HISTORY

The Early History of Heihachi Tea House.

 Since the beginning of the Heian Period (the end of the eighth century) Heihachi Tea House Inn of Yamabana has been known for its stylish hospitality, its beautiful natural environments, and the delicate taste of its cuisines. The direct ancester of the present owner can be traced up to 1576. The Takano River and Mt. Hiei still show us the peaceful picture admired in an ancient theatrical work; the combination of the clean, pure stream and the soothing green mountain.

 Modern facilities are now available for present-day travelers but the Inn's chefs prepare all the meals in the two-hundred year old kitchen, and the waitresses still dress in the same style as in the 18th century.

Among the loyalists who used to get together at Heihachi Tea House was Rai Sanyo, the great poet and scholar. In his diary written in 1820, he left us a piece of Chinese poetry which describes the pleasure of resting and dining at our Inn.

A Few Anecdotes

 In the turbulent days at the end of the Edo Period, our Tea House was regarded as a secret headquarter of Emperor's side, and was often invaded by Shinsengumi (Shogun-side picked troops), who were searching for Lord Iwakura, one of the Emperor side brains and the Meiji government's cabinet members. There still remains the swords cuts made on those occasions of attacks on the wallsand pillars of our Tea House.

In his Gubijinso (1907), Soseki Natsume, the eminent writer of Japan, writes as follows:
   I should have stayed at Heihachi Tea House all day today . We wouldn't make it to the top of the mountain.
I wonder how more miles we have to go on.
 This passage allows us to visualize Soseki Natsume enjoying dining with his friends at Heihachi Tea House.
Roka Tokutomi, another eminent writer of Japan, also mentions our Inn in his writings.

Copyright (C) 2001 Heihachi Jaya All rights reserved.