A ryokan is probably a place
where visitors from overseas can feel to the traditional style of Japanese
home life.
There are around 70,000 ryokans
in Japan, of which 1,800 are quality establishments belonging to the Japan
Association. Many are located at the places where onsen (hot springs)
are available.
Guests will sleep on a comfortable
futon(mattress)
laid out on the floor of a tatami (straw matted) room which functions
as a living and dining room during the day and as a bedroom at night.
Many ryokans have rooms with bath and toilet, as well as some rooms without
bath or without bath and toilet. Most Japanese takes Japanese style communal
bath eventhough there is a bath in the room.
Communual bath is usually segregated by sexes except for a very few inns
at outlying hot spring resorts.
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Many ryokans provide shuttle
bus services between train station and the ryokan at fixed time when you
request in advance.
There are many kinds of ryokan
from smaller one with 2 or 3rooms to larger one with 300 rooms capacity
for 1,500 guests; room space is also varied from 2 people in a room to
8 or 10 people in a room; found in carious locations, such as hot spring
area, resort area, or even in a large city, and many types such as authentic
ryokan, group tour ryokan, tourist ryokan, etc..
Price includes dinner,breakfast, and service charge but excludes tax.
Most ryokans do not have porters.
An attendant will take you to your room after check-in, and she/he will
carry the bag to your room.
At a bigger ryokan, it may be a little complicated to navigate your way
around due to its many buildings. Make sure to remember where your room
is (sometimes no room number or room's name), and its relation to the
front desk, dining room, communal bath, emergency exit, and others.
Japan, with about 70% of its
land being mountainous, is blessed with thermal hot springs or as we say
in Japanese, onsen.
Over 2,000 onsen resorts
are found around the country, ranging from large recreational resorts
to small groups of inns isolated in the mountains.
Hot springs became popular during Edo Period (1603-1867), taken
as a cure of illnesses such as rheumatism and fatigue.
Onsen bathing is one of the greatest pleasures for Japanese. Experience
the traditional Japanese way of life while you are in Japan.
There are many kinds of baths.
| Check-In and Check-Out Time:
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Check-in time at most ryokan
is around 3 pm; check-out time is around 10 am. Write your name, address,
and telephone number on the registration on your checking-in time.
The hotel front desk is open the whole day, but the ryokan lobby and entrance
are closed at a certain time for safety reason.
| When You Arrive at Your Ryokan:
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1. Take your shoes off as you
walk in the entrance, and put on slippers. (There are many ryokans where
you take off your shoes at your room entrance. Slippers are not used on
tatami mat.) The slippers are used for walking inside the ryokan.
2. A yukata (kimono -like robe) is provided for each person. This
can also be worn as pyjamas. You can also leave your room wearing the
yukata and dine wearing its in the dining room.
Yukata is usually a blue and white-patterned light robe tied by
a string.
Besides wearing it in the ryokan, you may wear it for a walk outside your
ryokan, not in a city but in the hot spring area. During the colder period
season, there is a tanzen (outdoor robe) to wear over the yukata.
It is always worn over the yukata.
| How to Use the Communal Bath:
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Take the provided hand-towel
from your room to the bath. Bath towel used after bath is usually provided
at the bath room.
Do not use soaps in the bath tub. The tub water is not for one person
but for everyone. After unrobe, place all your clothing in the basket,
clean yourself with a soap outside the tub. After washing off the soap,
step into the bath tub.
Relax your strained nerves and muscles. After taking hot spring bath,
clean yourself with shower or hot water.
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| How to Sleep on Futon (mattress) at Night:
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Futon (Japanese style
bedding) laid out in the evening by maids after dinner. One futon
is for one person. It consists of a mattress, sheets, a thick quilt, pillow,
and a blanket, if needed.
How to Use Japanese Toilet:
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Most ryokan has a western style
toilet. However, you must use Japanse style, remember:
1. Don't sit on it but
squat over it, facing the hooded end.
2. Flush water after you using
it.
3. Slippers in the toilet are
usually provided for use only in the toilet.
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Meals are usually a set menu,
and no ala carte. Meals are washoku (Japanese style food) which
consists of a wide variety of small dishes with local specialties. Sashimi
(raw fish and shelfish), Nabemono (meat, vegetables, fish boiled
in a pot), tempura (deep fried fish and vegetables), grilled fish,
boiled vegetables and meats, vegetables hors d'oeuvres, soy-bean paste
soup, and rice. Please try to use waribashi (disposable chopsticks)
or ask for knife, folk, and spoon.
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Dinner is served between 5 pm to 8 pm in your room or in the dining room.
Drinks are usually not included with the meals, you may request through
the attendant. If you want to have a special dish, inform the ryokan in
advance.
Breakfast is served between 7 am and 8 am in the dining room or in your
room. Buffet style (Japanese dishes only or Japanese dishes only or Japanese
and Western dishes) is popular. Japanese style set menu consists of grilled
dried fish, dried seaweed, raw egg or boiled egg, soy-bean paste soup,
pickled vegetables. |
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It is not customary to tip in
Japan. There is no need to tip in ryokan unless you ask for something
special.
| Toothbrush
and Face Towel: |
Most ryokan provides toothbrush,
toothpaste, and hand towel.
| Refrigerator in the Room:
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Usually refrigerator in the
room is stocked with drinks and snack. Once you remove something from
the refrigerator, it cannot be replaced. Payment is made on your check-out
time.
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