Japan Ryokan Guide: Rooms, Meals and Bathing Explained

JGO! editorial team — WEBMARKS Inc. (Fujisawa, Kanagawa)

A ryokan is a Japanese-style inn. A typical ryokan room is one open space with tatami floors (straw mats), and you sleep on a futon (a soft mattress on the floor). The price often includes dinner and breakfast. Many ryokan are in hot-spring towns, and in a shared onsen bath you wash first and then soak without clothes.

1What is a ryokan?

A ryokan is a Japanese-style place to stay. You can find them all over Japan, and there are many in onsen towns ⓘ JNTO. An onsen is a natural hot spring.

Ryokan come in many styles. Some are very traditional and some are modern. Some are hot-spring inns, and others are in big cities ⓘ JNTO.

Staff can explain the house customs to you. This includes taking off your shoes indoors and wearing a yukata ⓘ JNTO. A yukata is a cotton robe, a bit like a kimono, that guests wear at the inn ⓘ JNTO.

The Japan Guide video on ryokan and onsen etiquette walks viewers through staying at a traditional inn.

Not sure how to tie the robe? Let's ask Shogo has a full tutorial on how to wear a yukata and move in it at a ryokan, for both men and women.

2Ryokan room types

A typical ryokan room is one open space with tatami floors and no walls inside it ⓘ JNTO. You relax in the room, and the futon is laid out on the same floor for sleeping.

Not every room is fully Japanese-style. Some ryokan have rooms with Western beds ⓘ Japan Ryokan & Hotel Association. Here are some real examples from official sites:

Check what the room has before you book. At Ryokan Satomo, some Japanese rooms have a separate bath and toilet, and others have a unit bath (Ryokan Satomo). Tateshina Ai says every room has a bath and a toilet (Tateshina Ai).

In a reel from Hakone, @raexlaw wears a yukata and gives a tour of a traditional ryokan room with an onsen.

3Sleeping on a futon

Sleeping on a futon laid on tatami is the classic way to sleep in a Japanese room ⓘ Japan Ryokan & Hotel Association. A futon set has two parts. The shikibuton is the mattress, and the kakebuton is the cover on top ⓘ Japan Ryokan & Hotel Association.

At a ryokan, the staff usually lay out your futon on the floor for you ⓘ JNTO. Times and customs vary by ryokan.

A traveler on a six-week Japan trip, @thenomadalmanac, explains tatami rooms, futon bedding and onsen etiquette in one short reel.

4Ryokan meals: kaiseki dinner and Japanese breakfast

Ryokan prices are often shown per person, and often include dinner and breakfast ⓘ JNTO. Many ryokan serve kaiseki for dinner and a Japanese breakfast the next morning ⓘ JNTO. Kaiseki is a meal with many courses ⓘ JNTO.

The food may use local and seasonal ingredients ⓘ JNTO. But not every ryokan serves kaiseki. For example, Matsunoyu serves both dinner and breakfast as a buffet (Matsunoyu).

You don't always need to eat at the ryokan. Some ryokan offer stays without meals ⓘ JNTO. At Ryokan Omori, you choose a plan that includes the meals you want (Ryokan Omori).

A family's first stay at Sanyo-so, shared by @rachel.soriaq in an 18-slide carousel, shows the baths, the gardens and the kaiseki meals.

5Meal times and where you eat

Meal times differ at each ryokan. At some inns, like Ryokan Omori, staff confirm your meal time at check-in (Ryokan Omori). Here is what three ryokan said when we checked on 3 November 2026:

Sources: Ryokan Omori, Kozanso Hanano, Ryokan Satomo.

Some ryokan serve meals in a shared dining room, and others serve them in your room ⓘ JNTO. Read the plan details if eating in your room matters to you. At Ryokan Omori, you must book a plan with a private dining room if you want one (Ryokan Omori).

The Adventures of A+K couple spent 48 hours at Hakone Suimeisou, which had a private patio onsen, nine-course kaiseki dinners and futon beds.

6Food allergies and special diets

Tell the inn about allergies early. Ryokan Omori says it may be able to remove allergy foods, where safe, if you tell them at least 3 days before arrival. You must name the exact food (Ryokan Omori).

There are limits. Ryokan Omori says it cannot remove dashi (Japanese soup stock) or wheat from its kitchen (Ryokan Omori). Rules are different at each inn, so contact your ryokan directly.

7How to bathe at a ryokan: step by step

Most shared onsen baths are separate for men and women ⓘ JNTO. In an onsen, you usually leave your clothes and swimwear in the changing room and bathe naked ⓘ JNTO. Follow these steps:

1. Find the right bath. Some ryokan switch the men's and women's baths. For example, Ryokan Satomo has baths on the 2nd and 5th floors that switch between men and women (Ryokan Satomo). Check the signs each time.
2. Undress in the changing room. Leave your clothes there. Leave your phone outside the bath area ⓘ JNTO.
3. Wash first. Sit at the washing area. Clean your body and rinse away all soap and shampoo before you get in ⓘ JNTO.
4. Use the small towel the right way. Use it to wash or to cover yourself while you walk. Never put it in the bath water ⓘ JNTO.
5. Keep your hair out of the water. Tie up long hair or wrap it in a towel ⓘ JNTO.
6. Soak quietly. Talk softly in the bath and changing room. Don't swim or splash ⓘ JNTO.
7. Listen to your body. If you feel too hot, don't stay in too long. Drink water ⓘ JNTO.

In "10 Things NOT to Do in a Japanese Ryokan," The Onsen Guy covers common mistakes, so you can avoid them.

8Private baths: for shy bathers and families

Are you not comfortable bathing naked with strangers? Try a private bath that you can reserve, or book a room with its own open-air bath ⓘ JNTO.

Here is a real example. Tateshina Ai has a reservable private open-air bath, separate from the baths in the rooms (Tateshina Ai). When we checked on 3 November 2026, it cost 2,000 yen per group for 45 minutes. It was open 15:00–21:00 and 6:00–9:00 (Tateshina Ai).

A reel from @reyesmikaaa shows a Hakone ryokan room with a private outdoor stone onsen on a deck, looking over green mountains.

Budget matters too. In the Solo Travel POV video, the creator compares a $1,200 and a $230 ryokan stay in Kinosaki.

9Mistakes first-timers make

• Walking into the bath without washing -> Wash and rinse well at the washing area first ⓘ JNTO.
• Dipping the small towel in the bath -> Keep it out of the water. Use it only to wash or cover yourself ⓘ JNTO.
• Coming late for dinner -> Confirm your meal time at check-in and set an alarm (Ryokan Omori).
• Booking a room-only plan by mistake -> Read the plan carefully. Choose one that includes the meals you want (Ryokan Omori).
• Forgetting about tattoos or allergies -> Check tattoo rules before booking ⓘ JNTO. Send allergy details early, at least 3 days ahead at Ryokan Omori (Ryokan Omori).

10FAQ

Are meals included at a ryokan? Often, yes. Prices are often per person with dinner and breakfast ⓘ JNTO. Some ryokan also offer stays without meals ⓘ JNTO.

What time is dinner at a ryokan? It varies. At the inns we checked, dinner started between 18:00 and 19:00 (Ryokan Omori, Kozanso Hanano). Confirm your time at check-in.

Do I have to sleep on the floor? No. Some ryokan have rooms with Western beds ⓘ Japan Ryokan & Hotel Association. Look for "Western" or "Japanese room with beds" options.

Do I have to be naked in the onsen? In shared onsen, you usually bathe naked and swimwear isn't worn ⓘ JNTO. If you're shy, book a private bath or a room with its own bath ⓘ JNTO.

Can I wear the yukata outside my room? Yukata are made for ryokan guests to wear ⓘ JNTO. Rules about where you can wear them may differ, so ask the staff when you arrive.

Does every ryokan room have a toilet? Not always. Check the room details before you book. Some inns, like Tateshina Ai, say every room has a bath and toilet (Tateshina Ai).

11Related guides

• Japan onsen etiquette
• Japan onsen for beginners
• Tattoos in Japan's onsen
• Japan food allergies
• Hakone travel guide
• Japan first-time travel tips

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