The fire
Light it yourselves,
and cook on it.
There are two irori hearths in the wooden-floored rooms, used with charcoal only, and a kamado stove in the earthen-floored kitchen, which burns firewood.
You light it
We provide printed instructions, dry firewood and kindling (cedar bark and cardboard) for the kamado, gloves and a bamboo blowpipe, all included in the rate. For the irori hearth or a BBQ, please bring your own charcoal, or buy it here (6 kg for 2,000 JPY) — payable in cash at the house. We do not provide commercial firelighters.
Some nights it catches at once. Some nights it takes a while. That time is part of the stay.
If it will not catch
Read the instructions again first. Switch to thinner sticks and leave room for air — that usually does it. If it still will not catch, you can cook on the kitchen stove. As a last resort, someone answers the phone 24 hours.
Fire safety
This is a wooden building over 200 years old. Fire safety instructions and the location of extinguishers are set out in the printed manual in the house. Please put the fire out before sleeping, and never build a fire indoors outside the hearths.