What Is a Ryokan? Beginner’s Guide

Curious about staying in a ryokan in Japan? If you’ve seen photos of tatami rooms, kaiseki dinners, and steaming outdoor baths, you’ve probably wondered what it’s actually like and whether it’s worth it.

I stayed in my first ryokan in Hakone, and it completely changed how I travel in Japan. The hot bath, the food, and the way the staff quietly set up my futon while I was at dinner. I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through what a ryokan is, what it’s really like to stay in one, how much it costs, and how to choose the right one for your trip.

If you’re deciding whether to try a ryokan, the short answer is yes. The better answer is knowing which one to book.

What is a ryokan?

A ryokan is a traditional Japanese inn, but it feels very different from a hotel.

Instead of beds and carpet, you’ll have tatami floors, sliding doors, and a low table where tea is often already set out.

At night, the staff prepares your futon while you’re at dinner or in the bath. You come back to a perfectly made bed on the floor, and it’s surprisingly comfortable.

Ryokans have been around for centuries, originally serving travelers along Japan’s old routes. Today, you’ll find them in hot spring towns, mountain villages, and even cities like Kyoto.

Some ryokans are simple and homey. Others are high-end stays with private open-air baths and beautifully presented meals.

If you’re already convinced, I’d jump straight to my guide on how to choose a ryokan so you don’t end up overpaying or picking the wrong type.

Best ryokans in Japan

If you’re not sure where to book your first ryokan, I’d keep it simple and choose a place that’s easy to get to and beginner-friendly.

Hakone and Kyoto are the easiest starting points. Kinosaki is perfect if you want that full onsen town experience. And if you’re planning something more special, places like Kurokawa or Niseko feel much more secluded and memorable.

Here are a few ryokans I’d personally consider, depending on your travel style and budget:

What makes a ryokan different from a hotel?

This is the question I get asked the most, and the short answer is: a ryokan is completely different from a hotel. Not just in how it looks, but in how it feels to stay there.

The room

Your tatami room has a low table, floor cushions, and a futon laid out each evening by staff. It feels minimal at first, but after a full day of sightseeing, walking into that calm, uncluttered space is the best feeling.

The food

Most ryokans include dinner and breakfast in the price, and I’m not talking about a sad buffet with scrambled eggs.

Dinner is usually a full kaiseki meal, which is a Japanese multi-course dinner with beautiful seasonal dishes. Breakfast is rice, miso soup, grilled fish, pickles, and little sides. It’s one of my favourite meals in Japan, every single time.

The bath

Many ryokans have onsen hot spring baths fed by natural mineral water, and using one is a big part of the whole experience. I’ll walk you through the simple rules below, but it’s much easier than most people expect.

The hospitality

Japanese hospitality has a name: omotenashi, and it means anticipating what guests need before they ask.

At a ryokan, your slippers are always facing the right way, your tea is refilled before you notice it’s empty, and the staff manages to be attentive without ever hovering.

For more info, check out my ryokan vs hotel guide.

What to expect at a ryokan: Etiquette tips

So what happens when you check in? A ryokan stay has its own rhythm, and once you know the flow, it feels natural. Here’s how it usually goes:

When you arrive

You take off your shoes at the entrance and swap them for the indoor slippers provided.

A staff member walks you to your room and explains how everything works. They might bring you tea and a small sweet while they do.

It feels a little formal the first time, like being welcomed into someone’s home when you’re not sure of all the house rules. But you settle into it fast.

Your room and yukata

Inside your tatami room, you’ll find a cotton robe called a yukata neatly folded on the side.

Put it on. Seriously, everyone does. Guests wear them to dinner, to the baths, and while wandering around the corridors.

Just remember: left side over right. Right over left is for funerals, and the staff will quietly fix it for you if you get it wrong.

Not sure what to pack for a ryokan stay? I put together a full ryokan packing list that covers everything.

Dinner

Dinner is usually served around 6 or 7 pm, and the kitchen prepares it fresh for you.

Some ryokans serve it in your room, which feels incredibly special, while others use a shared dining area.

The meal comes out in courses: small, beautiful dishes that change with the season. I’ve had things at ryokan dinners that I never would have ordered elsewhere.

Onsen

After dinner, most guests head to the bath. The water is hot, the room is steamy, and after a long day of walking around Japan, soaking in a natural hot spring bath is about as restorative as it gets.

Communal onsen are separated by gender, and the main rules are simple. I’ve explained onsen etiquette step-by-step here so you don’t feel awkward on your first visit.

Some ryokans also let you book a private onsen bath by the hour, which is great if you have tattoos (some public baths still don’t allow them, though the rules are slowly changing) or if you just prefer a bit of privacy.

When it comes to booking, I use Agoda and Booking.com for an easy English search with onsen filters.

Sleeping on futons

While you’re at dinner or in the bath, the staff come in and set up your futon on the tatami without a sound. It’s just there when you get back, perfectly arranged.

The bedding is thick, and the tatami underneath is firm in a way that supports you well.

Breakfast

A traditional Japanese ryokan breakfast is one of my favourite things about staying in one.

Rice, miso soup, grilled fish, tamagoyaki, tofu, pickles, and a few small seasonal sides, all freshly made for you.

After a couple of hotel buffets on the same trip, eating like this in the morning feels like a proper reset.

Best places in Japan for a ryokan stay

Not sure where to try your first ryokan? Some areas are easier than others, especially if you want a mix of atmosphere, comfort, and convenience. Here are a few beginner-friendly ryokan spots to consider:

Hakone (best for first-time ryokan stays)

If this is your first ryokan stay and you’re based in Tokyo, start with Hakone. It’s only 90 minutes by train, and the whole town is built around hot springs and mountain air.

Many ryokans here have open-air rotenburo baths, and on a clear morning, you can soak in one while looking straight at Mt. Fuji.

My top pick here is Matsuzakaya Honten, a ryokan that dates back to 1662. Every room has its own private open-air bath, and the hot spring here is rare: it draws from sulfur, sulfate, and hydrogen carbonate springs all at once. It was fully renovated in 2017, so you get centuries of history with proper modern comfort underneath.

For a friendlier price, Ichinoyu Honkan is a well-loved historic inn with loads of traditional character and a much more accessible rate.

Take the Odakyu Romancecar from Shinjuku if you can. It’s a lovely scenic ride to start the trip. You can also compare available ryokans in Hakone here and filter by private onsen or dinner included.

Kyoto (best for traditional atmosphere + sightseeing)

Kyoto is where staying in a ryokan just makes sense. You spend your days at temples and bamboo groves, and come back each evening to a kaiseki dinner and a hot bath. The two go together really well.

I’d look for ryokans near Gion, along the Kamo River, or in the quiet lanes of Higashiyama.

My favorite one is Seikoro Ryokan. It sits right in Gion overlooking the Kamogawa river, and their kaiseki dinners are seriously good.

Nazuna Kyoto Gosho is another great choice. It’s a beautifully restored machiya with private open-air baths and a Zen garden.

Browse Kyoto ryokans here and filter for Gion or Higashiyama if you want the most atmosphere.

Kinosaki Onsen (best for classic onsen town experience)

Kinosaki is my favourite onsen town in Japan.

The whole evening is built around putting on your yukata and wooden geta sandals, then strolling along a willow-lined canal between seven different public bathhouses.

Your ryokan gives you a bath passport, and each stop has its own mineral water and its own feel. It’s one of those nights that stays with you.

For the full luxury experience, I’d book Nishimuraya Honkan, one of the oldest inns in Kinosaki, with beautifully traditional rooms.

For a comfortable mid-range stay right in the centre of town, Kawaguchiya is a solid, well-located pick that won’t stretch the budget.

Kinosaki is about two hours from Kyoto by limited express. If you’re doing both, grab a JR West Kansai Area Pass before you leave home. It covers this route and saves you money overall.

Kurokawa Onsen (best for couples + secluded stays)

Kurokawa is a small village tucked into a wooded river valley in Kyushu, and it feels like it was built specifically for people who want to switch off completely.

Around 30 small ryokans are dotted among the trees, all connected by winding forest paths.

What I love most is the nyuto tegata pass, which lets you visit the outdoor baths at different inns around the village. It turns the whole stay into a relaxed little adventure.

For a luxury stay, Oyado Noshiyu is an adults-only inn with just 11 rooms, beautifully designed open-air baths, and kaiseki dinners that guests consistently rave about.

For a more secluded option in the forest above town, Yamashinobu has private and public onsen baths, a cosy library with a hearth, and guided stargazing on the roof at night.

Yufuin (best for scenic countryside ryokans)

Yufuin is the kind of place where you arrive, slow down, and wonder why you didn’t book an extra night.

It sits in the hills of Kyushu with views of Yufu volcano, and many ryokans here have private outdoor baths looking straight out at the mountain. The town itself is small, walkable, and full of little cafes and craft shops.

For a luxury stay, I really love Yufuin Gettouan. It has 18 private villas spread across a hillside garden above town, each with its own outdoor onsen bath.

For a mid-range stay with beautiful garden views and outdoor baths looking up at Mt. Yufu, Yufuin Baien is set on a large estate where the hot spring water actually bubbles up from the ground on the property itself.

If you’re heading to Fukuoka or southern Kyushu, Yufuin is an easy and very worthwhile overnight detour. Check Yufuin deals on Klook for packages that include transport from Fukuoka.

Beppu (best for trying different types of bath)

Beppu is a different kind of hot spring town. It’s bigger, more urban, and busier than the others on this list, but it has more onsen sources than anywhere else in Japan, and the variety is impressive.

For a luxury stay, Beppu Showaen is one of my top picks here. Founded in 1925 on a spacious garden estate, it has just nine standalone villas, each with its own in-room hot spring bath. The kaiseki dinners are consistently praised, and the garden feels genuinely secluded even though you’re only a short shuttle ride from Beppu Station.

For a quieter, more traditional stay near the famous Kannawa steam vents, Kannawaen has spacious rooms and private bath options.

And since Beppu is only 40 minutes from Yufuin by local train, it’s easy to combine both in one trip.

Ginzan Onsen (best for historic charm)

Ginzan might be the most beautiful onsen town I’ve ever seen, especially at night when the wooden ryokans light up above the river. It looks like a film set, except it’s completely real.

The town is tiny, with just a handful of inns lining the Ginzan River, and that intimacy is exactly what makes it special.

Takimikan is my luxury pick, perched right above the river with views over the iconic street.

For a classic, warm stay right in the heart of the old hot spring town without the luxury price tag, Notoya Ryokan is a well-loved option.

Ginzan is in Yamagata Prefecture, about two and a half hours from Sendai, and works really well as part of a Tohoku trip.

Noboribetsu (best for dramatic onsen landscapes)

Noboribetsu is unlike any other onsen town I’ve visited.

The water comes from volcanic ground, and the mineral content changes from bath to bath: some pools are rust-orange from iron, others smell strongly of sulfur.

The town sits above a volcanic crater called Jigokudani, or Hell Valley, and walking through it before dinner is quite the experience.

Noboribetsu Onsenkyo Takinoya is one of my favorite ryokans in Hokkaido. It’s been running for over 100 years, with rooms facing a Japanese garden, and onsen water drawing from multiple mineral spring types.

For the onsen experience itself, though, nothing in Japan quite matches Dai-ichi Takimotokan. It has 35 different baths fed by five types of mineral spring, all in a massive complex right next to Hell Valley.

Hokkaido rewards slow travel, and a Japan Rail Pass covers the main routes across the island.

How much does a ryokan cost?

Ryokan prices can vary a lot, but in most cases, you’re paying for much more than just a room.

A typical stay usually includes dinner, breakfast, and access to the baths, so it makes more sense to compare a ryokan to a hotel plus a really good dinner rather than a basic room-only stay.

Budget-friendly ryokans

At the lower end, you can sometimes find ryokans from around ¥10,000 to ¥20,000 per person, especially in smaller towns or at simpler properties.

This price gets you a simple tatami room, shared onsen baths, and home-style meals.

Mid-range ryokans

For many travelers, the sweet spot is around ¥20,000 to ¥40,000 per person.

The value at this level is usually really good. Better rooms, proper kaiseki dinners, and well-maintained onsen facilities. Most of my favourite stays have been somewhere in this range.

Luxury ryokans

Luxury ryokans in Japan often start from around ¥50,000 per person and can go much higher depending on the season, room type, and whether you’re booking a private open-air bath. These are the stays people plan for anniversaries and honeymoons.

Is a ryokan worth the price?

When you actually do the maths, a ryokan is better value than it first looks.

A decent Tokyo hotel costs ¥15,000 to ¥20,000 per night, and once you add dinner and breakfast separately, you’re already at ¥25,000 to ¥38,000 before bath access even comes into it.

A mid-range ryokan at ¥25,000 covers all of that and gives you a level of hospitality that no hotel can match.

One more thing worth mentioning: Ryokan bookings are often non-refundable close to your arrival date, and the meals are prepared specifically for you. Picking up travel insurance before your trip is a smart move. SafetyWing and World Nomads are both solid options for Japan travel.

And if you’re still comparing options, I break this down in my guide on how to choose a ryokan, including when it’s worth paying for a private onsen.

If you only try one ryokan, make it this

Ryokans are small and often book out weeks or months in advance, especially in spring and autumn.

If I had to recommend just one ryokan for a first stay, I’d go with Matsuzakaya Honten in Hakone.

It’s one of the oldest ryokans in the area, but it doesn’t feel outdated at all. Every room has a private open-air bath, and the hot spring here is unusual because it draws from three different mineral sources.

It’s also easy to reach from Tokyo, which makes the whole experience feel smooth rather than stressful.

If you want a ryokan that feels special but still approachable for a first stay, this is the one I’d choose.

→ Check availability for Matsuzakaya Honten.

FAQs: What is a Ryokan

Ready to book your first ryokan stay?

My take is simple: go for it, and don’t overthink it.

For Hakone, Matsuzakaya Honten is my luxury pick, and Ichinoyu Honkan is a great value option with a lot of history.

And if you want the full onsen town experience, Kinosaki’s Nishimuraya Honkan is the classic choice, or Oyado Noshiyu in Kurorakwa for a couple onsen experience.