Arriving and checking in
Check-in at a ryokan is longer than at a hotel, because several things are being arranged at once: your meal times, your bath arrangements, and often tea in the room. Expect to be asked to choose times rather than simply handed a key.
Shoes come off at the entrance. This is the moment most guests get wrong, and staff will indicate where to leave them.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 予約した田中です。 | Yoyaku shita Tanaka desu. | I have a reservation under Tanaka. |
| 靴はどこに置けばいいですか。 | Kutsu wa doko ni okeba ii desu ka. | Where should I leave my shoes? |
| 夕食は何時からですか。 | Yūshoku wa nanji kara desu ka. | What time is dinner? |
| お風呂は何時まで入れますか。 | Ofuro wa nanji made hairemasu ka. | Until what time can I use the bath? |
| 浴衣のサイズを変えてもらえますか。 | Yukata no saizu o kaete moraemasu ka. | Could I change the yukata size? |
| Wi-Fiはありますか。 | Waifai wa arimasu ka. | Is there wireless internet? |
Meals, which are the main event
At most ryokan the meals are half the reason for staying, and they are elaborate: many small dishes, served in a fixed order, either in your room or in a dining room. The staff will explain each dish, which is a listening challenge and an enjoyable one.
Dietary requirements need to be given in advance, at booking rather than on arrival, because the menu is prepared ahead.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| これは何ですか。 | Kore wa nan desu ka. | What is this? |
| どうやって食べますか。 | Dō yatte tabemasu ka. | How do I eat this? |
| 生ものが苦手なんですが。 | Namamono ga nigate nan desu ga. | I am not good with raw food. |
| おかわりをお願いします。 | Okawari o onegai shimasu. | Another serving, please. |
| とても美味しかったです。 | Totemo oishikatta desu. | That was delicious. |
| もうお腹いっぱいです。 | Mō onaka ippai desu. | I am full. |
Asking what something is and how to eat it is expected rather than ignorant. Staff enjoy explaining, and several dishes have a specific way of being eaten.
The bath
The communal bath has its own etiquette, and the essential rule is that washing happens before entering the water, thoroughly, at the seated showers. The bath itself is for soaking in clean.
Baths are often separated by gender and sometimes swap over during the night, so the sign on the door may not be the same one as earlier.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| お風呂は何階ですか。 | Ofuro wa nangai desu ka. | Which floor is the bath on? |
| タオルは持って行きますか。 | Taoru wa motte ikimasu ka. | Should I bring a towel? |
| 男湯はどちらですか。 | Otokoyu wa dochira desu ka. | Which is the men's bath? |
| 入れ墨があるんですが、大丈夫ですか。 | Irezumi ga aru n desu ga, daijōbu desu ka. | I have a tattoo; is that all right? |
| 貸切風呂は予約できますか。 | Kashikiri buro wa yoyaku dekimasu ka. | Can I book the private bath? |
| 時間はどのくらいですか。 | Jikan wa dono kurai desu ka. | How long is it available for? |
The evening and the futon
While you are at dinner, staff come in and lay out the futon. Returning to a different room is normal and catches first-time guests out, so leave the low table clear if you can.
The evening is quiet by design. Many ryokan lock the front door at a set hour, which is worth checking if you intend to go out.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 布団を敷いていただけますか。 | Futon o shiite itadakemasu ka. | Could you lay out the futon? |
| もう一枚、毛布をお願いします。 | Mō ichimai, mōfu o onegai shimasu. | One more blanket, please. |
| 何時まで外出できますか。 | Nanji made gaishutsu dekimasu ka. | Until what time can I go out? |
| 朝食は何時にお願いできますか。 | Chōshoku wa nanji ni onegai dekimasu ka. | What time may I have breakfast? |
| 少し暑いので、冷房をお願いします。 | Sukoshi atsui node, reibō o onegai shimasu. | It is a little warm; could I have the air conditioning? |
| おやすみなさい。 | Oyasuminasai. | Good night. |
Checking out
Checkout is usually early, often ten in the morning, and is not as flexible as at a hotel because the rooms have to be reset for the evening's guests.
The staff will frequently see you off at the entrance, sometimes waiting until you are out of sight. Turning to wave is the expected response.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| チェックアウトをお願いします。 | Chekkuauto o onegai shimasu. | I would like to check out. |
| 荷物を預かってもらえますか。 | Nimotsu o azukatte moraemasu ka. | Could you hold my luggage? |
| 駅まで送っていただけますか。 | Eki made okutte itadakemasu ka. | Could you give me a lift to the station? |
| お世話になりました。 | Osewa ni narimashita. | Thank you for having me. |
| とてもよかったです。また来ます。 | Totemo yokatta desu. Mata kimasu. | It was lovely. I will come again. |
| タクシーを呼んでいただけますか。 | Takushī o yonde itadakemasu ka. | Could you call a taxi? |
Many inns run a free shuttle to the nearest station. It is worth asking rather than assuming, particularly in rural areas where taxis are scarce.
Rehearsing before you go
Almost everything above is predictable, which makes a ryokan stay one of the most rehearsable pieces of travel Japanese there is. Four short exchanges cover the whole visit, and knowing them changes the stay from anxious to enjoyable.
Running them as a roleplay before the trip is the practical preparation. Practising the arrival and the meal-time exchange with an AI Sensei in Unihongo's immersive 3D classroom takes ten minutes, and because the staff's questions are so predictable, the rehearsal maps directly onto the real thing.
Then let the rest be listening practice. The dish explanations at dinner are some of the most enjoyable Japanese you will hear, and understanding half of them is a good evening.
The staff at a ryokan expect to guide guests through the conventions, including Japanese ones. Asking is normal and the answer is usually a demonstration.