On the nights of the 6th and 7th February I stayed in the Fujiya Hotel, the oldest hotel in Japan.  The founder of the hotel, Yamaguchi Sennosuke, was a member of an early Japanese delegation to Europe and the USA in 1871-1873.  It was founded in 1878 in order to introduce a Western-style hotel to Japan, although due to two fires, the buildings date from 1891.

It offers a unique blend of Western and Japanese ambiance.  Many eminent people have stayed here, including Emperor Hirohito, Bertrand Russell and John Lennon & Yoko Ono.

Most of the time I stayed here it was raining, sometimes quite heavily.

This is just outside my room, though viewed from beside the pool.

I think I was standing on the small feeding platform, so the carp were milling round expectantly.

The Kikka-so Inn is part of the hotel though it is a former imperial villa.  I was able to have breakfast there one morning.

Here is a traditional doll set in a foyer of the hotel.  It shows the Emperor and Empress with members of their court and items of furniture.   It is part of the annual doll festival, held in March each year, which was initiated at the enthronement of the Empress Meisho in 1629.

Heavy rain is a good time for waterfalls, this one in the grounds of the hotel.

Another waterfall, this time in front of the hotel.  If you look closely you can see that the rain is heavy indeed.