Ryokan: how a Japanese inn works

A ryokan (旅館) is a Japanese inn. The word has been in use since the eighth century and the concept has barely changed: a tatami room, a yukata to change into on arrival, a dinner brought to your room and hot baths waiting down the corridor. It is the way Japanese people have been travelling around their own country for centuries, and it remains one of the most distinct experiences you can have in Japan.

It is not a hotel with a tatami carpet. It is a different way of thinking about accommodation.

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The room

Traditional ryokan rooms are tatami: the floor of compressed straw matting that defines space in Japan. There are no beds. In the evening, the staff lays out a futon directly on the tatami. During the day, the futon disappears and the room becomes a living space.

Most rooms have a wooden or carpeted area by the window with a low table and cushions, a tokonoma (a small decorative alcove with a flower arrangement or a painting), and a view to the garden whenever the price point allows.

Slippers are essential. There is a pair at the entrance to the room. They are used in the corridor, but not on the tatami. When you enter the room, you leave them at the door. The tatami is walked on in socks or barefoot.

In the shared bathrooms down the corridor, there is a separate pair of slippers that stays in the bathroom and never comes out.

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Check-in

Check-in at a ryokan does not resemble a hotel. When you arrive, you are taken to your room. The staff brings tea and a Japanese sweet (wagashi) while they complete the registration sitting with you, in the room. There is no queue at a front desk.

They explain the dinner and breakfast times, the bathing schedule and any relevant rules. It is a conversation, not a formality.

In many ryokanes, especially in onsen areas like Hakone, Nikko or Kinosaki, the staff invites you to change into your yukata on arrival and wear it throughout the stay: to dinner, in the corridors, sometimes even out in the surrounding town.

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The yukata

The yukata (浴衣) is a light cotton version of the kimono worn inside the ryokan. It comes folded in the room, either on a shelf or in the wardrobe. Sizes vary for different builds.

How to put it on: the left lapel goes over the right one. The reverse is how the dead are dressed in Japan, and it is a mistake Japanese people notice.

Around the waist goes the obi, a wide fabric band tied at the back or side. The ryokan staff will help you if you ask.

Beneath the yukata there is usually a thinner inner layer (juban). In winter, some ryokanes also provide a tanzen, a heavier cotton jacket worn on top.

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The kaiseki dinner

Dinner is the most elaborate part of staying in a ryokan. Most ryokanes include two meals in the price: dinner and breakfast. The standard dinner format is kaiseki (懐石料理): a sequence of small dishes following a set order, with seasonal ingredients.

Kaiseki is not a menu you choose from. It is what the chef decides based on the day and the season. Dishes arrive in order, in small portions: an appetiser, sashimi, a soup, something grilled, something steamed, finishing with rice and pickles.

In many mid-to-upper-range ryokanes, dinner is served in the room. The staff comes in, sets the low table and arranges the dishes. You need to be in the room at the agreed time discussed at check-in.

Drinks. Beer, sake and whisky are usually available but not included. They are charged separately at the end of the stay.

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Breakfast

Japanese breakfast at a ryokan is substantial and completely unlike anything served outside Japan: white rice, miso soup, grilled fish, tofu, pickles, egg, seaweed. Sometimes served in the room, sometimes in a shared dining room.

Some ryokanes offer a Western breakfast option, but choosing it would be a mistake. The Japanese breakfast at a ryokan is part of the experience.

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The baths

Most ryokanes have communal onsen or sentō baths. There is a separate schedule for men and women, or the baths alternate by time slot.

The bathing rules are the same as at any Japanese onsen: shower and rinse thoroughly before entering the shared bath, no clothing or swimsuits inside, do not dip your towel in the water. Towels are left outside or folded on top of your head.

High-end ryokanes often have private baths in the room (kashikiri onsen or kazoku-buro), bookable by the hour. Some have an outdoor bath integrated into the room (rotenburo), with a view to the garden.

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How much a ryokan costs

Ryokan prices are expressed per person, not per room, and include dinner and breakfast. This is the most important difference from conventional hotels.

A budget ryokan or minshuku (a family-run inn, the equivalent of a rural guesthouse) can cost between ¥6,000 and ¥12,000 per person with two meals. A mid-range ryokan, ¥15,000–30,000. Luxury ryokanes with private onsen and high-end kaiseki start at ¥40,000–100,000 per person.

The most affordable ryokanes are those outside the main tourist areas. Kinosaki Onsen, on the Sea of Japan coast, has an excellent concentration of quality ryokanes at more reasonable prices than Hakone or Kyoto.

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How to book

Most ryokanes can be booked through Jalan (jalan.net) or Rakuten Travel, both primarily in Japanese but accessible with auto-translation. For international travellers, Booking.com and Expedia carry a growing number of ryokanes, though with fewer options than the Japanese platforms.

Some ryokanes do not accept direct bookings from foreign guests who do not speak Japanese. In those cases, the hotel where you are staying in the city can often make the call on your behalf.

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Rules nobody explains

General Japanese etiquette applies here too, plus a few rules specific to ryokanes:

• Do not use your phone in the corridors while wearing yukata. There is no written rule, but the atmosphere of a ryokan invites disconnecting, and Japanese guests notice.
• Do not enter the room wearing shoes. Leave them at the door or in the genkan (the transition zone at the entrance).
• The yukata is not worn outside the ryokan unless the establishment says otherwise. In onsen towns like Kinosaki it is customary to walk through the village in yukata; in other places it is not.
• Not all ryokanes take cards. Many smaller places are cash only. Worth confirming when you book.

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FAQ

Do you need to speak Japanese to stay at a ryokan? Not essential. Many ryokanes in tourist areas have staff with basic English. Jalan and Rakuten allow you to write special requests. At more traditional places, with patience and Google Translate, you can manage.

What if I can’t sleep on a futon? Some ryokanes offer a Western-style bed option (yo-shitsu). If it matters to you, confirm it when booking.

Can you take children to a ryokan? Yes. Many ryokanes welcome families. Children under a certain age often pay a reduced rate or nothing when sharing a room.

What is the difference between a ryokan and a minshuku? A minshuku is a more modest family-run inn: the owners live in the same building, facilities are simpler and prices are lower. The experience is more intimate and less formal.

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Spending one night in a ryokan somewhere during a trip is not an optional luxury: it is a way of understanding how Japan thinks about hospitality. The futon on the tatami, the tea on arrival, the kaiseki dishes arriving one at a time. It does not sound like much when you describe it, but in the moment it is hard to forget.

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Reference prices as of 2026. Options vary significantly by region and season.