Good budget hotel in Kumamoto - Toyoko Inn Kumamoto Ekimae

Only stayed here for a night, so we liked the fact that this hotel was an easy walk from JR Kumamoto Station with our trolley bags. Thumbs up for the Toyoko Inn chain in terms of cleanliness and good value.

View of JR Kumamoto Station from my hotel room

After staying in 12 different Toyoko Inns where I had breakfast at the hotel for 24 mornings, my quiet and discreet observation is that most Japanese women eat very little (at least during breakfast), while majority of Japanese men have  a hearty breakfast (like my hubby and 3 sons do), and just a small handful of Japanese men eat sparingly like the women.

Day 17 hotel breakfast

I observed how a Japanese lady held the miso bowl (miso soup is present at every breakfast) with both her hands and drink from it so eleganty. Ah… I learnt to do so subsequently.

We checked in on 15 Dec 2011 (a Thursday), and happened to catch this Toyoko Inn's free curry rice night. This hotel only serves free curry rice at 7pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays (hope my memory is correct!). Guests are limited to just one serving. The lady cook dishes it out to guests who stand in line. If it's a lady, she dishes out a lady's portion, and if it's a guy or child, she also dishes out the quantity accordingly.

GG was given a small child's portion which she wasn't very happy with and I advised CK (he's 11) to tell the lady he'd like to have a large serving by saying "ooki kusasai". I can tell that if the lady gives CK the child portion, he'd only be half-full. Anyway, those words are my limited Japanese-speaking ability for "large, please". He did that, and was happy he was given the normal portion.

Curry rice served by Toyoko Inn

You can see the karage (fried chicken) on the curry rice plate - those weren't provided by Toyoko Inn - we bought them at 6.30pm (crazily discounted by 50% at this time) from a supermart near the hotel and popped them in the microwave Toyoko Inn provides at the dining area. My kids like to eat meat, that's why I buy these add-ons for the curry rice dinner.

Toyoko Inn calls the free curry rice supper - but to us, and I think, to most guests as well - it was a good and cheap dinner! They only prepare a pot or two of it, so when it runs out, it runs out. Just like breakfast - go early if you wanna eat.