What is a ryokan, and how is it different from a hotel in Japan?
A ryokan is a traditional Japanese inn. Although ryokan come in many different styles, they are often associated with Japanese-style rooms, tatami mats, futon bedding, and traditional Japanese hospitality.
According to the Japan Tourism Agency’s 2025 accommodation statistics, ryokan account for approximately 11% of guest rooms in accommodation facilities across Japan. Although they represent a relatively small share of Japan’s accommodation capacity, ryokan offer a distinctive way to experience Japanese culture.
In the past, Japanese law distinguished between ryokan and hotels based partly on their Japanese-style or Western-style facilities. However, these legal categories were combined into a single category, “Ryokan and Hotel Business,” in 2018.
Traditionally, one of the most recognizable differences was the style of guest rooms: sleeping on a futon in a Japanese-style room with tatami mats at a ryokan, compared with sleeping on a bed in a Western-style room at a hotel.
At many ryokan, guests take off their shoes at the entrance and change into slippers or other indoor footwear.
However, these differences are not always clear today. Some ryokan offer rooms with Western-style beds, including our Shima Onsen Kashiwaya Ryokan. Meanwhile, some hotels offer Japanese-style rooms. Even in traditional onsen towns, large ryokan sometimes call themselves hotels.
In this way, the differences between ryokan and hotels have gradually become less distinct.
Customer Service Style
Another traditional difference between ryokan and hotels is their style of customer service.
At hotels, most services are provided at the front desk or in shared facilities, and meals are generally served in restaurants. Staff do not usually enter guest rooms except for housekeeping or specific services.
Traditionally, ryokan offered a more personal style of service. Staff members, sometimes called nakai, would welcome guests, guide them to their rooms, serve tea, prepare meals, and arrange futon bedding.
In particular, meals were often served in guests’ rooms, giving guests opportunities to talk with staff about the dishes and local culture.
Today, however, many ryokan serve meals in a shared dining area or restaurant, much like hotels do. Some ryokan, particularly in cities such as Tokyo and Kyoto, also offer room-only stays without meals.
At Kashiwaya Ryokan, for example, we previously served meals in guest rooms, but we now serve both dinner and breakfast in our dining area.
Let’s look at some of the opportunities guests may have to interact with staff during a ryokan stay.
When you arrive, staff welcome you at the front desk, traditionally called a choba, and guide you through the check-in process. At some ryokan, staff show you to your room and serve tea.
At ryokan that include meals, staff may explain the dishes, ingredients, and local food traditions during dinner or breakfast. Depending on the ryokan, meals may be served in the guest room or a dining area.
At some ryokan, staff also prepare futon bedding in the guest room. Watching how quickly and neatly they arrange the bedding can be an interesting part of the experience.
There are also opportunities to interact with staff at breakfast, checkout, and departure. Of course, the amount and style of personal service vary from one ryokan to another.
Today, the difference between ryokan and hotel service is not always as clear as it once was. What makes a ryokan special is not necessarily where meals are served or how often staff enter your room, but the overall experience of staying there.
Origin
Another difference might be their origins.
The origins of Japanese ryokan can be traced back to accommodations provided for travelers in ancient Japan. During the Nara period, Buddhist temples and monks offered places for travelers to rest. Later, inns developed along pilgrimage routes and major roads.
During the Edo period, honjin provided accommodation for feudal lords and other important travelers, while hatago served ordinary travelers.
In addition, inns developed in hot spring towns for toji, the Japanese tradition of staying at hot springs for rest and recuperation. This culture has continued in various forms to the present day.
Shima Onsen has a long history as a hot spring resort. Sekizenkan is known for having one of Japan’s oldest surviving wooden hot spring inn buildings, which is designated as a cultural property. This historic building is now used mainly as a public space, while guests can stay in adjacent buildings that are also part of Sekizenkan Honkan (the main inn complex).
In contrast, Western-style hotels began to develop in Japan during the late Edo and Meiji periods, as the country opened to international trade and adopted aspects of Western culture.
One of Japan’s earliest Western-style hotels was the Yokohama Hotel, which opened in 1860. Famous classic hotels such as Nikko Kanaya Hotel, Fujiya Hotel in Hakone, Manpei Hotel in Karuizawa, and Nara Hotel belong to this tradition of Japanese hotel history.
Which Should You Choose: a Ryokan or a Hotel?
If you are looking for a convenient place to sleep while exploring Japan, a hotel may be the best choice.
But if you want your accommodation to be part of your travel experience, consider staying at a ryokan.
Staying in a traditional Japanese-style room with tatami mats and sleeping on a futon can be a memorable experience in itself. Many ryokan also offer Japanese hospitality, and some serve traditional Japanese meals. If you choose an onsen ryokan, you can enjoy relaxing hot spring baths as well.
Rather than simply returning to your room at the end of the day, staying at a ryokan can be an opportunity to experience Japanese culture in a more personal way.
Both have their charms. And on a trip to Japan, why not try both?
If you would like to experience a Japanese ryokan in a quiet hot spring town, we would be happy to welcome you to Shima Onsen Kashiwaya Ryokan, in the mountains of Gunma Prefecture.
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