Ryokan

A ryokan is a traditional Japanese inn that offers lodging with an emphasis on hospitality, quiet atmosphere, and harmony with its surroundings. Rooms are typically tatami-matted and furnished with low tables, futons for sleeping, and sliding doors. Meals, often included in the stay, showcase local ingredients in multi-course kaiseki or other regional styles. Many ryokan are located in historic districts or near hot springs and onsen towns, preserving a distinctive, old-fashioned ambiance.

Historically, ryokan developed along Edo-period travel routes and in hot spring towns to serve travelers. The classic form combined simple accommodations with communal spaces, public baths, and carefully prepared meals. While some have modern conveniences, many ryokan maintain traditional architecture, including wooden latticework, paper screens, and garden courtyards.

Guest rooms usually feature tatami floors, futon bedding stored during the day, and a low table with cushions. Baths may be shared or private; many inns offer onsen or rotenburo baths and sometimes gender-segregated areas. Yukata robes and slippers are commonly provided, and meals can be taken in the dining room or served in the guest room.

Ryokan differ from hotels and from minshuku, which are usually smaller and more inexpensive or family-run. The experience centers on traditional hospitality, meals, and bathing rituals, and prices vary with season and location. Advance reservations are common, as are policies regarding tattoos or outdoor baths.

Ryokan are plentiful across Japan, with notable clusters in Kyoto, Hakone, Beppu, and the Kinosaki and Nikko regions, among others. They offer a window into Japanese hospitality and, for many travelers, a destination experience rather than merely a place to sleep.