Staying in a ryokan was one of my favorite experiences in Japan

👉 Jump to: Kyoto Ryokans | Tokyo Ryokans | Osaka Ryokans | My Ryokan Experience

I anticipated one big challenge when planning my first trip to Japan: 

I figured that at some point, I would get burnt out from trying to tick off all the boxes on my rapidly expanding itinerary. I’d dreamt about this trip for years and knew I wouldn’t want to slow down during my limited time there.

But I also knew that not taking a moment to recharge at least a little bit would backfire by sapping all of my energy halfway into the trip. A forced slowdown would be necessary. 

When my research brought me to ryokans, it felt like fate.

Calling a ryokan a Japanese bed-and-breakfast is a pretty good way to sum it up for Western audiences that may not be familiar with this type of lodging. 

Ryokans have been around in various forms since the 8th century and were originally used as a rest stop for travelers on journeys through not-yet-developed terrain. The oldest hotel in the world, Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan, is a ryokan. 

These inns highlight traditional Japanese customs and lifestyles, emphasizing comfort and hospitality. Relaxation is central to the experience. 

After seeing all of the options available, it took me about two seconds to decide that my husband and I were staying in one no matter what. 

It ended up being one of the highlights of our entire trip. 

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Top Ryokans in Kyoto, Tokyo, & Osaka

There are ryokans all over Japan, particularly in onsen (hot spring) towns like Hakone. 

But we focused on searching for ones in the three cities where we (and pretty much every first-timer) would spend significant time in: Kyoto, Tokyo, and Osaka. Below are the ryokans that made it to our list: 

Kyoto Ryokans (traditional, luxe, many options):

• 🏆 Best Overall: Ryokan Motonago (our pick!)
• 👪 Best for Families : Seikoro Ryokan 
• 💑 Best for Couples: Yuzuya Ryokan
• 💎 Best Luxury: Nazuna Kyoto Nijo-jo 

Tokyo Ryokans (variety of ryokan styles & price points, fewer options):

• ☸️ Best Near Senso-ji: cyashitsu ryokan asakusa
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Best Family-Owned: Ito Ryokan
• ✨ Best Luxury with Western Elements: Takanawa Hanakohro

Osaka Ryokans (group and budget-friendly ryokans, fewer options):

• 👯 Best for Groups: Yamatoya Honten Ryokan
• 🍜 Best near Dotonburi: Kaneyoshi Ryokan
• 🛏️ Best Budget: Harper House

Each of the above has fantastic ratings and overwhelmingly positive reviews. However, no two ryokans are the same.

Some ryokans are small, family-run establishments with just a few rooms. In these, you’ll mostly hang out and be served in your room. Others are large with a more “hotel” feel. These may have dining rooms, lounge areas, or even courtyards to roam.

Ryokans typically have thoughtful yet minimal decorations, and many also have private or public baths for guests to enjoy. Some, like Takanawa Hanakohro and Nazuna Kyoto Nijo-jo have modern touches mixed in with the traditional. Nearly all ryokans serve breakfast, dinner, or both, and the utmost care is put into these meals.

Most ryokans will be a bit of a splurge, but it’s worth it for the level of service and hospitality you receive. However, understanding the differences from one ryokan to the next is key to figuring out which kind is right for you. So, read the details carefully.

My husband and I decided to go with Ryokan Motonago for our experience. This small ryokan in Kyoto’s Gion neighborhood turned out to be the ideal follow-up to our time in Tokyo.

Our Ryokan Experience

Motonago is in a calm, quiet neighborhood with a warm staff and serene rooms.

It felt like we had stepped back in time. We walked through narrow streets with well-maintained wooden homes on both sides of us. Round-bellied tanuki statues, potted flowers, and soft, glowing lights adorned their entrances. Temples and shrines were everywhere; the green humps of mountains were in the distance. 

Girls clad in rented kimonos with elaborately decorated hair wandered the streets, too. Some posed for photos; others ducked into tiny shops for sweet matcha treats.

The neighborhood, Gion, was quiet, with an unmistakably calmer air than Tokyo. We hadn’t reached the Ryokan yet but could already tell this was what we needed. What a relief.

Motonago was easy to find. It’s on one of those aforementioned narrow side streets and a quick walk to Maruyama Park, Yasaka Shrine, and multiple temples. It’s one of the smaller ryokans with only eleven rooms. 

We slid the door to the entrance open. Immediately beyond it was a stone antechamber. Here, we were greeted by a soft-spoken man. A woman wearing a red kimono standing on the raised tatami floor in front of us bowed and gave us a kind smile.

We removed our shoes, which were quickly stowed away in a locker. Our heavy bags were hurried away to our room just as quickly. After the standard check-in procedure, we were led on a tour of the inn.

The gentle brush of our feet shuffling on the tatami mats was the only sound. Our host spoke quietly, pointing out to us where we would find the private baths and asking us to watch our heads on the low ceilings.

We saw no one else while we were being led around — nor did we see a single other soul the whole time we were in the ryokan. Although, I’m certain there were other guests. Still, we loved being able to pretend like the entire inn was reserved just for us.

Our host showed us to our room before leaving briefly and reappearing with tea and a delightfully chewy mochi. We discussed the times we would like dinner, breakfast, and access to the private bath that night; and then, we were left to ourselves.

We took our time settling in, looking in all the nooks and crannies, and admiring the view from our window. I wrote. My husband read. We breathed in the warm, woody scent of the room and spoke softly, allowing ourselves to decompress.

Later that evening, we finally got to try one of the key features of the ryokan: the elaborate kaiseki dinner.

We expected to be impressed. We were blown away.

The kaiseki-style breakfasts and dinners are elaborate, flavorful, and worth every penny.

One of the best things about Ryokans is the food. 

Yes, some will let you book a room that doesn’t come with a meal. But unless you have strict dietary restrictions (or you’re a tourist in Japan who doesn’t like seafood), I strongly encourage you to include a meal during your stay.

These are not like “regular” hotel breakfasts and dinners. In Ryokans, you are served traditional Kaiseki-style meals. Kaiseki is a Japanese fine dining experience. You’ll receive multiple small dishes, each highlighting specialty ingredients and in-season flavors. They’re comparable to anything you’d find in a restaurant. 

To begin, we were offered our choice of drink — hot sake was a no-brainer. We were brought both that and a tiny glass of sweet plum wine. 

I’m pretty sure we looked a bit comical in our surprise when our host placed our menu on the table. We’d been expecting a tasty dinner, but we didn’t expect there to be this much food. 

There were about 12 courses, and although they were each on the small side, I think this meal made me feel the fullest I ever felt in Japan. 

The menu will change depending on the season you go and where you book your ryokan. We were in Kyoto, which is known for its pickles, so our meal included a lot of pickley delights.

Some of the other highlights of the meal were the miso-marinated butterfish; a fresh, mild sashimi; and crisp fried ebi-imo. The tiny apple mousse dessert polished it off perfectly. 

When you stay for more than one night in Motonago, you get to choose what you’d like for dinner on the second. We chose suki yaki, which we got to eat in another room in the ryokan.

The noodles, fatty beef, enoki mushrooms, sharp green onions, and chewy mochi dipped into a freshly beaten raw egg were divine. We ended the meal with a sweet scoop of yuzu ice cream.

We decided to have breakfast as early as we could in the morning so we could get out early and explore. We chose a Japanese breakfast on both mornings. However, Motonago does offer a Western breakfast option which includes an omelet, toast, and soup. 

Like most traditional Japanese breakfasts, this one was savory. We enjoyed the standards: pickles, rice, and miso soup. And we loved the dried fish and hot soup with soft chunks of tofu that we topped with Benito flakes and green onion.

We were never hungry while here. The meals were delicious and kept us full in preparation for whatever we planned to do next: Going out to explore more of Kyoto after breakfast and heading down to the incredibly relaxing private bath after dinner.

The staff, private bath, and comfortable amenities made it easy to relax.

One constant across Ryokans is the incredible hospitality with an emphasis on keeping guests comfortable. Motonago delivered this seamlessly. All of the staff we met were kind and helpful, going out of their way to meet our requests. 

Extra toiletries were plentiful, and the provided yukata and robes were comfortable. The futons were so much softer than I expected them to be. Each time we returned to our room, we received tea, water, and a sweet. And then, there were the private baths.

Motonago has two private baths, and we got a chance to try both of them. As the majority of onsens and public baths in Japan are divided by gender, we loved being able to experience this one together. Getting to choose a post-bath beer, sake, or sparkling water also sweetened the experience.

And let me tell ya — we slept so soundly after those nightly soaks.

One thing to know about Motonago is that most rooms have only toilets but no showers. This isn’t the biggest issue, given you get to use the baths daily. But you may just want to book one of the rooms with a shower if you need to wash multiple times a day.

Overall, the service was fantastic. Most of the staff spoke enough English for us to communicate whatever was necessary. 

I do wish I could have chatted a bit more to ask more about some of the dishes and customs, but my Japanese is very limited, so that’s on me. Plus, that’s probably just my American tendency to be chatty, over-enthusiastic… and okay, perhaps a little allergic to silence.

While in the ryokan, we felt the need to be quieter than usual out of respect for the other guests, and because it was an older wooden building with thin walls. None of this was a bad thing or a deal-breaker for us. 

However, before booking, there are some things you’ll want to consider that may (or may not) be deal-breakers for you.

Who a Ryokan is For (and Who Might Want to Skip It)

A ryokan is perfect for people who want a moment to slow down in the middle of a hectic trip.

This was the whole reason we booked this spot, after all! I’m so glad we got what I was looking for out of the experience. Again, every ryokan is different, so your experience may differ from mine depending on which you choose. But if you’re searching for a relaxing experience, this is it. 

That said…

A ryokan might not be right for you if you want to explore from the moment you wake up to well after dark.

There are limitations you have to work around in ryokans — primarily, what times you have breakfast and dinner and, in our case, the private bath. This does somewhat dictate your comings and goings.

Also, at Motonago specifically, we had to leave our key with the staff and let them grab our shoes for us every time we wanted to go out. I’m fairly certain this was so they could be prepared with tea and a treat for us when we returned. But it felt like a bit of a production, so we limited our comings and goings.

Ryokans are perfect for people who want to feel immersed in traditional Japanese culture. 

My husband and I love getting fully immersed in new cultures when we travel, so this was a big plus for us. Ryokans gives you the experience of being in a traditional Japanese home, which is quite different from a Western one. 

So yes, we did nerd out quite a bit over the fact that we felt like we’d been dropped onto the set of a Yasujirō Ozu film. 

But picky eaters, people with dietary restrictions, and those with mobility concerns may want to reconsider a stay. 

My husband and I are adventurous eaters or, at least, willing to try most things. Exploring new flavors and types of food is important to us, so we loved this experience. But if you’re a picky eater or have dietary restrictions, you may find ryokans difficult.

You can’t really choose what you eat. Sure, we were given a choice of a Western-style breakfast or a Japanese one, but that’s about it. However, we were prepared for this as upon booking, we were notified there could be no food substitutions. 

People with mobility issues may also find ryokans difficult. You’ll be getting up and down from the floor quite often. You will be sleeping on futons, sitting in low chairs for most meals, and may also have to move up and down flights of stairs. 

Finally, if you’re tall, plan to have to duck through doorways or under low ceiling beams at times. My husband is 5’10” and was just able to walk through the doorways without ducking. On the flip side, if you’re short like me, you’ll feel like a place was finally designed with your height in mind (for once).

***

So would we do it again?

Honestly, we plan to stay in a Ryokan every time we go to Japan now. I’d return to Motonago in a heartbeat and I’m keen to try other ryokans on return trips. A ryokan isn’t just another place to stay — it’s an experience. 

Staying in a ryokan was such a cool experience, and we got everything we wanted out of it: Delicious meals, a restful break, and a firsthand peek into traditional Japanese hotels and hospitality.

So, will you give a ryokan a try? Let me know or ask any questions you have in the comments! Or continue planning for your trip by checking out our articles for even more guidance on where to stay in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka.