What is a Ryokan Experience?

Intro

Picture a room with walls made from shōji (rice paper screens and sliding doors), tatami floors (woven mats), and a futon to sleep on. You are given a yukata (a type of kimono) to change into and slippers to wear on your feet. Tea is poured, an onsen (hot spring bath) is waiting, and a traditional, multi-course kaiseki dinner is being prepared. This is a ryokan and it is much more than a bed for the night. A traditional Japanese ryokan is a unique, authentic, and immersive experience, which often includes dining and bathing, as part of a deep dive into Japanese culture and household traditions. Ryokan are an excellent choice for travellers who want to enjoy a more traditional local experience when visiting Japan. At JapanDen, our goal is to help you find your perfect place to stay. If you’re interested in a traditional ryokan experience, we’ve got everything you need to know right here. 

What is a Ryokan?

Simply put, a ryokan is a traditional Japanese inn. There are thousands of ryokan across Japan and they date back hundreds and hundreds of years. Many are based in preserved historic buildings, former farmhouses, or traditional Japanese homes, and offer both a place to stay and an authentic cultural experience. If you want to step back in time, walk into another world, and explore the ‘old Japan’ of your dreams and your imagination, then a ryokan stay should be high on your list.   

A Brief History of Japanese Ryokan

The oldest hotel in the world was apparently a Japanese ryokan dating back to 710CE although their modern day history begins centuries later in the famous Edo Period (1603-1868). At the time, feudal lords and their samurai needed to travel from across the country to Edo (modern day Tokyo) for an audience with the Shogun. Coaching inns were established along these routes to honour guests and enable weary noblemen to rest, eat, and bathe in an onsen. Dining was also an expected part of the experience with a multi-course dinner and breakfast provided as well as tea and rounds of sake. While these inns were initially located along the many highways leading to Edo, such as the famous Tokaido Road, they were also built close to natural hot springs so that they could offer onsen facilities. As such, there are many ryokan in onsen resort towns, close to (or part of) traditional bathhouses. Today, ryokan give visitors to Japan a unique opportunity to step back in time and immerse themselves in a traditional cultural experience; dining, bathing, and resting, like the Japanese lords of old.  

What is Omotenashi?

Omotenashi is a term used to describe the concept of ‘selfless generosity and hospitality’ in Japanese culture. This is reflected in many different ways throughout Japanese society, but perhaps nowhere better than the way in which traditional ryokan (and the Japanese people as a whole) welcome travellers as honoured visitors to their home. When you stay at a ryokan, you can truly expect to be treated like a special guest. 

Staying in a Ryokan

Much more than a bed for the night, a ryokan is a fully-rounded cultural experience. It is an opportunity to sleep, dine, and bathe, like a Japanese citizen, and a chance to experience Japanese hospitality and household customs first-hand. We believe that staying in a ryokan is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in traditional Japanese culture, which is one of the main reasons why millions of people visit this beautiful country every year. While ryokan can vary enormously, they generally have several key features such as traditional rooms, clothing, dining, and an onsen, as part of the experience. 

What does a Ryokan experience include?

Every ryokan is unique and amenities can vary from region to region, which is one of the many qualities that makes them so appealing as a type of accommodation. Ryokan are not all the same and each one has its own quirks, eccentricities, and individual spirit. Of course, there are some common features, such as these: 

• Rooms

Typically rooms featured tatami mats on the floor, sliding doors, and walls known as shōji constructed from wood and rice paper. Some ryokan may offer a choice between traditional and Western-style rooms.

• Clothing and footwear

As per Japanese customs, you will be expected to change out of your ‘outside’ shoes and into indoor footwear when you step inside a ryokan. You may wear slippers or wooden sandals known as ‘geta’. There will also be a kimono-style robe called a ‘Yukata’ in your room, which you should wear around the ryokan, including to dinner. Make sure to tie the belt on your ‘Yukata’ from left to right as the opposite symbolises death in Buddhism.    

• Dining

Ryokan often serve guests dinner and breakfast as part of the experience. Alongside a traditional Japanese breakfast, guests may also be treated to kaiseki - a multi-course, traditional Japanese banquet style meal. Kaiseki-ryori dates back to 9th Century Japan and is sometimes referred to as ‘Japanese Haute Cuisine’. Menus are often seasonal and use the best local produce. Speciality dishes will vary from region to region too. You can expect to be well fed and enjoy some delicious food. Some ryokan offer a choice between Western-style dinner and breakfast and Japanese depending on your preferences. 

• Onsen

Many ryokan feature a communal or private onsen for guests. Onsen are baths for relaxation rather than washing using hot water from Japan’s geothermal volcanic springs. Ryokan and onsen tend to go hand-in-hand in Japan and the country’s hot springs and bathhouses are a major part of Japanese culture. As with other aspects of Japanese culture, there is a specific etiquette around bathing that must be followed. Communal onsen are separated by gender, you must wash before you enter the onsen, no bathing costumes are allowed, hair is tied up and kept out of the water, and any tattoos must be covered up as they are still associated with crime in Japan. Sharing an onsen is a communal experience in Japan, but private onsen for individuals or couples are also available. Many ryokan will have their own onsen for you to enjoy during your stay. Some even have rooms with private onsen. 

• Tea ceremonies

Many ryokan also offer tea ceremonies as part of the experience as well as dining - at the very least you’ll be served tea throughout your stay even if it is more informal. Tea ceremonies are a significant part of Japanese culture and hugely popular with overseas visitors keen to see how the people of Japan have transformed serving tea into an art form. 

• Omiyage Shops

While not every ryokan will have omiyage shops, it’s worth being aware of what they are. Omiyage is a Japanese word used to describe both the concept of never arriving empty-handed to a meeting with friends or colleagues and also the gifts themselves, which can be all kinds of things. These ‘gift shops’ can be found across Japan, but some ryokan also have small shops where authentic items can be bought to take home. This can include yukata robes and other wares. 

Different Types of Ryokan

Ryokan come in all shapes and sizes, including luxury ryokan and more budget-friendly versions. There are also smaller, family-run ryokan across Japan, which are known as minshuku. Different types of ryokan include:

• Luxury ryokan

The highest standard to ryokan and the equivalent of a 5* hotel. These ryokan boast beautiful buildings and spacious rooms with special features such as private onsen. The most luxurious of these are known as category A+++ ryokan. 

• Traditional ryokan

These ryokan offer the chance to step back in time and are often based in carefully preserved historical homes and buildings with beautifully serene gardens and grounds. The authenticity of this experience is second to none although you may find the accommodation lacks one or two modern amenities such as WiFi and air-conditioning etc, so it’s always worth checking ahead.   

• Modern ryokan

A ryokan that bridges the middle ground between traditional Japanese inn and Western-style hotel. These ryokan remain identifiably Japanese in style, but have added more modern features and amenities to make life easier and more comfortable for Western guests. They may also have a slightly more contemporary style.

• Standard ryokan

An authentic ryokan experience at an affordable price. The most budget friendly ryokan in this range are sometimes known as Category D. 

• Minshuku

A family-run, bed and breakfast style ryokan, a minshuku might be a former farmhouse and you may be staying in the host family’s actual home. It doesn’t get more authentic. 

• Shukubo

Some of Japan’s Buddhist temples offer accommodation for visitors called shukubo, which as well as being a beautiful and unique place to stay, gives visitors a special insight into another important aspect of Japanese culture and its two main religions Buddhism and Shintoism. 

Where can I find a Ryokan?

There are thousands of ryokan across Japan so you won’t be short of options. At the same time, it can be hard to know where to start if you’ve never stayed in a ryokan before and don’t know what to look for. Thankfully, we’re here to help. At JapanDen, we want you to find the perfect place to stay. That’s why we’ve carefully curated a list of the very best ryokan (and other accommodation) for you to choose from. We have more than 1,800 ryokan on our list of recommendations and you can find out more here. 

Useful Links 

At JapanDen, we take a holistic approach to helping you find the perfect place to stay in Japan. Alongside our specialist accommodation recommendations, in-depth travel guides, 24/7 assistance, and community forum, we can also point you in the right direction for the most cost-effective and enjoyable transport, portable Wifi devices, and partner services to make your visit to Japan extra special:

• For the perfect place to stay, visit our Hotels page and choose from more than 2,800 hotels and 1,800 traditional ryokans.

• Meanwhile, if you want to learn more about Japan’s regions and prefectures so you can decide the best place to visit, you should check out our Destinations page. 

• If you’re looking to explore Japan then the country’s famously efficient trains are the way to go. Japan’s railways are renowned as being the fastest, cleanest, and safest in the world. The country’s rail network is so vast and interconnected that it can help you reach almost any corner of Japan you’d like to visit. Furthermore, with a Japan Rail Pass you can enjoy unlimited travel on the majority of the country’s trains, including the famous Shinkansen ‘bullet trains’. The JR Pass is by far the most cost effective and flexible way to get around Japan. Find out more by visiting our partners at www.jrpass.com today.

• Want to use Google Translate to support your language skills? Or Google Maps for live train updates? What about posting photos to social media or keeping in touch with home? For all this and more, you’ll need a PocketWifi device like those from Ninja Wifi. With unlimited data, support for five devices simultaneously, the ability to share your Wifi with your travel companions, and more, renting a PocketWifi is highly recommended. Our Pocket WiFi guide has everything you need to know.   

• If you’re looking for information about Japan and want to speak with expert travellers who have been there and done that, then you should join our Community. This welcoming and friendly forum is the place to go to share stories, knowledge, and experiences about Japan, ask questions, make new connections, and find travel inspiration.