Meoto-ya (めおと屋) is a post town inn run by Heikichi and Oryō.
Overview[]
Appearance[]
Meoto-ya has a shabby appearance, with the roof tiles being shaved off and the outer walls of the entrance being covered in patches. Despite this, the interior and furnishing of the rooms are properly arranged and the hallways are polished to where the ceiling is reflected.
Rules[]
To treat their guests properly, Oryō made up a set of rules she and her husband must follow:
- The customers must not be bothered.
- Cooking must be done with sincerity.
- The rooms must always be clean.
Food[]
The food is prepared by Heikichi who cooks using cheap ingredients but is skillfully in bringing out the umami in the dishes he prepares. During Gabimaru and Sagiri's stay, Heikichi had served them a traditional Ichiju-sansai dish.
History[]
A year ago, Heikichi and his wife Oryō opened up Meoto-ya after signing up for a newly established program in their town that would support the openings of shops and inns to revitalize the region. However, they realized much later that they were deceived, as the contract made by the loan shark Shichimatsuya stated (in small letters) that they and the other villagers had to pay an exorbitant interest rate, resulting in them and the other victims being harassed on a daily basis whenever a late payment was made.
A year later, Sagiri, who was transporting Gabimaru to Edo, makes a stop at Meoto-ya to find an inn to settle at but prepared to walk out after becoming unimpressed with the poor conditioning. However, the two wounded up becoming guests after walking in on Heikichi and Oryō being harassed by men who came to collect debt from them. During their stay, Gabimaru and Sagiri learned about their hostesses' situation and helped to resolve it by the time they left.
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| Iwagakure | |
| Meoto-ya • Yamada Asaemon Dōjō | |
| Hōjō • Hōrai | |