Quick answer

Stay in a ryokan at least once. Expect tatami floors, futon bedding, a yukata to wear, and an onsen. Hakone is a great place for it. Read the onsen rules before you go, and check whether meals are included.

Staying in a traditional ryokan was one of the experiences we specifically wanted in Japan. We stayed at Hotel Nehako Ryokan Onsen in Hakone, and it was one of the things that made the trip feel distinctly Japanese.

The short version:

  • A ryokan is a traditional Japanese inn.
  • Expect tatami floors, futon beds, a yukata and an onsen.
  • Hakone is one of the best places to try it: mountains, hot springs, a calm pace.
  • Stay at least one night. It’s a completely different experience from a hotel.

What a ryokan can include

Every ryokan is different, but you may get:

  • Tatami flooring → woven straw mats. Shoes off before stepping on them.
  • Futon bedding → laid out on the floor.
  • Yukata → a light cotton robe to wear around the ryokan.
  • Traditional baths or an onsen
  • Traditional Japanese meals
  • Japanese hospitality, which is its own experience.
Our room at the ryokan
Our room at the ryokan

The onsen

Many ryokan in Hakone have their own onsen. If you’ve never been to one, read my onsen etiquette guide first. Short version: shower first, go in without clothes, keep the small towel out of the water.

If a shared bath isn’t for you, ask whether the ryokan has a private bath you can book.

Things to check before booking

  • Meals → are dinner and breakfast included? If you’re vegetarian, ask in advance whether they can prepare a vegetarian meal. Traditional meals often include fish or fish stock.
  • Onsen access → included, or extra?
  • Private bath → available?
  • Tattoo policy → if it matters to you.
  • Getting there → many ryokan are up in the hills. Check the nearest bus stop or station.

Wearing the yukata

You can wear it around the ryokan, to the bath and at dinner. Wrap the left side over the right. Right over left is how the deceased are dressed in Japan.

Why Hakone works so well for it

After a day on the Hakone loop, with the cable car, the ropeway over Owakudani and the pirate ship on Lake Ashi, coming back to a ryokan and an onsen is the perfect end to the day.

Hakone Nehako Ryokan Onsen Our one ryokan night. The part of the trip that felt most distinctly Japanese. Open in Google Maps

My take

A ryokan costs more than a regular hotel, but one night is enough to understand why people love it. If you’re doing Hakone, that’s the place to do it.