You're met with the sight of an inner veranda, where wall-sized windows offer views of the landscape. The ria can is located in the recess of a valley and is mostly surrounded by hills and mountains. But the woodland is hidden beneath the snow, which continues to fall on this winter's afternoon.

Starting point is 00:28:54 Right beside the window are a table and chairs. It looks like a place where you might sit for hours, observing the beauty of the picturesque landscape. Tina looks pleased at your awestruck reaction. She tells you that winter is her favorite season, though there are things that she loves about every season. Each is beautiful for its own reasons. In springtime, the garden blooms pink with cherry blossom, while summer brings out fireflies

Starting point is 00:29:49 that glow through the night time. In autumn, the maple trees change colour, and splashes of red ornament the hillsides. But for Hina, there's nothing like winter, and the vision of snow painted across the countryside. It makes the indoors feel warmer and cozier. The inn becomes a refuge away from the cold. You'll understand this more when you're in the Jonsson, a hot spring bath, outside on the decking. It will be magical, she says, to watch the snow fall beneath the shelter of a thatched pargala. Each bath is unique according to Hina, and you're free to try as many as you wish. Though, she sees that you've reserved her personal favourite, a secluded bath with magnificent views. She directs you to a pile of neatly folded items. You open the

Starting point is 00:31:34 top one, a yukata. It's a casual version of the kimono and not unlike a cotton bathrobe. Guests wear these throughout their stay, to the bath house, to dinner, and for walks through the town. There are also towels to take to the Jhansan. The large towel should be left in the private changing room, alongside the yukata. The smaller towel can be taken into the bathing area. Hina tells you that dinner is at 7 and that the Jhansan is available as soon as you are ready. If you'd like, she'll leave you and come back in 10 minutes, then she'll walk you to the Jhant Sen. You happily agree, and Hina exits. Then you slowly dress into your traditional yukata. There's a simple process to putting it on.

Starting point is 00:33:08 The right hand side is folded beneath the left and held in place with your hand. Then the left side is folded on top and secured in place with a bout. For women, bouts are tied around the waist. Men wear them lower, resting around the hips. The hem of the yucata ends at your ankles. It's a beautiful garment made of lovely, soft cotton. Though it's thin and lightweight, it feels warm and cozy. The yucata is mainly indigo. It's the colour of blueberries and mid-evening skies. Images of birds are sprinkled among the blue. They fly about the fabric with their massive white wings.

Starting point is 00:34:34 The bird is a red-crowned crane, one of the rarest cranes in the world. These large birds are native to East Asia. They look a little like herons, with their long, spindly legs and elongated necks. The name derives from a patch of bright red skin at the top of their head. Most of their feathers are a brilliant snow white, contrasting with their wings which are tipped with black. These rare creatures are considered symbolic. They represent longevity and loyalty. They also make for a very pretty pattern, with necks outstretched as they fly about your sleeves. You have a few minutes before Hino returns, so you take the opportunity to appreciate the room. It's such a therapeutic space to be in, with its neutral colour scheme and natural furnishings.

Starting point is 00:36:12 Very few objects are out on display. They're stored within cabinets and fitted wardrobes. One wardrobe has a door that's similar to the Shoji, with a surface of paper within its lattice wooden frame. The silhouette of a tree has been etched onto the paper. Its branches stretch out right across the doorway. You slide open the wardrobe door to reveal its contents. On the shelves inside are the makings of your bed. There's a folded up mattress, pillows and a duvet, as well as a neat pile of fresh ironed linen.

Starting point is 00:37:20 The bed will be made when you're eating your dinner, laid out and prepared on the tatami mat flooring. Then in the morning, it will be packed away again, freeing up space until it's needed once more. You are pondering this when you hear a sound, a gentle knock on the door. You close the wardrobe and collect your towels, before greeting Heena in the entrance to your room. She beams at the sight of you in your outfit. Now you're wearing the Yukata. It's as though you're officially here, and relaxation can truly begin. You have to agree that it does feel wonderful to walk around in your slippers and robe. to carefree leisure and the slower pace that you seem to have adopted. Hina leads you back down the stairs along a hallway to an annex building.

Starting point is 00:38:59 As you walk, you find that you're exploring your senses and noticing subtleties that you might usually miss. You note the texture of the carpeted stairways and the transition between this and the tatami mat. The flooring is delicate and ridged in places. It encourages gentle footsteps and mindful concentration. There's a subtle scent too, rising from the mats. It's the sweet woody smell of the plants they are made from rich jasmine and lilies with their vanilla-like sweetness. Eventually you reach the door of the onsen. It's in a far away corner on the ground floor of the annex. Hina reminds you that this onsen is private. It's entirely yours for as long as you need it, and you're welcome to lock the door behind you.

Starting point is 00:40:48 Your room key is in the pocket of your yukata, so you're free to head back whenever you wish. Hina leaves you to enjoy your bath and you step into the entranceway. To your right is a room to change and shower, and before you is a shoji. The translucent door leads out to the Jhansan. You need to change before getting in the bath, but first you can't resist taking a peek outdoors. You slide open the panels of the shoji and examine the decking of the private terrace. The first thing you see is the wooden pergola. It's thatched roof directly above the bath. A tub is built into the decking, like a live postcard of a wintry landscape.

Starting point is 00:42:34 Hills and mountains soar towards the sky, their frosty tips disappearing behind the clouds. The emerald forests along their lower slopes are decorated in a blanket of thick white snowfall. The snow has grown thicker since your arrival, and the air outside is fresh and bracing. This makes the onsen appear more inviting. You can feel its warmth radiating outwards. You head back inside to the changing rooms, where empty wicker baskets rest on shelves. One is for your towel, and another is for your clothes. You change, shower and place your belongings in the baskets. Then you return outdoors with the smaller towel in hand. This rests on your head once you're inside the water, having lowered yourself slowly into the tub. You take a seat on the built-in shelf hidden beneath the turquoise water. The heat travels up and down your body,

Starting point is 00:44:30 draping around you like a warm, cozy blanket. The onsen is heated to the perfect temperature by the large wooden tap at the corner of the tap. The bath is warmest near that corner, where healing water flows uninterrupted. Like many cultures past and present, the Japanese enjoy a relaxing bath. A soak in the warm water is said, alongside the body. The onsen, of course, are extra special. The water is channeled from geothermal hot springs. The country is known for its volcanic landscape and the natural groundwater that supplies the onsen. Across Japan, 25,000 hot springs supply around 3,z. The oz are naturally warm, but the mineral content

Starting point is 00:46:12 varies depending on where the water comes from. So different baths provide their own health benefits. Many hot springs contain the mineral sulfur, which can be anti-inflammatory when absorbed through bathing. Such baths are said to aid the healing of many ailments, and to provide relief from general aches and pains. Others contain silicon dioxide, also known as silica. This is renowned for softening dry skin and can benefit those with skin conditions. These kinds of bars are also considered beautifying. The Onsen Ubathin has a high magnesium content, as well as a mixture of other healing minerals. A laminated sheet explains this on the wall. Magnesium is said to have a range of benefits, including a boost to general well-being.

Starting point is 00:47:50 It's thought to relieve tension in the muscles, and to support relaxation and quality of sleep. The water certainly seems healing to you, and the bath has the feel of a private cocoon. Strange and wonderful to bathe outdoors, in a scene resembling the inside of a snow globe, and all the while to feel so very cozy, encompassed in a bubble of warmth and steam. What you love about this, Onsen, is that it feels very private, without compromising on its breathtaking views. In part, it feels like a secret hideaway. Yet there's also a sense that you can see across the world. Hina was right. The snow is beautiful. You can hear its patter on the thatched roof above, and it only grows prettier in the dimming afternoon. It's brighter and more obvious as it dances through the air. You note the sparkle of something far away, and decide to move

Starting point is 00:49:52 to get a closer look. As you do, the water spills out of the tub, and disappears through the gaps in the outdoor decking. You might assume that the water is wasted, but in fact it's collected below the decking, treated and cleaned. Then it's put back into circulation at just the right temperature. You position yourself on the other side of the bath so you're looking outwards. Your chin rests comfortably on your warm forearms, with your elbows out on the sides of the bath. From here, your view is clearer. You can make out details that you hadn't seen before. The sparkling comes from frozen icicles. They d It's a ribbon of crystal twisting along the slope. On its final descent, it forms a wall-sized ice column. Hints of turquoise are blended among the white. It's the same colour as the water in your bath, which itself is as captivating as the view outdoors.

Starting point is 00:52:10 You find yourself lost in the sound of running water and the patterns that ripple across the surface of the tub. For a moment, you ponder the next few hours, and what your bed might look like when it's laid out, fully made. Though before you climb into bed, you might sample another onsen. You could gaze at the stars from the warmth of this path. You can observe the landscape as it changes around you, and see the silvers and whites of winter made more beautiful by the darkness. You notice the sensation of cool air The heat of the water feels healing and relaxing. It eases your mind and body. How wonderful it is to enjoy the winter like this, wrapped in the comfort of natural warm water. నినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినిార్లులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులులనినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినినిన� you

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - A Sleepy Stay at a Ryokan: Part 1

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