Mother House Bethany

Strange name isn't it?

This is a place Maiko and Grahame Smith (CMS missionary with KGK up to a few months ago) recommend we stay.

Its's about 5000yen per night ($90 with today's terrible exchange rate) but it includes breakfast and dinner. So think $60 per night to sleep and a $10 brekky and $20 dinner. Back in the good old days (ie June 2008) I'd be telling you $30 per night, $5 brekky etc.

To put the meal prices in perspective, Rachel and I used to eat out at a dinner place for 1500yen each. This was the cheapest place we could find, and we often used to go there because it cost about the same to cook at home! So even tho a $20 dinner sounds expensive for every day eating, our cheapest dinner (1500Y) would cost $27 in today's AUD-JPY fiasco.

Suffice to say I'm thinking it's good value especially because we save on train fares compared to any of the hotels/hostels we'd found previously.

Other advantages:

-it's on the same train line as Mukonoso Church

-it's closer to a few of the unis Maiko visits (2 or 3 of us can come per visit)

-it's a place where people will more readily understand why we are in Japan - missionaries use the place for conferences etc.

-it's in Kobe - tell your friends you're going to mega-earthquake town

-it's under 20mins by train to most of our ministry locations, which cuts off 30mins travel time (and 300yen) compared to Osaka city youth hostels and hotels.

Your thoughts - should we book? Our other main option at present is a "Weekly Mansion" in central Osaka for 2500Y each per night. It's at least 33mins train ride from the church and 300Y more in 1-way train fare. No food is included, but we can cook for ourselves.