Hateno Village has an all-encompassing comfort to it and that remains true regardless how often I’ve visited it. The castle and its acrid malice is hidden behind Neculda’s mountain ranges, making Hateno’s crisp scenery a purposeful reprieve for the player. And when he first arrives, Link can seek refuge from his long journey by staying at the Great Ton Pu Inn, nestled in the heart of the village.
Different NPCs like Thadd or Seldon can guide Link to the inn once he enters and explores the village. Ton Pu Inn stands sturdy at the top of the path that winds through the village center, marked by colorful blue banners, each brightly stitched with a white crescent moon. Not only can it be found by walking straight from either entrance to the village, but it is also down the hill from the home of Hateno’s Chief, Reede. Like all structures in Hateno, the inn has been built around the existing foothills in the dip of Neculda’s mountain valleys. Tall, strong wooden stilts hold the balcony at-level with the inn’s front door.
On nice days, an older villager named Leop will stand just outside the inn, imploring visitors to enter and stay for a good rest. Like other NPCs, he will retreat inside if it begins to rain. Leop will also suggest that Link speak to the innkeeper, Prima, if he’s interested in spending the night.
Prima also happens to be the object of someone’s affections. Another NPC, Manny, stands guard at the inn’s stable. While the player can mine some bits of information regarding the Calamity by speaking to him, Manny is also the catalyst for the sidequest “A Gift for My Beloved”. Helping him out involves interrogating Prima to find out what gifts she likes, in an attempt to help Manny woo her. Confused at Link’s apparent curiosity, Prima lies on the spot, saying that her dream is to own one hundred Restless Crickets. This excites Manny, a huge fan of Restless Crickets, and he requests that Link bring him 10 crickets to “get him started” on his collection for Prima. Link is paid one Silver Rupee for his troubles.
The Ton Pu Inn has a very cozy and intimate interior. On the upper floor, there are four beds for guests to use, each accompanied by a wooden end table. Shelves containing towels, teacups, and clothing bins line the walls. Below the guest floor is a room with two beds in it, presumably belonging to Prima and Leop, as well as a dresser, photos of the village’s windmills, and hung-up aprons and scarves.
Also on the first floor is a kitchen with the typical Hateno setup: ceramic jars and bowls, dried herbs hung from a rope, wooden cutlery, and sacks of Tabantha wheat. A small vase of flowers sits in the center of a quaint dining table. Link can obtain a Pot Lid that sits next to the brick oven.
A door leading to the inn’s balcony stands left of the kitchen’s dusty bookshelf. The balcony itself is small, only containing some (smashable) pots and a table with two empty bottles. During the day, a traveler named Worten can be found sitting at the table, mug in hand, eager to tell Link of his adventures. Despite Worten’s adventurous attitude, however, he has only gotten so far. He has a habit of turning back at the first obstacle in his travels, and this becomes clear whilst speaking to him. Still, he provides some details about the main locations of Link’s quest to free the Divine Beasts, such as Goron City and Gerudo Town. In the evenings, Worten can be found upstairs, snoring next to another table of bottles.
During my first playthrough of Breath of the Wild, I waited to purchase the house southeast of the village (achieved through the “Hylian Homeowner” sidequest) until I was nearly done with the base game. Every time I stopped by Hateno Village, I made a stop at the inn. It fulfills the medieval RPG trope: a welcoming and warm place to rest your head, befriend an ally, and appreciate the scenery. Why would I need to set roots down in a village that hosts such a comfortable place?
Hateno isn’t just a safe place because of the fresh mountain air and clear rivers. It also remains one of the only places to have survived the Calamity’s burning devastation, and the player can truly feel that. The Ton Pu Inn, much like the Stables scattered across Hyrule, holds a protective shade over the weary wanderer. Those who hold residence at the inn represent the average experience of one trying to live their life beyond the horrors of what the castle may hold (especially now that memories of the apocalypse have faded with time). That is why for Link, a stay at the Ton Pu Inn is a chance to slow down, take a breath, and prepare to get back on the road to saving the kingdom.
