Hotels are fine, but in Japan the stay can be the point. A ryokan — the word roughly means "inn" — is the country's traditional lodging style, and it packs the best bits of Japanese hospitality into one intimate package: home-cooked multi-course dinners served on low cushioned floors, sleeping on futons laid over tatami mats, and often a natural hot spring on site for communal or private bathing. Sliding shoji paper doors filter soft daylight into the rooms while keeping everything private. It's design and ritual working together, and it's hard to replicate anywhere else.
You don't have to go full historic, either. While plenty of family-run ryokans have been operating for generations, a new wave of owners is updating the format for modern travellers — think mineral-rich waters piped into private bathrooms, low beds instead of sleeping directly on the floor, and entire ryokan rentals you can take over with friends. The customs stay; the comfort level adapts to you.
Condé Nast Traveller's editors have pulled together a shortlist of eight standout options, each vetted for host ratings, guest reviews, amenities, location and design. A few highlights from their picks: Mitsuhama Ryokan in Matsuyama on Shikoku is their choice for couples; a traditional machiya townhouse in Kyoto works best for families who want more space and a kitchen; and Yui Valley in Fujieda, between Tokyo and Kyoto, takes the crown for both big groups and the best room-with-a-view, making it a natural stop on a longer rail trip. Design lovers are pointed towards Ryunohara Hatago in Tanabe, the gateway town for the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trails.
A couple of practical notes before you book. Traditional ryokans usually include dinner and breakfast in the rate, and the food is often the star — kaiseki-style seasonal menus built around local produce. You'll be asked to remove shoes at the entrance and change into provided slippers or yukata robes, so pack socks without holes. Bathing etiquette matters too: you wash and rinse thoroughly before entering the onsen, and tattoos can be a problem at some properties, so check the policy if you're inked. Smaller ryokans and townhouse rentals book out well ahead, especially in cherry blossom season and autumn foliage weeks, so reserve early.
This story is worth your time if you're planning a Japan itinerary and want at least a night or two that isn't a standard hotel. Ryokans suit couples after romance, families wanting tatami-room flexibility, and anyone walking a trail who'd welcome a soak and a serious dinner at the end of the day. Even one night will change how you see the rest of the trip.
Via Condé Nast Traveller UK
