Todaya

HOTEL OVERVIEW

Look, I’ll be honest with you – Todaya isn’t going to wow you with flashy Instagram-worthy lobbies or infinity pools, but there’s something genuinely charming about this place that keeps pulling me back to Toba. It sits right in the heart of the old town area, and I mean literally – you’re a three-minute walk from Toba Station, which is clutch if you’re coming in from Osaka or Nagoya with luggage. The building itself has that classic Japanese ryokan vibe without being stuffy about it, you know? Clean lines, lots of wood, and the staff actually remembers your name after the first night.

What really gets me about Todaya is how they nail the details that matter. The rooms are proper Japanese-style with tatami mats and futon setups (though they’ve got Western-style rooms too if that’s more your speed), and honestly, sleeping on a good futon after a day of wandering around Mikimoto Pearl Island hits different. The onsen situation is solid – not huge, but the water’s the real deal and it’s usually pretty quiet in the early morning hours. I actually stumbled into the best timing by accident once: around 6 AM, you’ll probably have the whole bath to yourself, and there’s something magical about soaking in hot spring water while the sun comes up over Toba Bay.

The location is where Todaya really shines, though. You’re basically in the sweet spot where you can walk to everything that matters – the pearl farms, the aquarium, decent sushi spots that locals actually eat at (not just tourist traps). There’s this little seafood place called Yamada-ya about two blocks away that serves the kind of fresh ise-ebi that’ll ruin other lobster for you forever. The hotel staff pointed me there, actually, which tells you something about how they operate. They’re not trying to keep you trapped in their restaurant; they want you to experience real Toba. Parking can be a bit tight if you’re driving – there’s a small lot, but it fills up during peak season, so maybe call ahead if you’re road-tripping. The 8.1 rating makes sense to me; it’s not perfect (the Wi-Fi can be spotty on the upper floors, and don’t expect room service after 9 PM), but it delivers on what actually matters when you’re exploring this part of Mie Prefecture. You’re here for the pearls, the seafood, and that slower pace of coastal Japan – and Todaya puts you right in the middle of all that without breaking the bank or making you feel like you’re staying in some soulless chain hotel.