5 Must-Visit Ryokans for Your Next Trip to Japan

Above, inside an Atami ryokan room. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Tourists to Japan are missing out on experiencing something totally Japanese if they don't stay at a traditional Japanese inn, known as a ryokan. 

I have stayed at several ryokans over the years and found them more enjoyable than hotels. 

Condé Nast Traveler has posted an article on five "must-visit" ryokans.

They begin it with:

There are countless reasons to visit Japan, but warm hospitality, unmatched design, and rich culture are just a few topping the list. And where better to draw all these elements together than at one of the nation’s many ryokans? Roughly translating to “inn,” ryokans lie at the heart of Japanese culture, known for their home-cooked meals on cushioned floors and snug sleeps on tatami mats. Often built atop natural hot springs, called onsen, communal bathing is also common to these cozy establishments, while sliding paper walls, called shoji doors, are also fundamental to these intimate spaces, cleverly filtering through natural light while maintaining absolute privacy.

Ryokans are rooted in tradition, and there are plenty of historic places to choose from—but a flurry of new developments has reimagined their iconic Japanese customs for modern audiences. Mineral-rich waters in private bathrooms, low rather than floor beds, and entire ryokan rentals are just some adaptations that have entered the scene—but all share the same goal of immersing guests in the ultimate authentic experience. Whether you’re looking for a bolthole passed through generations or a refreshing take on the lodging style, we’ve rounded up some of the loveliest ryokans for your next trip to Japan. (Or, for a more familiar stay, see our guide to the best hotels in Japan.)

To read more, go here. 

Japan Hotel Prices Rise, Battle Brewing Between Foreign and Domestic Tourists

Above, Tokyo's Hotel Asia Center of Japan. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

With the huge influx in foreign visitors along with Japan's domestic travelers, hotel prices are rising in Tokyo and other metropolitan areas. This is leading to a "battle" for hotel rooms between those domestic and foreign tourists.

According to The Mainichi:

TOKYO -- The cost of staying at hotels in metropolitan Tokyo and regional Japanese cities keeps rising amid a surge in foreign visitors, with a survey by a Tokyo-based corporate analytics firm showing rates at key lodgings had risen by as much as over 50% year-on-year last fall.

A poll of room rates in October to December 2024 by Tokyo Shoko Research Ltd. (TSR) covering 15 hotel brands across 13 publicly traded operators showed an increase from the same period of the year prior for all companies, as much as 1.6 times. "With room prices expected to rise further, the battle for room reservations between domestic travelers and inbound tourists is expected to intensify," the company commented.

The average rate per room at eight business hotel brands for which prices can be compared before and after the COVID-19 pandemic was 13,986 yen (some $98), up approximately 45% from October-December 2019. Rates at four higher-priced "city hotel" brands also increased by some 35% to 20,897 yen (around $146), exceeding 20,000 yen for the first time in the last five years as occupancy rates, which had slumped to the 20% range due to the coronavirus disaster, recovered to over 80%.

To read more, go here. 

Kyoto To Hike Lodging Tax

Above, Kyoto's Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Visitors to Kyoto, Japan will be paying more when staying in the city's hotels and other accommodations.

The municipal government will be hiking the lodging tax up to ¥10,000 per person per night starting in March 2026.

According to Kyodo News:

KYOTO - The city government of Kyoto said Tuesday it will raise its lodging tax for people staying at hotels and other accommodations from March 2026, setting the maximum rate at a sharply higher 10,000 yen ($64) per person per night.

The new rates will range from 200 yen to 10,000 yen, compared with the current ones of between 200 yen and 1,000 yen, it said. The top rate will be the highest for fixed amounts imposed by municipalities, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

The city introduced a three-tiered accommodation tax system in 2018, with 200 yen levied on rooms costing less than 20,000 a night and 1,000 yen on those priced at 50,000 yen or higher.

To read more, go here.