Business hotels (Dormy Inn, APA) offer excellent value with small but well-equipped rooms. Luxury chains (Aman, Park Hyatt, Ritz-Carlton) are among the best hotels in the world. Good for urban stays where the room is just a base.
Familiar check-in process
Flexible checkout
No meal requirements
Often in prime city locations
A traditional Japanese inn — tatami floors, futon beds, communal hot springs, and a multi-course kaiseki dinner included. Staying in a ryokan is an experience in itself, not just a place to sleep.
Kaiseki dinner & breakfast included
Private or communal onsen access
Authentic cultural immersion
Best in mountain or coastal locations
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Ryokan Etiquette
The genkan (entrance foyer) has a step. Remove your outdoor shoes before stepping up. You'll be given slippers for inside.
The yukata (cotton robe) is for wearing around the ryokan, not outside. Left side over right — the opposite way is for the deceased.
Wash thoroughly at the shower station before entering the hot spring bath. No swimwear in traditional onsen. Many don't admit guests with visible tattoos — check before booking.
Your room typically arrives as a sitting room; staff will lay the futon while you're at dinner. Don't move the low table — it signals where the futon goes.
Dinner is served at a set time — usually 6pm or 6:30pm. Arriving late is considered rude. If you need to adjust, call ahead the same day.
