Staying in a traditional Japanese accommodation is a highlight of any journey in Japan. Many Japanese-style accommodations are in historic buildings, and all focus on providing a personal service . All our tours feature a variety of wonderful accommodations, with a emphasis on smaller, family-run inns with superb local cuisine.

 

Here we explain what to expect at each type of Japanese accommodation.

 

The classic Japanese inn, ryokan come in many styles, but they are united by flawless service and exquisitely-prepared food. Ryokan may be in modern or traditional wooden buildings, however rooms will always be Japanese style. Rooms are simply-furnished with Tatami (straw mat) floors, and futons are laid-out in the evening by the ryokan staff. Minshuku are similar to ryokan though usually run by a local family, and the style of service may be less formal and the rooms more simply-furnished.

Each ryokan prides itself on its cuisine, often featuring local ingredients and always prepared fresh each day. Meals will usually consist of many different courses, with a great variety of ingredients. The meal may start off with sashimi (raw fish), a thin broth, pickles, and vegetables, and then move on to a meat dish, a grilled fish dish, tempura, and end with rice.

 

As with ryokan, the meal at a minshuku is a highlight of the stay; many minshuku owners grow their own vegetables and fish, meat and other ingredients will be purchased fresh each day.

 

An added highlight of minshuku is that they may be inside older, more traditional buildings. In the Kiso Valley between Tokyo and Kyoto (Shoguns and Samurai and Nakasendo Trail tours) local families have restored 'machiya' style houses in the old post-towns into small minshuku. In Shirakawa-go (Shoguns and Samurai tour) we use a minshuku run by a local family in their 'gasshozukuri' thatched house. In Obi (Land of Fire tour), a local family prepares lobster caught by local fishermen, and in Tono (Mountain Spirits tour) a local man has turned his traditional magariya style L-shaped farmhouse into a minshuku serving a feast of local fish and vegetables and very good beer!

 

Both ryokan and minshuku usually provide cotton 'yukata' robes you can wear after checking-in. Feel free to wear them when going to dinner for a short stroll outside. Ryokan may have private bathrooms, but most minshuku because of the smaller, traditional buildings will have communal (segregated bathrooms). It is usually possible to have the bathroom all to yourself by going when the bathroom is less busy.

Arrival

When you arrive, enter into the genkan - the street level entrance area before the raised floor inside - and if nobody is there, call out 'gomen kudasai'.

Take off your shoes, stepping up onto the raised floor as you do, so you do not put your feet onto the dirty floor. Leave your shoes in the genkan.

Slippers will normally be arranged near the entrance for your use; put these on and enter. The ryokan owner or guide will show you to your room, explaining as they do the time and place for meals, the location and hours of the bathing area.

As you enter your room, make sure to remove your slippers before stepping onto the tatami matting. The slippers can be used anywhere inside the ryokan, except the toilets and outside. Many ryokan will provide special outside slippers for your use if you want to go out without putting your shoes back on.

 

In your room, you will usually find a small table in the centre of the room, often with a tea set and a hot water flask and a welcome sweet. Look in the closets for your yukata - cotton robe - together with your towel and obi sash for tying your yukata.. You will usually find a small, white towel for use in washing and a larger towel for drying yourself afterwards. You may also find a small toothbrush and toothpaste kit.

Put on your yukata (over your underwear!); you can wear the yukata anywhere in the ryokan including at meals. It is more comfortable for sitting and means less changing when going to the communal baths.

If your room has a private bathroom, you will find shampoo and liquid soap, but do not take these to the communal baths as they will be supplied there too.

Bathing

All ryokan will have a communal bathing area, segregated by sex, with large baths and showers, and in larger establishments a sauna. Ryokan with their hot spring source nearby will have natural hot spring baths, known as onsen, and they may have both inside and outside baths.(See our page on onsen for more)

Even if your room has its own shower or bath, it is worth trying the larger communal bathing area. Small ryokan without their own hot spring normally only heat the baths in the evening, and they will tell you the times upon your arrival. The tradition in Japan is to take a bath before or after dinner, and it is best to ask if you want to use the bath in the morning.

 

The bathing area will normally have two noren - door curtains - over the entrance. Red for women, blue for men. Upon entering, you will find the changing area, often with shelves and baskets for your clothing.

Remove your clothes, place in the basket, and take with you only the small white hand towel. The larger towel will get wet if taken into the bathing area.

 

Proceed into the bathing area, sliding open the doors. Small ryokan may have a bath big enough for only a few people, while large onsen ryokan may have baths that accommodate up to 25, 50 or more people.

First, take a small stool and bucket for washing, and find an empty space in front of the taps and showers. Sit on the stool and use your white hand towel to wash yourself, using the supplied shampoo and liquid soap.

Make sure to rinse all the soap from your body before getting into the bath water - you will be very unpopular with your fellow bathers if you bring soap into the bath! Make sure to leave your hand towel, rinsed, on the side of the bath or somewhere nearby, but do not put it in the bath itself.

Many Japanese wash themselves, soak, then wash again. It's ok to take your time soaking, chatting to your neighbour.

Dinner

The meal will be served in your room, or in the dining area. With groups, normally it will be the latter.

The time for dinner (and breakfast) will be explained when you check in. The ryokan staff may well come around to your room, or call you on the room phone when the meal is ready. You can eat dinner in your normal clothes or your yukata, whichever you prefer. Most Japanese guests will eat their evening meal in their yukate, but often breakfast is eaten in normal clothes if they are planning to check-out shortly after.

Please be ready for dinner at the appointed time. The meal will often have many courses that are served one after another. Before you leave your room for dinner, it's best not to leave too many items or delicate things on the floor, as the ryokan staff will come to the room while you are eating to lay out your futon and bedding. They will move the table to the side of the room, and put the futons in the middle.

If you want a drink with your meal, ask the maid. Usually beer (served in chu or dai, medium or large bottles), sake (served hot - atsukan or cold), soft drinks and juices are available. Juices may not be 100% fruit juice, you may only get a fruit-flavoured drink, so ask for hyaku-pa-sen-to (100%) juice. Wine may also be available - often French or Italian or domestic Japanese wine from Yamanashi, west of Tokyo. Most ryokan will not allow you to bring in your own drinks.

While water and tea are free, all drinks will be charged to your room's bill, and you can pay upon check-out.

After dinner, when you return to your room, you will find your futons laid out and ready for bed.

Some ryokan have vending machines for beer, sake and soft drinks, while others sell these at the front desk or in their gift shop. It is acceptable to purchase these and drink in your room.

Breakfast

Like dinner, breakfast is usually served at a set time. You may wear either your yukata or street clothes.

 

Departure

Many ryokan will not take credit cards, so make sure you know if they do, and have sufficient cash (Japanese yen) if they don't. Pay your bil at the front desk.

Your shoes will normally be placed neatly in the genkan ready for you in the morning. The ryokan staff in many establishments will come out to wave good bye.If you are leaving by car or bus, they will stand and bow as you leave.

 

The Japanese version of the mountain lodge, yamagoya are dotten along the trails of Japan's many national parks.

Although the yamagoya is usually more simply-furnished than ryokan or minshuku, their spectacular location always makes up for this.

 

The friendly Chozo-goya (Mountain Spirits tour) is located next to the pristine Oze-numa lake, and the Hokkein lodge (Land of Fire tour) has its own hot spring baths. Yamagoya are a great place to meet Japanese hikers and see another side to this amazing country.

 

 

 

These are lodgings in Buddhist temples originally meant for pilgrims, but now open to anyone. The rooms are similar to ryokan or minshuku, though without ensuite facilities. The food is excellent vegetarian Buddhist ‘shojin-ryori’ cuisine. It is a wonderful experience to stay in a shukubo and there is also the opportunity to join the early morning religious service. We visit shukubo on the Mountain Spirits, Shoguns and Samurai and Nakasendo Trail tours).