Why you should stay in a ryokan if you travel to Japan

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When you close your eyes and think about what traditional houses in Japan look like , delightfully manicured gardens, sliding doors, dinners sitting on the floor with chopsticks in hand, futons that extend over the tatami and low tables where you can have tea. All this is present in the Ryokans, the name of the hotels that maintain the aesthetics of traditional Japanese accommodations.

Although they originally served to receive short-term visitors, today they have become luxury accommodations especially aimed at foreign visitors who want to live in the first person the most traditional experiences of the Japanese country.

In a ryokan, the owner always receives the visitor upon arrival. After a bow-based greeting , it will be the person who tells the guest to deposit their shoes at the entrance door. In Japan it is forbidden to walk with street shoes inside private spaces, whether hotels or homes. However, some slippers or flip flops will be prepared to replace the change.

Once the check-in is done , a room covered in tatami floor and with the wood per protagonist awaits you. And of course, your yukata . This garment similar to a kimono but lighter will be your best ally to enjoy the day at the ryokan. Be careful, the left part of the garment must first be attached to the body, because if done the other way around, in Japan it represents death.

Minimalist decoration

If something characterizes the rooms of this type of hotels is its simplicity and minimalism. The furniture will be the minimum necessary to enjoy the stay. There will be a low wooden table accompanied by chairs without legs that allow you to cross the floor with your legs crossed but with a backrest to have your back supported. This is the area where you can enjoy a tea, and also dinner, so you often have a porcelain tea tableware or lacquered glass in which to taste such a typical product.

A closet and perhaps a bookcase complete the space (in addition to the bathroom, of course, which is located outside the main room) that is closed by the traditional sliding doors. And the bed? In the ryokan there is no reserved sleeping space, at least with the naked eye. The futon will appear by magic when bedtime comes . Normally this fine mattress is in the closet, which is extended and prepared by a member of the hotel at each sunset. It is more comfortable than it seems.

A kaiseki dinner

It will be in the room where dinner will be enjoyed (and usually also breakfast). This is one of the best experiences of the ryokan, because here you can taste the Kaiseki cuisine. Sitting on the floor, a hotel worker will be in charge of bringing this menu that is usually made up of about eight dishes . All of them based on the premise of the millenary Kaiseki cuisine: the use of fresh seasonal ingredients presented in a traditional Japanese tableware.

With the yukata set and the chopsticks arranged, the kaiseki formula usually has some starters ( youzara ), a dish made without cooking ( otsukuri ), a steamed dish ( mushimono ) and dessert ( mizumono ). To start with, you usually enjoy a traditional soup and a small selection of seasonal products that usually include vegetables, hot or cold noodles and a salad. Several types of raw fish are also usually present, as well as fried tempura (prawns and / or vegetables) and a dish boiled at the time in the heat of a candle. Fish or meat is usually served as the main course. All accompanied, of course, by a bowl of rice. And if you want, a bottle of sake or local craft beer.

The onsen: volcanic hot springs

Finally, spending a day in a ryokan is synonymous with being able to take a quiet bath in an onsen . Among the properties of this millenary practice - leaving aside the haven of peace that involves soaking in hot water - is an improvement in bone and muscle pain, the elimination of toxins and the reduction of skin problems such as psoriasis; and, of course, the vapors that emanate cause a real relaxation, so it is the best method to combat stress.

It is not surprising that it is common to find the locals taking a bath in the natural onsen - called rotemburo - distributed throughout numerous parts of Japan. Ryokans can boast of always having one of these, either inside the building as bubbling pools or bathtubs or in the surrounding nature. If so, its temperatures between 50 and 70 degrees ensure the bath is at its temperature outside.

After an intense day of tourism there is nothing better to recover than to get into these natural hot springs of volcanic origin. Of course, these hot springs have rules: you have to bathe naked, therefore, those inside the hotels are usually separated by sexes (not so in the spaces of nature). It is mandatory to purify yourself before entering one of the showers located, and until now, it was forbidden to dive into its waters if tattoos were available. However, this rule is usually flexible with international tourists.

The onsen is such an ancient tradition that the oldest hotel in the world - according to the Guinness book of records - is an onsen . Founded in 705 by a camera assistant from Emperor Tenji, Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan has been recognized as the oldest hotel in the world with more than 1,300 years of existence. 52 generations of the same family have been continuously leading the way. Located in the mountains of Hayakama, west of Tokyo, it was a very popular destination among the military class and the artists. Today its 35 rooms are open to anyone willing to pay the 400 euros that round the stay per night, with breakfast and kaiseki dinner included. And of course, from his onsen.

Booming accommodation

The success of this type of accommodation is evidenced by the increasing number of offers throughout the country, as well as the birth of specific search engines to achieve the best reservation, such as The Ryokan Collection . The range of options is very wide, both in price ranges and locations. Traditionally, the ryokan is located in the middle of nature, because everything - especially its hot tubs - oozes calm and lends a hand to the visitor to immerse themselves in relaxation and Eastern Zen philosophy.

Enclaves like Hakone, less than a hundred kilometers from Tokyo, or Fuji, are often favorite options. However, you can live the experience also in the metropolis. Kyoto, the imperial city par excellence and whose streets allow you to feel at all times in a bygone era, is a good alternative. Of course, more classic or contemporary, and whatever the destination, every ryokan must have an onsen, a traditional Japanese room with tatami and futon and offer a kaiseki dinner in the room.

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