Travel Tips to help you plan your onsen ryokan stay
When is the best time to stay?
I love going to Ryokans anytime from early October to mid-April! Pretty much as soon as that weather drops below 20degrees celsius - I can go to an Onsen! But then again, I’m a wimp with the cold! Visiting Ryokans in Autumn & early Spring also allows you to see the natural beauty of Japan’s seasons in all its glory.
Due to the high interest, I will also be sharing Ryokans that only have public onsen, as well as minshukus, hotels, kominkas, machiyas and my off the beaten path adventures as well.
UPDATE JAN 2024: Some new “little tips/information” have been added for various questions I have received numerous times
What is the difference between a “Ryokan 旅館” & “Onsen Ryokan 温泉旅館” ?
A ryokan 旅館 defined in it’s simplest terms, is a “Japanese traditional inn”, essentially before Japan opened up to the world & Western-style “hotels’ started being built - the ryokan was Japan’s version of a nice hotel.
Today ryokan are classified as “accommodation with mainly Japanese architectural elements, structure, facilities & equipment”. Whilst a hotel has mainly the equivalent of “western architectural elements, designs, facilities etc.”
As such not all ryokan have onsen facilities on their premises, they may have a public bath “ofuro” but the water being used is normal heated tap water.
An “onsen ryokan 温泉旅館 ” is a ryokan which has pipes drawing natural hot spring water (ie. onsen water) from deep underground for use for guests’ bathing & to experience the natural benefits of the hot spring. Generally onsen ryokan are found nearer to mountains (volcanic activity), the ocean, and in small, concentrated areas surrounded by nature.
Big built up cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto one can mainly find ryokan but rarely onsen ryokan. If onsen ryokan are available, the onsen water is normally travelling through a long series of pipes from far away (eg, Tokyo would draw onsen waters from Hakone) which is then normally mixed/circulated with normal hot/cold water to adjust the temperature to a enjoyable heat level. Subsequently the onsen water is not as “pure” but still enjoyable.
Please don’t think that if an accommodation has a big public bath or your room has a pretty large indoor/outdoor bath (ofuro) - that straight away its using onsen - generally it will be normal hot water for hotels/ryokans/minshuku/machiya etc.
If they were using onsen water, they would be classified as an “onsen ryokan/hotel” or at least would have all the information/certification of the onsen water qualities listed on the property & you would have to pay the small “onsen tax” fee on top of your accommodation costs.
What is the difference between a “Kominka 古民家” & “Machiya 古民家” ?
Over the last few years, considerable interest has been shown not only in Japan but worldwide in restoring and renovating a lot of the abandoned properties “akiya” throughout Japan in order to not preserve the rich traditional architecture and history of these buildings, but to also give new life & business to such areas whether it be as new homes for people, community/cultural centers or boutique hotels/accommodations.
Kominka (古民家) is the name given to Japanese traditional homes constructed with the use of natural materials such as the local wood, with generally beautiful Sukiya architectural design, sliding fusuma doors with shoji paper over tatami floors and low slung beams breaking up high ceilings. Most likely they will have indoor engawa spaces and iromiya-style roofs.
Machiya (古民家) are Japanese traditional townhouses which once were used not only as a home but a place of business for merchants/artisans/craftsmen/kimono/dry goods etc. Properties can only be classified as machiya if they were built before 1950 (prior to when the Buildings Standards Act was put in place). They are often found in select cities that once (and perhaps still are) a thriving place of the arts/merchants etc, for example Kyoto, Kanazawa, Takayama, Kuroshiki.
The narrow, long deep design of machiyas originated during the Edo period when stores were taxed according to the size of the storefront facing the street. This slim design gave the shop-seller as small as possible a shopfront window, (ie. minimum taxes) whilst creating a large enough space for a family to dwell.
In Kyoto, many machiya are often referred to as ‘unagi-no-nedoko’, or as a ‘bed for an eel’ due to this long, narrow, deep architectural design. Other characteristics include similarities to kominka, with sliding fusuma doors to create wide open flexible spaces or closed private smaller spaces, light filled engawas, perhaps even a tsuboniwa garden and structures made in the traditional wooden joinery style of Kumiki (without nails).
What is the difference between a “Minshuku 民宿” and a “Minpaku 民泊” ?
Minshuku 民宿 are Japan’s traditional Bed & Breakfasts, where the facilities & services offered are simpler than that of a ryokan/onsen ryokan. Generally one is staying in the home of a Japanese resident, who has converted several of their rooms/all of their dwelling to allow guests. Bathroom facilities such as toilet/shower/bath are often shared and guests will often set up and put away their own futon bedding. Essentially the owner of the house & guests “live together.”
Minshuku are often found in more country, remote, island areas and are a wonderful way to experience local life and try Japanese home cooking. For even though they are classified as a “bed & breakfast” - many places will offer breakfast & dinner, and they have often been some of the yummiest, delicious Japanese home cooking I’ve ever tasted.
Minpaku 民泊 is Japan’s answer to airBnb (it’s what airBnb properties now fall under law wise), where an owner may rent out on a short term basis, a property they own but do not reside in.
Why is an onsen ryokan/ryokan so expensive ?
Always be aware that when you’re booking a Ryokan room (especially through their own website), the cost is PER PERSON PER NIGHT as it includes your breakfast & dinner ie. halfboard
The whole reason of visiting a Ryokan is to enjoy the total traditional Japanese experience which means a full Japanese breakfast & a delightful Kaiseki feast.
Now you might ask why is the rate so pricey per person - remember you’re paying for a night’s accommodation - standard decent hotel prices in small rooms in Tokyo are roughly 15,000JPY+ per night (if you’re lucky) with no food (or a very simple Japanese breakfast)
Rooms in onsen ryokan/ryokans are generally more spacious!
The meals you are getting are in the true Kaiseki form, a seasonal feast of local produce which will leave you immensely satisfied, full & a bit in awe of all the food they feed you.
Generally a decent Kaiseki dinner(alcohol not included) in a Kaiseki restaurant in Tokyo/Kyoto etc averages around 20,000-30,000JPY per person alone. So if you’re visiting Japan & wanting to taste Kaiseki, the best way is to stay at a Onsen Ryokan/Ryokan. You definitely get much more for your money.
When should I book my stay?
Ryokans have a booking window. Generally the window seems to be 3 months in advance, but each Ryokan is different - some are only 1-2 months in advance.
The bigger, more well known Hotel/Ryokans will be open earlier, get booked out earlier. However the charm of the lesser-known ones is that they are really hidden gems, and you really experience a taste of local culture rather than having a hoard of tourists surrounding you.
Avoid booking on any Japanese public holidays (especially Golden Week & New Years - as this is a very special time for Japanese families, and almost a tradition to go to a Ryokan).
The price jumps exponentially & they’re often booked far out in advance. Friday evenings, weekends & Mondays that fall on a public holiday generally are more expensive. I tend to book mine in the middle of the week.
Christmas Day is normally the usual rate, as it’s not a holiday in Japan & the Ryokans will generally be more quiet. We’ve had some fabulous stays in Ryokans around Christmas. So it may be a very nice way to spend your Christmas holidays!
What should I use to book my stay?
Obviously there are a bunch of 3rd party reservation sites like booking.com | agoda.com etc However if you are booking through these 3rd party sites, I would not advise going for the cheapest rate as generally it doesn’t include any meals. A lot of the Ryokans are situated in the countryside which means countryside hours of local restaurants and you may be quite far from the centre of town. So you will have to pay for your meals anyhow.
Generally I like to go to the actual websites as you can find much better packages there - like special seasonal kaisekis, special deals for couples & anniversaries.
They also have more pictures and information on their websites. The reservation sites tend to have a bare minimum of photos so it’s hard to see exactly what room you’re getting.
It requires a bit of patience and time to navigate Japanese websites (using google translate - I tend to not use the English versions of their websites because again the better deals are found on the Japanese ones!) but I find its very well worth it!
Plus with Japanese reservation sites - you can actually see the availability calendar and the rate each day, if you have flexible dates you can save a bit of money!
What is this “onsen tax” that I have to also pay with my accommodation cost?
The Onsen Tax/Bathing Tax ( 入湯税 | NYUUTOU-ZEI) is an added little cost when you stay overnight in an onsen ryokan and one you will generally pay upon checkout (unless they ask you to pay your total bill upon check-in, rare but sometimes it happens).
This small onsen tax is charged per person per night for ALL guests (both Japanese & foreigners)
It’s used to help maintain, clean, protect and promote the onsen facilities & surrounding environments
Generally in most places the onsen tax amount is ~150JPY PER PERSON PER NIGHT, however in very popular destinations - it may be slightly higher
TIP: I would always carry some small JPY banknotes & coins on you, for though onsen ryokan in popular areas most likely will combine your onsen tax with your room bill & you can probably pay by credit card; some premises especially smaller family owned properties prefer the tax to be paid separately in cash (if you choose to pay the main bill via credit card)
What is the purest/best type of onsen water to enjoy?
For enthusiasts of onsen, no onsen is more highly sought after, then onsen water which is classified and certified as
GENSEN KAKENAGASHI ( 源泉掛け流し)
This is the purest form of onsen (hot spring) water ie it’s untreated and this pure onsen flows directly from the natural source into the bath generally without treatment (adding normal tap water to control temperature or other things to control water quality) or re-circulation (when the onsen water is re-cycled back & treated - think whirlpool movement - in order to be environmental & not wasteful of the water)
Gensen Kakenagashi is considered the highest quality of onsen water & generally available in traditional onsen resorts that have copious amounts of hot spring water streaming straight through from the source.
Is there a particular type of onsen that is good for my skin?
Soaking in onsen is said to have many therapeutical and healing benefits for one’s self physically, mentally & even emotionally. There are many types of onsen found in Japan, some more acidic, some more alkaline, some cloudy, some clear, some blue, gold, silver, red in color.
Though I am no scientific expert or doctor, I have found through my own personal experience that in terms of my sensitive skin & growing up with eczema, I particular like the onsen waters which the Japanese call
BIJIN NO YU / BIHADA NO YU (美人の湯 / 美肌の湯 )
Literally translated to “hot water of beautiful skin”, onsen waters classified as Bijin no Yu/Bihada no Yu are typically alkaline with a higher pH value of 8+
Generally the feel of the onsen is almost like lotion, it’s silky, slippery, a thicker viscosity, almost luxurious in it’s feel. Some people advise that after bathing in such onsen, one should not rinse off but let it absorb into the skin (but honestly each to their own preference regarding rinsing - sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t)
What time are my meals in an onsen ryokan/ryokan?
Meals at Ryokans begin serving within a 2 hour time period.
Dinner is often between 6/6.30-8.30pm. The staff will ask you what time you would like to eat - the starting times are generally every half hour; 6pm, 6.30pm, 7pm, 7.30pm, 8pm. This is dependent on the individual Ryokan however, meal times could start at 5pm.
We tend to start eating at the latest time possible; 7.30pm or 8pm. It depends who’s reserved their eating times before you, if there’s too many people eating at 8pm - they will give you your time options of 7pm & 7.30 pm etc.
During dinner they will ask you what time you would like breakfast the next day.
Breakfast is often between 6.30am - 8.30am (very early for someone who’s not a morning person!). If we only stay one night in a ryokan - we tend to ask for breakfast 7.30am so we have a bit longer to enjoy our room & the private onsen. Remember checkout is generally at 10am! If you’re lucky… 11am.
Plus you need some time for your stomach to relax after being fed such a delicious, hearty breakfast!
If we stay 2/3 nights - we ask for the latest breakfast time possible - 8am generally as we still have a proper full day to relax.
What will my meals be like?
Your meals are Japanese Kaiseki, so they will be using seasonal ingredients from the local area.
Depending on where you book (Japanese websites!) you can add special extras to your meals (Wagyu, a whole steamed snapper for example) when you book!
Dinner is normally served in stages; starting with the small appetizers often presented together, than moving on to your sashimi dish. I always try and keep a few pieces of sashimi to the side as I actually prefer to finish with lighter dishes.
Next up is probably a vegetable/soup dish followed by a tempura dish/grilled seafood/nabe dish (it’s all dependent on the season) then a heavier dish of a meat/fish, finished with the traditional rice, pickles & miso soup. Fresh fruit or some mini dessert is the final bite.
I always choose a Japanese style breakfast (why would you do Western-style when you’re in a Ryokan!?). The breakfast is normally all presented on the table ready for you (go on, you know you want to take that Instagram photo!), it consists of several appetizers, sometimes with ochazuke (rice in tea - kinda like their porridge). Depending on the season perhaps a little hotpot of nabe/udon. There’s always a bowl of rice, pickles, miso soup & a grilled small fish (normally a mackerel)
Tea is generally served throughout both meals, alcohol is something you order ala-carte. Though again if you book through their own website packages, you can normally find a package with perhaps a complimentary glass of wine/sake included in your dinner.
Can they handle allergies/dietary requirements/special requests?
Japan is still learning and growing in regards to dietary requirements & allergies. A few of the bigger, more well known Ryokans can cater to certain allergies and semi-cater to dietary requirements if given advance notice. However as they’re using local seasonal produce - it depends on what is available each day and a lot of Japanese cooking involves fish broth. So even though the dish itself may only look like it has veggies, if it’s in a soup or sauce, it may have bonito (fish) broth used in it’s making.
I’m generally of the belief that if it’s a personal life style choice that you’ve chosen to not eat a certain type of food ie. gluten free/vegan/vegetarian (ie. you don’t have an allergy like shellfish which will endanger your life or religious reasons) - you can put aside that lifestyle choice for a night or two to experience another country’s taste & culture - that’s what travel is about… experiencing and learning about other countries.
For example in general everyday life, I eat like a vegetarian/pescetarian. At home I rarely cook meat . At the most it’s fish but generally veggies. When we go out to eat at restaurants - I will always pick a fish dish over a meat.
Nonetheless I also have my preferences - I do not like eating Ika いか(squid) or Tako たこ(octopus) at all, especially in sashimi form. So generally in the little notes section of any booking - I just mention that I would prefer not to have those two in my food, and I always mention what I love - Uni (sea urchin) and types of white fish like Tai/Kinmedai たい・金目鯛(types of snapper) & Hirame 平目(flounder). It generally works.
What should I bring to a onsen ryokan/ryokan?
You don’t need to bring much to a Ryokan, especially if you’re visiting for a Staycation rather than part of a bigger trip.
For those living here, have just arrived or simply about to experience their first Ryokan stay. The Ryokans generally provide you with what you need in terms of basic toiletries (toothbrush - mini toothpaste - though I prefer to bring my own), shampoo, conditioner & bodywash, towels, yukata & belt, outer kimono jacket for the cold, tobi socks which you can wear all around the Ryokan.
Essentially as long as you have a spare change of underwear, for a one night stay in a Ryokan you will be fine.
Since we’re generally there for a Staycation, and only venture out for minimal exploration -this is what we bring to enjoy wiling away the hours in our room.
book to read / one of my coloring books / something crafty / facemasks
movies downloaded on an ipad /laptop
if we’re staying more than one night, snacks, cheese & crackers, dried meats etc (that we can eat for lunch - generally there’s a minibar fridge in your room) or we will venture out to the town for lunch depending on distance
bottle of wine/sake/beer
change of clothes/pajamas if you don’t sleep in your underwear/yukata
How do I know which public bath to use?
There are generally two sets of public bathing areas (often each set has a few onsen pool options eg. an indoor/outdoor - one REALLY hot one, a medium one, a cooler one & sometimes a sauna too).
You will be able to use both sets, however which bathing area you’re allowed to go into changes depending on time. Each Ryokan will tell you when the switchover time is, and when they’re closed for cleaning.
You can generally tell by the coloured curtain hanging at the entrance - generally in typical gender specific colours, red for girls, blue for boys - or the curtains will have the kanji for boy 男子 & girl 女子 on each one (or by a sign on the wall)
What do I need to do before public bathing?
Change into your yukata, bring a set of towels with you including the long thing rectangular towel, the scrubbing towel (they often provide) or a loofah, clean underwear & a hairtie/hairclip if you have long hair.
When you get to the bathing area changeroom - disrobe - place your things in whatever storage is made available (baskets/cubicle shelves). Keep the long, thing rectangular towel with you.
Head into the wash area - sit on the little stools & clean yourself thoroughly. Clean off any make up you’re wearing.. I tend to wash my hair afterwards - so I always put it up in a bun. Fold my little towel and place it on my head or wrap it around your head if it’s a long enough towel.
Go enjoy the various onsen pools! Then go shower, rinse & wash your hair in the wash area.
Do not let your hair drop into the onsen water or the little towel.
There’s often a water machine in the changing room, if you’re feeling dehydrated.
I can stay up to 1 hr in an onsen bathing area, but each to their own - there is no time limit unless you have reserved a private onsen.
I sometimes wish they would play soothing instrumental music - it would just add an extra touch of zen.
Are tattoos okay?
My love of onsens has been the one thing holding me back from getting tattoos, especially as I’m not an obvious foreigner (being of Asian heritage).
Tattoos are generally not allowed in onsens, because of the association of them with the Yakuza (Japan’s organized crime syndicates).
Ryokans are slowly realising that tattoos mean something else for foreigners & a few places are becoming a bit more lenient if the tattoos can be covered with large skin coloured bandages (often provided). Generally though the majority especially in the countryside - still hold a no tattoo policy.
Choosing a Ryokan with a private onsen in the room can be a good solution. However I would say, cover up when you arrive to/leave the Ryokan (honestly it will be cold weather, so it’s not like you would be wearing a shorts & t-shirt), cover up when you go to your meals, don’t use the public baths & perhaps don’t post photos of you in the onsen bath with your tattoos showing on social media.
As it could quite negatively effect the business of that Ryokan, as the Japanese may think they welcome Yakuza and the Japanese people are still the main clients of Ryokans since they can obviously visit more frequently!
Can I arrive, check in early & check out late?
Check in to Ryokans vary between 2-3pm & check out is generally always at 10am - a few rare ones do a bit later (11am/12pm).
We find if it’s at a quiet time in the season, on a weekday, at the more boutique, smaller Ryokans, we can arrive say about half an hour early and our room will be ready.
Checking out late though, we’ve never been able to - as cleaning the rooms, setting them up does take time - plus you generally need to make your train connection to wherever you’re going to next.
Can I onsen on my period?
Traditionally for one’s own personal hygiene and others; one should not bathe in onsen during your period menstrual time.
However with the creation of modern day products like tampons and menstrual cups, enjoying onsen during your menstrual cycle is possible.
Personally I prefer not too, even with the use of tampons & menstrual cups. During my peak days I am too bloated, in too much pain and I generally don’t feel comfortable so I prefer not too & try my utmost to schedule my onsen adventures around the ‘monthly friend.”
However sometimes if its particularly light near the end, I may dip in but generally not for long and generally only within my own private onsen rather than public
It is a personal choice during menstruation, but one obviously must use either a tampon or menstrual cup.
Are young kids/babies allowed to use an onsen?
The general rule of thumb for very young children is that they should be completely toilet trained, so no water nappies allowed at all in the onsen!
Otherwise yes, children are very welcome to experience public onsen, and Japan’s whole bathing culture.
You may wonder though, well what happens if I’m a mother but I have a son, and his father is not with us at the onsen - what happens then? Generally children can go in to the onsen bath of the parent of the opposite sex up to the age of 7 years old, previously it was up to 10years old but the rules were recently changed.
So a young son, can visit the female onsen baths with his mother up to the age of 7 years old & vice versa of father & daughter. Though I have found that most children always end up with the mother at the female onsen bath.
If you’re staying in an onsen ryokan (not visiting a public onsen), do make sure the property allows children, some onsen ryokan are ADULTS only, whilst others might say children from the age of 12+. If this is the case, it’s normally mentioned on their website somewhere (ie. the FAQ section)
For those staying in an onsen ryokan that allows young children and you/your child may not be comfortable with being separated with only one parent/being in the presence of strangers, consider reserving a private onsen (if the property has this available) or booking a room with private onsen.
TIP: IF YOU CAN, STAY 2 or 3 NIGHTS!
The reason I’d advise this, is because most people, even the Japanese only do a ryokan stay for one night due to availability of holiday leave, cost etc; however if you stay 2 or more nights, the food becomes even more impressive!
For example, we recently tried a new Ryokan, and our dinner was fine for a person’s first experience of a Ryokan (but personally we’ve had better on a first night at a couple of our absolute favourites) - however the 2nd night we stayed, it was great! We were a bit shocked to receive a whole snapper (which we had not ordered at all) EACH on top of the usual Kaiseki meal.
Plus you really get to enjoy the Ryokan experience, sleep in late, explore a bit of the local town without feeling rushed & just breathe in that fresh countryside air!