Staying in a Ryokan

Ryokans are traditional Japanese inns, and what makes them different from hotels is their emphasis on a distinctively Japanese atmosphere and decor, as well as the superb service and the wonderful meals that usually come with your room.
Ryokans have been around for centuries, and were a prominent feature of the old post roads that ran between major population centers such as Edo and Kyoto. They were also a part of the life within such cities, as well as near major pilgrimage sites or similar attractions. There were (and still are) a wide range of accommodations available, from extra rooms offered in private homes, generally called minshuku today, to breathtaking, palatial complexes of buildings and gardens catering to the most important travelers.

Ryokans Today









Far from being a relic of the past, ryokans are everywhere in modern Japan. In major urban centers, small countryside towns, hot springs areas and more, if you’re interested in staying in a ryokan, chances are there’s one nearby. In fact, the continued popularity of ryokans means that they’re often able to charge more than even very good hotels. An average ryokan will charge about fifteen thousand yen a night, per person, though of course it’s possible to find rates both below and above that standard. It’s important to remember the “per person” part of the formula, or you may be in for an unpleasant shock at checkout. Also, many ryokans are hesitant (or may even refuse) to host solitary travelers, because they make more from parties of two or more.
Before you dismiss the ryokan option as too expensive, though, remember that in this case you really do get what you pay for. The room rates are high primarily for two reasons. First, the rate will almost always include dinner, and possibly breakfast. 









And we’re not talking a “continental” offering of pastries and burned coffee. If you appreciate Japanese cuisine, the meals you’ll enjoy during your ryokan stay may be the best you have in Japan. The dinners can last an hour and a half or more, with an incredible array of dishes being served right in your room one after another. Additionally, ryokans strive to maintain a very unique feel, and the expenses involved in maintaining an older building, and filling it with beautiful furniture, scrolls, pottery and other objects naturally mean that you’ll pay more than at the nearby business hotel.
Still, after soaking in the large hot tub and enjoying an incredible dinner, once you’ve retired to the sitting room and shut the sliding paper doors to relax with a beer, looking out over a perfect Japanese garden and dozing off to the sound of water running over stone, you’ll probably agree that the additional expense was justified.


●Practical Matters
Once you’ve arrived at your ryokan and checked in, your host will probably take a few minutes to give you a short tour of the room. If you’re being served dinner in your room, you’ll set a time, usually after you’ve had the evening bath. If you’re eating in a common dining room your host will let you know when to arrive. You’ll be sleeping on a futon, not a bed, which will be stored in an oshiire, a closet with a sliding door. A staff member will usually lay your futons out for you either while you’re out or after clearing away the dishes.
Most modern ryokan have televisions in their rooms, but internet connections may be harder to come by. Additionally, in older and more traditional ryokan the heating system may work in some rooms but not in others. Don’t assume there will be central heating as its actually fairly uncommon in Japan, particularly in older buildings. You may even be using a portable kerosene space heater during the winter.

The classic outfit for lounging around your ryokan (or even walking around town if your in an onsen resort) is the yukata, a sort of light kimono.
The proper way to wear a yukata is as follows:

1. Slip it on, pull the edges together in front of you.








2. Tuck the right side under the left like a bathrobe. Be sure not to do the reverse, since right side on top is used only in preparing the dead for burial. 



3. The sash, or obi, should be knotted in the back, but you many find it easier just to knot it in front and then turn the belt until the knot is right above the small of your back. 




4. Finally, it’s considered attractive for women to pull the back of the collar out an inch or two to reveal the nape of the neck.