It’s hard to find a reasonably priced hotel room in Tokyo — especially when Japanese school children are on spring break and the cherry blossoms are in bloom.

There are plenty of hostels, but they tend to be booked well in advance. Brand name hotels can run US$500+ a night and independently owned hotels aren’t much cheaper.

The search for a room for less than US$200 led us to a ryokan – a traditional Japanese inn.  Our stay at the Homeikan Honkan made our visit to Tokyo truly memorable.

A ryokan room is a simple rectangle.  There is a straw tatami mat on the floor.  During the day, the room is set up as a sitting area, with cushions on the floor around a low square table.

In the evenings, the innkeeper comes to each room to make up the bedding – double-layer futons on the floor.

Each guest gets to use two robes – a light cotton robe and a heavier yakutura to use when its cooler.

What distinguishes a ryokan, though, is its public bath.

[Read more →]