How to Choose the Best Ryokan for You | Japan

Staying at a ryokan Japanese inn can be spendy, so there’s no point forking up if you’re not getting the experience which is perfectly suited for you. We cover the basics of what a ryokan experience can offer, what to look out for, and how to find a ryokan to suit your checklist so that you can get the best experience.
In this guide we cover kaiseki dining, the variety of onsen available, take into consideration location, and also what we chose for our own trip. Watch our next video to see which ryokan we chose and our own experiences with it.
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[@foxician_vfx]

Thank you for this helpful video!! How much in advance would you recommend to book a Ryokan?

[@TwinSpeakEatGo]

This is a great question that we definitely should have covered! This depends on several things. 1. How far in advance does the ryokan accept bookings? We recommend using the reservation form to check availability (without going through with the payments), as many accommodations in Japan only accept reservations 6 or even as little as 2-3 months in advance. Some ryokan aren't limited, in which case you can book as early as you like. 2. Is it a weekend or a public holiday? Weekend travel is popular for locals so these slots tend to be taken much faster. Don't expect availability 2 weeks in advance! Even weekdays can be booked out if there are public holidays, or in cases like group bookings, company retreats, or possibly even maintenance (this is just a guess. Ryokan have a lot of things to maintain after all, from the baths, to the rooms, and even the gardens that some rooms may have private access to. Use the reservation form to check that the room/ryokan has availability on the dates that you want, as once we saw a whole week booked out 9 months in advance!). 3. Are you eyeing a specific room, or just a specific ryokan? One thing we didn't touch on as much in the video is that some ryokan have limited numbers of specific rooms. If you want a specific room because of (for example) the size of the room, a private open-air bath, the view, the theme/vibe, etc., then you may need to consider that there may only be 1 or 2 of these rooms in the whole establishment. If you're less invested in a specific room than the ryokan in general, then you can probably be more relaxed with how early you book. 4. Is there an earlybird rate? As we discussed, some ryokan offer the same basic plan for a discounted price the earlier you book! Use the direct website to check the reservation form and see if this is offered for the ryokan you want. Some ryokan offer different rates for booking at least 30, 60, or even 90 days in advance, and these can make a sizeable dent in the total price. 5. What's the cancellation fee? Is your itinerary flexible? This one's pretty self-explanatory. As these rooms are expensive the cancellation plans/fees can be quite strict, and can be expensive if you change or cancel up to 2 weeks in advance. If you're prone to changing plans, this might be something to consider, especially in the cases where you're charged in advance of your stay. For the ryokan we stayed at, we paid on-site, though this was pre-Covid (2019). We're pretty pedantic when it comes to our travels, so we map out our plans well in advance, and book as early as possible when the option becomes available. We know that not everyone is like us, but we would suggest that 1-2 months beforehand would be a comfortable window to book. Hope this helps!

[@foxician_vfx]

@@TwinSpeakEatGo Wow, thank you so much for your detailled answer, I greatly appreciate it! This is very helpful! 🙌

[@miak5653]

@@TwinSpeakEatGo I have never seen this long reply. :D

[@miak5653]

I finally booked Ryokan with a private open-air hot spring and kaiseki dinner in a hotel room. I really appreciate your video and detail-oriented blog. I read it through, and I found the best ryokan in Kyoto. The blog said it's $285 per person on average, and mine is $284.50 per person. I am happy with my reservation. I booked it through the hotel website which translated into English. I put telephone number 0000000000 as you guys said. The only problem that I had was that I had to put my name in Hiragana. My sister, who can speak Japanese very well, helped me out. Other than that it was good to go. Thank you again!

[@TwinSpeakEatGo]

Thank you for your feedback! We're glad it was useful, and we hope you enjoy your ryokan experience!

[@miak5653]

It is a very helpful video. I was lost... like I didn't know how to start to research ryokan. This video gave me a clear way to research. Thank you so much :D I love the detailed info.

[@anaiyahluther]

This was super helpful thank you!

[@sarahc3108]

Very helpful. Can you tell me about public onsen and tattoo, since many Westerners have at least one tattoo.

[@tiffanykuehl5827]

great video! Thank you! what website can I use that shows the meal choices?

[@TwinSpeakEatGo]

Go to the website and start the reservation process. They'll have meal options you can choose (but not the menu!) 🤗🤗

[@kristalclear1807]

Which one did you stay in kyoto, thanks