Standard Ryokan
A standard ryokan offers guests a basic, “no-frills” version of a Japanese ryokan. The building is usually a plain, concrete building and it looks more like a small inn or hotel than a Japanese ryokan. Inside a standard ryokan there is little traditional atmosphere or character, and while the rooms are Japanese-style they are very plain and simple. A standard ryokan is a ryokan experience “on the cheap,” a ryokan experience without the usually higher ryokan prices found in other traditional or modern-style ryokans.

Modern Ryokan
From the outside, a modern ryokan usually looks like a small hotel and indeed it has all the modern conveniences of a hotel. It is very comfortable and has Japanese-style rooms and baths. It is well maintained so both its interior and exterior look fairly new. There is some traditional Japanese atmosphere but there is little or no history to the place. It is close to a Japanese-style hotel but with touches of traditional Japanese culture here and there. The comfort of the guests is the number one priority, and the Japanese cultural experience takes second place.

Traditional Ryokan
A traditional ryokan is a traditional Japanese inn in the truest sense of the term. The owners take great pride in preserving the building’s traditional atmosphere and history. Indeed, the preservation of the ryokan in its original form is deemed more important than catering to the comfort of the guests. Staying in a traditional ryokan would be like staying in a European castle – wonderful atmosphere but at the expense of hotel-style comfort. The Japanese-style rooms and baths are comfortable but they can be dark and drafty. The hallways are also gloomy and there may be few modern conveniences. The building is made entirely of wood and there is usually a beautiful, traditional Japanese garden.

Luxurious Ryokan
A luxurious ryokan has a long history, traditional atmosphere, and the owners pamper their guests with comfort and all the modern conveniences. The owners and staff go out of their way to make sure the guests are treated like royalty; in other words, Japanese hospitality at its finest. The Japanese-style rooms and baths are very comfortable, and the traditional, “kaiseki-style” meals are outstanding. The ryokan is made entirely of wood and there is also a beautiful Japanese-style garden. Luxurious ryokans are very expensive and usually located in the major hot spring and tourist areas.

Ryokan Hotel
From the outside, a ryokan hotel looks like a normal hotel and when a guest enters the building the lobby is like a hotel lobby. A ryokan hotel also has such amenities as a karaoke room, a bar, a gift shop / convenience store, a coffee shop, and a restaurant. The ryokan hotel is brightly lit and very comfortable. The only real difference between a hotel and a ryokan hotel is the ryokan hotel has Japanese-style rooms and baths but there may also be Western-style rooms. Guests can also often choose between having Western or Japanese-style meals.

Here are some other types of accommodation.  These are not true ryokans but they offer a genuine traditional Japanese cultural experience:

Minshuku
A minshuku is usually a small, wooden, Japanese-style building. The building is generally not very big, and the rooms are Japanese-style but not as large as the rooms in Japanese ryokans. While the building and rooms are usually clean and comfortable, the rooms and hallways can sometimes be dark and a bit drafty. A minshuku tries to project a “homey” atmosphere and guests are served home-style Japanese cooking. Minshukus are generally inexpensive and the owners pride themselves on their friendly, personalized service.

Buddhist Temple
A great way to experience traditional Japanese culture is by staying at a Buddhist Temple. The most popular places are on Mount Koya (Wakayama Prefecture) and in Kyoto. Temple lodging is known in Japanese as “shukubo” and while the style of accommodation can sometimes be basic the cuisine is often very, very good. The temple monks serve what is known as “shojin ryori” which is vegetarian cuisine, and at many temples guests are also welcome to attend the early morning prayer ceremonies.

“Gassho-Zukuri” (traditional thatched gable roof houses)
The “gassho-zukuri” are located primarily in Shirakawago, Gifu Prefecture and Gokayama, Toyama Prefecture. This style of traditional Japanese architecture means “praying hands.” This comes from the shape of the roof which is thought to resemble two hands clasped in Buddhist prayer. The steep roof is designed to prevent snow piling up on the roof, and it also keeps the inside relatively cool in summer. Another feature is no pegs or nails are used in their construction. and many contain “irori” (Japanese hearths) in the main central area. The smoke from these hearths permeate throughout the gassho-zukuri and have darkened the walls and wood over the years. Traditionally, the smoke was used to keep the silkworms warm (these buildings were used to raise silkworms for making silk and the silkworms were raised in frames in the upper levels of the building). The smoke is also essential to provide a protective coating for the pine and chestnut pillars and beams against insects. Warning: the gassho-zukuri are clean and comfortable but primitive, rustic accommodation. The gassho-zukuri can be dark, gloomy, and drafty. All bathing and toilet facilities are shared, and local home-style cuisine is provided to the guests.

A typical ryokan is an Japanese-style inn. Like a Western-style inn, maintaining the special, atmosphere and appearance is more important than providing the latest modern conveniences. A ryokan is for travellers who wish to experience Japanese culture and enjoy the comforts of Japanese hospitality and service.

There are, of course, many different styles of ryokans and the Ryokan Styles post will help explain them.

 

A Brief History of Japanese Ryokans

Ryokans have been a part of Japanese culture for centuries. Some of the earliest ryokans were (and some still are) located on the Tokaido Highway which connected the capital city of Edo (current day Tokyo) and the Imperial Palace in Kyoto. It was a very busy highway as samurai, traders, and others made their way between the two popular destinations in the country. Ryokans were built to welcome these weary travellers who needed to rest before continuing on their long journey. Some ryokans were very simple and offered extra rooms in their homes for travellers while others were more elaborate and served the higher ranks of the government. In any case the owners worked hard to make their guests feel as welcome as possible as they still do today.

Inside a Ryokan Guest Room

 

 

 

A typical ryokan guest room contains:

 

 

• the “agari-kamachi” (after opening the door guests step into this small area and take off their shoes)
• “shoji” (sliding paper doors) which separates the agari-kamachi from the room
• “tatami” mat flooring (reed floor matting)
• low wooden tables
• “zabuton” (sitting cushions)
• futon (sleeping quilts)
• a “tokonoma” (an ornamental alcove built into the wall used for placing flower vases and hanging scrolls)
• an “oshiire” (a closet for futon sleeping quilts)
• an “engawa” (a glass enclosed sitting area separated from the room by a shoji)

Ryokan Buildings

Many ryokans are composed of different buildings such as:

• “Honkan” (original building)
• “Shinkan” or “Bekkan” (secondary or annex buildings)

Experiencing a Ryokan – is it for you?

Staying at a typical ryokan is a traditional Japanese cultural experience, and it is not like staying at a Western-style hotel. For example ryokans do not have central heating and in the winter this means you will be staying in a room with a portable heater (kerosene, gas, electric). While your room may be heated, your private bathroom (if you have one) will probably not have a separate heater. In the summer time, your room may have an air conditioning unit but again your private bathroom (if you have one) will probably not have one. Many ryokan owners wish to preserve the traditional atmosphere of their ryokan, and this means maintaining old fashioned heating systems in order to preserve the traditional architecture, design, and atmosphere of the ryokan. If you prefer to sleep in a double room with twin queen-size beds and have: a full modern bathroom, carpeted rooms, perfect room temperature, insulated silence, the latest high tech gadgets, and every member of the staff speaking fluent English then a ryokan might not be for you. However, if you wish to see, taste, touch, and feel traditional Japanese culture then a night at a typical ryokan is just the thing for you. While most of the staff at ryokans speak very little English, this authenticity adds to the experience. Ryokans are only available in Japan and it is an experience not to be missed.

Prices

Ryokans charge per guests and not per room. The average price of a one night stay at most ryokans is about 15,000 yen per guest plus tax. For example, if there are two of you traveling together, this means a total of 30,000 yen per night plus tax. If you are staying at a ryokan with an “onsen” (hot spring baths), then there is an additional onsen tax of 150 yen per guest per night. The prices of many ryokans range from about 7,000 yen to 110,000 yen per guest plus tax. At a ryokan some of the following factors determining prices are:

• room size
• room location
• room view (a view of a river, a view of a Japanese garden, etc.)
• room facilities (indoor hot spring bath, outdoor hot spring bath, etc.)
• day of the week
• season and holiday season
• number of guests
• meal(s) served and so on

Payment

Your payment will most likely need to be made in cash (Japanese yen) unless otherwise stated. Some ryokans do accept credit card (of course different ryokans accept different credit cards) though Japan is still a cash society so please be prepared to pay your bill in cash. The most widely accepted credit cards are VISA and MasterCard while American Express and others are not accepted as much.

One reason that I find the Onsen better than a Spa is that often the Onsen are located outdoors whereas Spa’s are usually located inside.  Here is a picture from an Onsen that I went to in Izu last Christmas.  This onsen is actually a part of a Japanese Ryokan (traditional Japanese Inn) and as you can see this onsen is outside.  When an onsen is located outside it is referred to as a rotemburo.  Sitting outdoors in the hot natural spring water on December 24th I contemplated the answer to the question of  the meaning of life, the universe and everything.  I realized the answer was 42.  Not only was it a great place to sit and chillax, but there was also an amazing view down the valley to Mt. Fuji’s snow-capped peak.

Because the onsen/rotemburo is located outdoors, you can get to look at some beautiful scenery that you would miss seeing if you were simply going to a Spa.  I find that the view adds quite a lot to the overall experience and that all of the best onsen or ryokan that I have been to here in Japan have had amazing outdoor rotemburo.

Couple of things to keep in mind if you are planning a visit for the first time to an Onsen, Ryokan or Sento (Japanese Bathhouse).  First, don’t even bother trying to get in to a Sento if you have a tattoo, you will be politely (but forcefully) instructed to leave (I’m not going to get into WHY now, that will be a topic for another post later on).  Onsen, especially those located at Ryokans are much more relaxed about the “No Tattoo” rule.  That said, I was once told at an Onsen in Atami that I would not be allowed to use the facilities if I had a tattoo.

- down the valley to Mt. Fuji -

Second, there is an etiquette to using an Onsen … follow it.  Generally the Men’s and Women’s Onsen are separated (although not always) and at the entrance to the Onsen area there will be a curtained door marked for Women and another marked for Men.  Push the curtain aside and open the door into the Onsen area.  A typical Onsen area is divided into 2 or 3 parts.  The first area is where you take off and store your clothes or yukata (a traditional Japanese robe).  You will then go through a door into the second area which will have an indoor Onsen and a bath area with a number of small seats.  Each seat is positioned in front of a hand held shower unit.  Here is when the etiquette comes in.  You must scrub yourself clean (using the provided soap) and make sure to get every part of the body (I recommend that you lather up and rinse two times).

Third, after you have accomplished the double-wash, check to make sure you don’t have any soap still on the body.  You are now free to use the indoor onsen, or you can choose to open another door to the third area which will be the outdoor onsen/rotemburo (assuming they have one).  Sit in the water, look at the sky, take in the views and let the stress of the week go away.