Guesthouse Sensu is a fascinating and cozy place, and its owner, who goes by the name Toshi, has a rather interesting background. He was born and raised in Ota City and has been practicing tea ceremony—known in Japanese as ‘sado’ (the way of tea)—for more than 15 years.
It is ‘the way of tea’ that inspired Toshi to open a guesthouse, creating an opportunity to share his love of sado with travellers from around the world. Even the name of his guesthouse, Sensu, is related to sado, for this is the name of the traditional folding fan that is utilized by guests during a tea ceremony. What makes Sensu so special is the tea room that Toshi had built into the guesthouse; those staying are able to take a lesson and experience tea ceremony for the very reasonable price of ¥1,000.
Sado is not the only aspect of Japanese culture that you can enjoy at Sensu, as Toshi also stocks quite the collection of manga and computer games. In total, he has over 3,000 manga and more than 100 games for PS3, PS4, Nintendo 64, Nintendo Switch, and Sega, all of which guests are welcome to use. Toshi recommends the manga title Giant Killing, which is about football (soccer), and for games he personally favors Gundam.
The guesthouse has two dormitory-style rooms with bunk beds, one for females and one for males, as well as one private bedroom that can accommodate up to three people. There are shower cubicles and bathrooms on each floor for shared use, and all guests have access to the kitchen, living room, and tea room. Bookings can be made via email and you will find further information on the website.
Located just five minutes from Haneda International Airport by train, the guesthouse is very convenient for travellers using this travel hub. The neighborhood is quiet and full of character, with many local mom and pop shops lining the main street, and the guesthouse staff are happy to suggest delicious ramen and beef bowl restaurants nearby for eating out.
There are many cultural sights to visit in the area, one of them being Anamori Inari-jinja Shrine, which is famous for its rows of vermilion torii gates. Furthermore, you can easily explore various other places around Ota City from Guesthouse Sensu – just follow this one-day itinerary for an authentic Japanese experience.
When planning your trip to Tokyo, why not choose Guesthouse Sensu as your Japanese home away from home.
