I always believe that travel enriches you and enhances your inner being to a point which even you cannot imagine. To experience this first person, one must imbibe Japan! Nippon, as it is natively called, really contributes to the sunrise of your spiritual profile. Of course, no visit to this amazing country is complete without a personal connect with the Ryokan.
Ryokans are Japanese-style inns found throughout the gorgeous Japanese countryside. They are the Hallmark of the Hot Spring Resorts, which are a favorite holiday destination even for the natives. In a classical Ryokan, one gets a fulfilling opportunity to enjoy the traditional Japanese lifestyle and hospitality. The Ryokan prides itself with salient feature of a carefully conserved age-old heritage. There are fascinating elements of Japanese living such as tatami rooms, futon beds, Japanese-style baths, and local cuisine. There is really little surprise that a Ryokan stay is top of the wish list of both Japanese and foreign tourists.
If one were to research a choice of Ryokans, there are several different kinds of ryokan, varying greatly in terms of size, expense, ornate profile, and style. Some establishments are compact family-run establishments with just a few rooms, while others are large, hotel-like facilities with hundreds of rooms. Ryokan definitely range from no-frills, budget varieties to ostentatious establishments catering to the tourist with a fat wallet!
A ryokan (旅館) is a kind of traditional Japanese inn that typically features tatami-matted rooms, communal baths, and other public areas where visitors may wear nemaki and interact with the owner, almost behaving like a family house guest. Ryokan have existed since the eighth century A.D. during the Keiun period, which is when the oldest hotel in the world, Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan, was created in 705 A.D. Another old ryokan called Hōshi Ryokan was founded in 718 A.D. and is known as the world's second oldest hotel. Such inns have served travelers along Japan's highways through history.
Ryokan are a bit of a challenge to come across in Tokyo and other large cities because many are often much more expensive as compared to modern hotels and hostels. As elsewhere in the world, hotels have become a standard in Japanese urban tourism. Nonetheless, some major cities do offer ryokan with competitive rates. In recent years, many ryokan have been redeveloped to their original style, particularly by resort chains Hoshino Resorts, whose first ryokan opened in Karuizawa in 1914.
Essentially, Ryokan has a spacious entrance hall, with couches and chairs where guests can sit and talk; a modernized ryokan often has a television in the hall as well. At every point one would be thoroughly impressed with the artefacts, home embroidered cushions and an exquisite fragrance of Japanese incense and candles. As the sun sets, marvelously artistic lamps contribute to the serene atmosphere. It is little wonder that one feels like drawing, sewing, humming, or simply daydreaming. Guest rooms are constructed using traditional Japanese methods: the flooring is tatami, and the ornate doors are sliding doors. Even if the inn uses hinged doors for security, it usually opens into a small entranceway where guests can take off their shoes before stepping onto the tatami floor, which would be separated by a sliding door. Many ryokan rooms also feature a porch or balcony, also set off with a sliding door.
Almost all ryokans feature common bathing areas or ofuro, usually segregated by gender, using the water from a hot spring (onsen) if any are nearby. (Areas with natural hot springs tend to attract high concentrations of ryokan). High-end ryokan may provide private bathing facilities as well. Typically, ryokan provide guests with a yukata to wear; they might also have games such as table tennis, and possibly geta that visitors can borrow for strolls outside. Bedding is a futon spread out on the tatami floor. When guests first enter their room, they usually find a table and some supplies for making tea. The table, also used for meals when guests take them in their room. While guests are out, staff (usually called nakai) will move the table aside and set out the futon.
A traditional breakfast at a Kyoto ryokan is an astronomical delight. Most ryokan offer dinner and breakfast, which are included in the price of the room. Visitors take their meals at the ryokan, which usually pride themselves on the quality of their food. Meals typically consist of traditional Japanese cuisine known as kaiseki, which features seasonal and regional specialties. Kaiseki originally referred to light meals served during a tea ceremony, and today refers to a meal consisting of a number of small, varied dishes. Some ryokans instead serve local specialties such as basashi or food cooked in an irori hearth. So that each dish may be enjoyed at the proper temperature, ryokan stress that guests should be punctual for their meals. For this reason, most ryokan ask guests to confirm the time they want to take their meals.
Some ryokans have a communal dining area, but most serve meals in the guests' rooms. Ryokan likely to serve non-Japanese guests may also have a selection of Western food. As a ryokan guest, you will be invited to don geta or zori slippers and a yukata gown to wander your landscaped surroundings. Expect to see stone arrangements, water features, artfully positioned plants, shrubs, and the occasional Japanese teahouse. Minshuku (民宿) are low-budget versions of ryokan, roughly equivalent to a British boarding house or a bed and breakfast. The facilities are similar to a hotel or may simply consist of spare rooms in a family home. Minshuku often serve as the only type of accommodation in towns or villages too small to warrant a dedicated hotel or ryokan. The overall experience is much the same, but the food is simpler, dining may be optional and is often communal. Rooms do not usually have a private toilet, and guests may have to lay out their own bedding.
Japan's famed omotenashi (hospitality) is at the cornerstone of this accommodation experience. Potentially the oldest form of hotel in the world, Japan's ryokan date back to the 8th century. These accommodations imbue Japanese tradition, making staying at one a memorable and cultural experience. For some visitors to Japan, a stay at an authentic ryokan, offering the chance to experience local hospitality and personalized omotenashi customer service, is the most anticipated highlight of their visit.
