Japan 2024# Guntû (Patreon)

Guntû (ぐんつう / ぐんつ) is the local name of a small blue crab that lives in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea. A floating hotel in the same sea was named after it — the one we were lucky enough to visit during our trip. The owners intentionally chose this name to reflect something small, natural, and deeply connected to the sea — like that crab living among the sand and seaweed along Seto’s shores. It symbolizes calm, stillness, the rhythm of the ocean, and a quiet life in harmony with nature.That’s exactly what this hotel offers — a sense of grounding (or more precisely, gentle rocking on the water), slowing down, and simply being.

When we first arrived and settled into our room, I immediately felt how everything around whispered about slowing down and peace. But my mild claustrophobia — and the lingering Titanic trauma — didn’t let me fully surrender to it right away. Because, you know… somewhere out there, that iceberg might still be waiting for us )))

The whole journey lasted only three days.

We stopped in Hatsukaichi for a short excursion — and probably a few other places too, but we slept through most of them.

Usually, I avoid places like this — couples’ resorts, parties, big hotels, concerts. They always feel too loud, too social, too performative. And I was afraid Guntû would feel the same way. But the Japanese culture — and the name itself — did their magic.

Those three days were pure stillness: watching the water, meeting the sunrise and sunset, feeling the wind on my skin, tasting simple, perfect Japanese food and enjoying company of my fance.

It was truly magical.