Staying in a Ryokan in Japan: How to Choose and What to Expect

We often plan a trip by choosing a destination, then finding a hotel that’s well located and within budget. The hotel gives us somewhere to sleep while we spend our days visiting the places we came for. With a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn, the place you’re staying can be the reason for the trip. You might go somewhere because you’ve found an inn where you want to spend the afternoon, have dinner, and enjoy the baths.

I’ve been living in Japan since 2019 and have stayed in several ryokan at different price points. I’ve enjoyed the simpler ones as well as the more expensive stays, and I find them a little more exciting than an ordinary hotel night. The food is a huge part of that for me, but so are the baths and other facilities. I’m looking forward to spending time at the inn itself, which is why I recommend choosing somewhere you really want to stay, even if another place is cheaper or closer to the station.

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What Is a Ryokan, and Is It Worth Staying in One?

Ryokan range from simple family inns to expensive places with spacious suites and private baths. Many rooms have tatami (woven floor mats), sliding doors, and a low table where you can sit with tea. In a traditional room, futon bedding is laid out on the floor at night, so the space where you’ve been sitting becomes your bedroom.

That can make the room look surprisingly empty when you first arrive. If you’re looking forward to trying a futon, this is the kind of room to choose. If getting up from the floor would be uncomfortable, look for a room with beds. Some ryokan also have sofas and dining tables with chairs, so you can enjoy the inn while keeping the comfort you’re used to.

A hotel is usually better value if you’ll be out from breakfast until late at night. And although I recommend the meals for a first ryokan stay, they should be food you want to eat. If a large Japanese dinner doesn’t appeal to you, a simpler inn with breakfast or no meals may suit you better than an expensive dinner package.

It’s also worth knowing that a ryokan doesn’t necessarily have natural hot springs. That’s what onsen refers to. A city ryokan can have an ordinary heated bath, while a modern hotel can have an onsen. If hot springs are a reason you’re booking, check the bath description as well as the room photos.

How Much Does a Ryokan Stay Cost?

I think it’s worth setting aside a little extra for your ryokan stay. If you need to save elsewhere, choose less expensive hotels for nights when you’ll mainly be out sightseeing. For the ryokan, decide what you can comfortably spend, then look for the room, meals, and baths you’d most enjoy within that budget.

For a first stay with dinner and breakfast, I suggest starting your search around ¥20,000 to ¥40,000 per person per night. That’s roughly ¥40,000 to ¥80,000 for two adults sharing a room. It gives you a starting budget, though what you can book will depend on the destination and dates.

For a budget below ¥15,000 per person, I suggest looking at simpler city inns, weekday stays, and rooms with shared facilities. Lower rates may cover only the room or breakfast, so check the meals before comparing them with a stay that includes dinner. At the expensive end, ¥50,000 or more per person is quite possible, particularly for a luxury room with a private outdoor bath.

When comparing prices, look at what the total covers:

• Price per person or per room: Ryokan often charge per person, while booking websites may show a total for your selected group.
• Meals included: Half board normally means dinner and breakfast. Room only means neither is included.
• Room category: A private bath, more space, or a particular view can change the price considerably within the same inn.
• Extra costs: Check drinks, optional activities, private-bath fees, and any taxes due at the property.

Once you’ve found a room you want, compare the same dates, guests, meals, and cancellation terms across booking sites and the inn’s own website. That makes it easier to see whether a lower price is a better deal or simply a different stay.

If you’re deciding how much of the trip budget to spend on accommodation, my Japan trip budget guide can help you compare that night with your other expenses.

Where to Fit a Ryokan Into Your Trip

Choose the inn for the time you’ll spend there, with the room, food, baths, and surroundings you want. Being close to a station is useful, but I wouldn’t choose a ryokan mainly for that. An extra journey can be worthwhile for a place you’re excited about, as long as you can arrive early enough to enjoy it.

If Kyoto is already on your itinerary, you can add a ryokan night without traveling to another destination. Spend part of your visit in a hotel, then move to an inn for the night. Between Kyoto and Tokyo, I usually recommend Kyoto for a ryokan stay because its traditional inns fit so well with the city’s older buildings and food. My Kyoto ryokan guide goes into the different options, including which have hot springs.

For hot springs near Tokyo, Hakone is a good option. It can also fit between Tokyo and Kyoto, as long as you allow time to reach the inn on local transport. The trains, buses, and main sights can be busy, even when your ryokan is peaceful. I recommend Hakone for the stay and the area itself. If Mount Fuji is your main reason for going, the Fuji Five Lakes area is usually a better choice. My Hakone ryokan with private onsen guide has more places to compare.

For a night in the countryside, consider somewhere near a city you’re already visiting, such as Meitokuan near Osaka or Motoyu Ishiya outside central Kanazawa. Both are described below. When working out the journey, include the trip from the station to the inn, which may involve a bus, taxi, or pickup arranged in advance.

There are plenty of options elsewhere, too. If you’re heading farther afield, my guides to ryokan in Miyajima, Nara, Fukuoka and nearby, and Nagano ryokan with private onsen cover stays in those areas.

If you’re still choosing where to go in Japan, I suggest deciding on your regions before comparing inns across the whole country. My trip-planning guide explains how to put those decisions together.

What to Check Before Booking

Dinner and Breakfast

I recommend booking dinner and breakfast when you can. The meals are a huge part of what I enjoy about staying in a ryokan, and I think a stay without them loses a lot of its appeal. Dinner may be kaiseki, a Japanese meal served in a series of seasonal dishes, although some inns serve other menus. Look at the food as closely as the room photos when deciding where to stay.

Breakfast is often Japanese too, with rice, soup, fish, and several small dishes. It can be quite different from the toast and coffee you might have at home, so look at both meals before choosing your plan.

You might eat in your room, a private dining room, or a shared restaurant. If you’re specifically looking forward to dinner in your room, make sure that’s part of the booking, as it can depend on the room and plan you choose.

For allergies, vegetarian meals, or other dietary needs, ask what the inn can prepare before booking a non-refundable stay. Be specific about what you can’t eat, since ingredients such as fish stock may be used even in dishes without visible fish.

If you choose a stay without dinner, check nearby restaurants and their opening hours. Eating out is usually easier in central Kyoto than beside a rural hot spring.

Shared Baths, Reservable Baths, and Baths in Your Room

If you’d prefer to bathe alone or with your partner, look for a private bath. It may be attached to your room or elsewhere in the inn, with a time slot you reserve.

Bath Type	How It Works	What to Check
Shared bath	Used by other guests, usually with separate men’s and women’s areas	Tattoo rules, opening hours, and any changes to which bath each group uses
Reservable private bath	Your party uses a separate bath for an allotted time	Reservation method, time limit, extra fee, and whether a slot is guaranteed
Bath attached to your room	Available for your own use during the stay	Whether it uses natural hot spring water and whether it’s indoors or outdoors

A reservable bath can let you bathe privately for less than the cost of a room with its own hot spring. I suggest checking how reservations work before booking, especially if bathing together is a priority. Some inns allocate slots only after you arrive.

A private bathroom may simply contain an ordinary bathtub. Even an outdoor bath can use heated water rather than a natural hot spring, so look for that detail in the bath description.

If you have tattoos, ask about the bath you intend to use before paying. Rules vary between properties and sometimes between baths within the same inn, including private ones.

Beds, Stairs, and Arrival Times

Alongside the choice of futons or beds, check whether your room has its own toilet and how you’ll reach it. An older inn may have a comfortable, renovated bedroom but still have steep stairs, steps between rooms, or no elevator. If these would make the stay difficult, ask about the route to the baths and dining room as well.

The latest arrival time for dinner should also help you decide which night to book. I usually suggest avoiding a long transfer to a ryokan straight after an international flight, when delays could mean missing the meal. Choosing a later night gives you more control over when you arrive.

If you want a particular inn or room, start looking early, especially for popular holiday periods. A blank calendar may mean reservations haven’t opened yet, so it’s worth asking. My guide to what to book in advance for Japan explains when to secure a specific stay before making your other plans.

Six Ryokan to Consider at Different Budgets

The cost descriptions below are a rough comparison. Your dates, room, meals, and any extra experiences can change the total considerably.

Ryokan	Location	Relative Cost	Why Choose It?
Ryokan Shimizu	Kyoto, near Kyoto Station	Lower	A simple Japanese room with easy access to the city
Ichinoyu Honkan	Tonosawa, Hakone	Moderate	A historic inn with hot springs and meal plans
Motoyu Ishiya	Outside central Kanazawa	Moderate to higher	Traditional rooms, seasonal food, and shared hot spring baths
Meitokuan	Mino, north of Osaka	Moderate to higher, depending on extras	A three-room inn in the forest with optional private activities
Sumiya Ryokan	Central Kyoto	Higher	Breakfast and a private tea experience with your host
Hakone Ginyu	Miyanoshita, Hakone	Luxury	Your own open-air hot spring bath overlooking the valley

Ryokan Shimizu: A Simpler Stay in Kyoto

For a Japanese room on a smaller budget, I recommend Shimizu near Kyoto Station. It’s about a 7-minute walk from the station, so you can try sleeping in a tatami room with futon bedding while staying close to the trains. The rooms have private bathrooms, and there’s also a larger bath you can reserve for your own use.

This is a simple city inn where you can eat dinner out and spend your days sightseeing. Breakfast is available, though you’ll need to check whether your rate includes it. If you’re looking forward to a long dinner at the inn or an outdoor hot spring overlooking the mountains, one of the other stays below will suit you better.

Ichinoyu Honkan: Hot Springs on a Moderate Budget

Ichinoyu Honkan is a historic wooden inn beside the river in Tonosawa, near Hakone-Yumoto. Its plans with dinner and breakfast are worth comparing if you want hot springs and Japanese meals on a moderate budget.

The room you choose makes a big difference here. Some have private baths, while cheaper rooms may use shared bathrooms and toilets. You can also reserve the private family bath for the evening at reception on the day. I wouldn’t recommend this inn if stairs are difficult for you: there’s no elevator, and the restaurant is on the fourth floor.

Motoyu Ishiya: A Traditional Inn Near Kanazawa

If you’re visiting Kanazawa and want a night outside the city center, Motoyu Ishiya has traditional rooms, seasonal Japanese food, and shared hot spring baths with amber-colored water. I recommend choosing a plan with dinner and breakfast so you can spend the evening at the inn. There’s also a historic stage for Noh, a traditional Japanese theater form, though performances aren’t included in every stay.

Allow time to get there from central Kanazawa, and expect an older building with stairs rather than a modern suite. It can also be damp during the humid months. For sightseeing before or after the stay, my Kanazawa guide covers what to do in the city.

Meitokuan: A Small Forest Ryokan Near Osaka

Meitokuan is a three-room inn in the forests of Mino Quasi-National Park, north of Osaka. I recommend it if you’d enjoy a night in the countryside during your Osaka visit. Two rooms have their own baths, while Shizen-no-Ma uses a separate bath that you reserve privately. For natural hot springs, choose one of the Hakone stays instead.

You can book a stay here through Wabunka, which arranges private cultural experiences and stays with hosts such as artisans, tea practitioners, and inn owners. The activities are for your own group, with language support where needed, so you can talk directly with your host. I’ve worked with Wabunka as part of my work in the Japan travel industry.

The plan includes breakfast, a welcome drink with sweets, and a guided introduction to the inn’s historic spaces. You can also add dinner, a tea ceremony, or a guided hike. Those three extras cost more, so compare the total for the stay you’d actually want to book.

Sumiya Ryokan: A Kyoto Stay with Private Tea

Sumiya, in central Kyoto’s Sanjo area, is a stay I recommend for a personal introduction to tea culture. With the Wabunka plan, you’ll spend a night at the inn, have a Japanese breakfast, and join a private tea experience hosted by the woman who runs the inn or her successor.

Over matcha and sweets, you’ll hear about the building and its history as a place for tea gatherings, then try preparing tea yourself. That time with your host is a reason to pay more if you’re interested in tea and the history of the inn. Dinner isn’t included, so leave room for it in your budget. If a private outdoor hot spring is your priority, consider Hakone Ginyu instead.

Hakone Ginyu: A Luxury Stay with Your Own Hot Spring

If your budget allows and you want your own open-air hot spring bath, I recommend considering Hakone Ginyu. Every room has one on a terrace overlooking the Hayakawa Valley and surrounding mountains, rather than Mount Fuji.

The inn is a short walk from Miyanoshita Station, and the standard stay includes dinner and breakfast. With the bath right outside your room, this is somewhere to leave the afternoon free and enjoy the stay. Compare rooms and meal details when booking, and try the official reservation information if booking sites show no availability for your dates.

What Happens During a Ryokan Stay?

Arriving and Settling Into the Room

Check-in often begins around 15:00 or 16:00. Once you arrive, staff will explain the meal times, show you the facilities, and tell you how to use any reservable baths. This is a good time to arrange a private bath so it fits around dinner.

You’ll take off your shoes where indicated and remove slippers before stepping onto tatami. Most inns provide a yukata, a light cotton robe you can wear around the property. Staff can help you put it on and explain where you can wear it, including whether it’s suitable for going outside.

I enjoy wearing a yukata during a ryokan stay.

Once you’ve settled in, you can have tea in the room, take a bath, or go for a walk nearby before dinner.

Using the Baths

In a typical shared bath, you’ll leave your clothes in the changing area, then wash and rinse thoroughly at the washing stations before entering the water. Bathing is normally nude, with swimsuits allowed only where the facility specifically permits them.

Keep your towel and long hair out of the water, leave your phone outside the bathing area, and dry off before returning to the changing room. It’s worth checking the entrance each time, as some inns switch the men’s and women’s baths between evening and morning. Staff can point you to the right one if you’re unsure.

If you’d be uncomfortable bathing with other guests, a private bath lets you enjoy it on your own or with your partner. Using the shared baths is optional.

Dinner, Bedtime, and the Next Morning

Dinner starts at an agreed time because the kitchen prepares the meal for the guests expected that evening. If you’re running late, let the inn know as soon as you can.

Depending on the inn, dishes may arrive course by course or several at once. I suggest leaving the evening free so you can take your time over the food and ask about anything unfamiliar, without needing to rush out for another reservation.

More dishes from a ryokan dinner in Kyoto

When you return to a room with futons, staff may already have laid out the bedding while you were eating. At simpler inns, you may do this yourself. The next morning, there’s breakfast and time for another bath if you want one before checkout.

I suggest 2 nights if you’d enjoy a full day walking nearby, reading at the inn, or using the baths before spending another evening there.

Other Questions About Staying in a Ryokan

Can You Stay Alone?

Yes, though some rooms require two guests, and you may pay more per person when staying alone. Search for one adult from the start so the results reflect what you can book. If an inn you want to stay at doesn’t show a solo plan, it’s worth asking directly.

Are Ryokan Suitable for Children?

Many welcome children, though age restrictions and charges vary. Enter each child’s age when searching, then check what’s included for meals and bedding. A private family bath can make the stay easier, and your child may prefer a children’s dinner to the full adult meal. For a baby or toddler, I also suggest asking about stairs and sleeping arrangements before you choose a room.

Will It Be Difficult Without Japanese?

Many inns that take international bookings are used to helping guests in English, though smaller places may have limited English-speaking staff. I recommend sending dietary needs, pickup requests, and other essential details in writing before the stay, so both you and the inn know what’s been arranged. A translation app can help with simpler questions once you’re there.

Can You Try a Ryokan Without Staying Overnight?

Some inns offer bath or meal plans for day visitors, which can work well if you’re mainly interested in the hot spring or food. Look for a specific day-use plan and check whether it needs a reservation before traveling there. An inn’s baths may otherwise be open only to overnight guests.