The whole ryokan experience is meant to be spiritual and sensual. It is structured to awaken the senses, though in a Japanese way instead of a western way. If you are tuned in to that, it becomes very erotic; the best sex of my life was in a ryokan. Your body merges with the universe; somehow the ryokans really seem to accomplish that. But YMMV, so don't let that colour your decision on whether it is worth the price (btw your ryokan is moderately priced, easy to spend triple that in Japan). In my mind the question isn't whether one night is enough, but are 2 nights enough?

What is considered to be a reasonably priced Ryokan? Are there any in the $100-200 range? Can any sites be recommended for Ryokan's in different cities?

yes
 

Lots of price ranges...remember both dinner (usually a feast that goes for $80 -$100 alone--served in your room is usually included) and breakfast are usually included.

Splurge--you'll remember it forever :)

http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/index.htm

Look, I really like Japan. And I also really like a bed with a good mattress; futons on the floor are spiritual for some, but not for me.

I believe a stay at a small isolated onsen hotel with western bedding and excellent food (they exist, I stayed at one on my last trip) would be as "spiritual" as any ryokan. And you don't wake up with a backache.

BTW, a lot of the spirituality might vanish if the ryokan was so authentic that it had Japanese style toilets. You ought to check on that.

Where was this, maybe I'll ask them to whip me up whatever you had for dinner that night. I assume it featured more than one kind of shiitake.

Maybe they're calling The Chicken Ranch a 'ryokan' these days.

Ryokans with beds
 

Some ryokans actually do have beds including the top-end Ryokans in Yufuin (see Tamanoyu @ http://www.tamanoyu.co.jp/webpage/english.html) a spa town that was mentioned in an earlier post.

It's actually easy enough to get to Yufuin by plane. Oita Airport is only 1½ hours flight from Tokyo (10 flights a day) and probably wouldn't cost to much to add on a sector to a flight from the States or Europe.

Yep...Yufuin is very accessible via airplane---we flew from Haneda to Oita, it's about 80 mins. Figure about another 45 mins by road to Yufuin.

Yeah, we looked at the Tama no yu place, it's nice but a bit pricey. I'll have to dig up the place we stayed at a year ago.

Hi guys..

My girlfriend and I are going to Japan in September and I'm getting really excited about it. The place I'm still pondering about is Takayma. I don't know where we are going to be staying there yet. We both know we want a Ryokan. My girlfriend really wants a place with onsen bath, so according to

http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/db/takayama/

it only leaves me two choices: either Hidatei Hanaogi in Takayama or Yatsusan Ryokan outside of Takayama in HidaFurukawa. I'm leaning towards Yatsusan because it's a traditional ryokan. Hidatei Hanaogi looks really nice from the photos, but it's a ryokan hotel; and I'm not sure if we'll appreciate it as much as the sereneness of a traditional ryokan. Besides, HidaFurukawa seems to be a more nature place than Takayama. I think the rural feeling of HidaFurukawa will add to our ryokan experience. I'm just wondering if anyone here can give us some inputs.

Thanks a lot in advance, everybody! :)

Welcome to FT, avonord. Good luck finding a ryokan which will suit your needds and budget. Unfortunately, many of the great ones are booked well in advance. Suggest e-maling or faxing the ones which interest you the most. A Traditonal Ryokan, only for one day, is a magic and ethereal experience. Tawaraya in Kyoto is seared in my memory forever. Sheer magic

Welcome to Flyertalk and thanks for resurrecting this thread I started a year ago. My wife and I spent two nights at the Yatsusan Ryokan. It was the highlight of our trip. I would highly, highly recommend it. The staff picked us up at the train station and escorted us with paper umbrellas in the rain from the door of the van to the door of the Ryokan. We knew we were in for a great experience.

They don't serve food in your room but other than that, based on my research it was an authentic, traditional, ryokan experience. The dinners consisted of a never-ending series of appertizer-sized dishes. Breakfast was a bit much for both of us. It was a little too-authentic. I didn't quite know what to make of the cooked herbal or weed-like material they put over a small flame in our private dining room. Each party has its own walled-off dining area. The tatami beds are nice as are the thermal baths. The building is pretty as well and you get to wear fun robes to bed. Mine had pictures of baseballs on it. The only drawback we had was the result of an earthquake in another part of Japan. The train line back to Takayama and south to Nagoya was closed. We had to try to communicate with the staff which speaks little English about alternative travel plans. Luckily, a Japanese guest spoke enough English to help us find a bus in town that would take us to Toyama where we could catch the train to Kyoto, our next destination. We ended up waiting about 1 hour + for the bus. My wife felt the Ryokan staff gave us the wrong bus time because they wanted us out of the establishment because it was almost noon by the time we left. I'm not so sure.

We ended up not having enough money for the bus which led to a comical exchange between us and the driver and my wife ultimately trying to communicate with him and keep him busy while I ran around central Toyama trying to find the post office whose ATM would take my American bank card. I digress. The Yatsusan Ryokan is great. Stay there.

Takayama's just a city. If you're all the way there, might as well go the last leg up into the mountains and stay at the Oku-Hida Onsen Villages instead!

Takayama
 

I booked the Hidatei Hanaogi for this March. I'll let you know how it is. I picked it because it was closer to town. I'm sure I'll get enough 'japan' experience no matter where I stay. This was a hot springs that was in town. perfect for me!

Any advice on places to eat.. things to do?

I'll also be in Tokyo and Kyoto.

Is there anything to do in Kyoto besides a ton of shrines?

Kyoto has many gardens, temples and shrines. Each one is it's own unique experience and if you enjoy Japanese culture I'm sure you won't be dissapointed. When are you going in March? Mid to late March and April is when you'll get the full Cherry Blossom effect.

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