Where to Stay - Tokyo - page 85

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in the winter and may have only Japanese-style toilets (see “Fast Facts: Tokyo,” in chapter
12). As for breakfast, you might find it difficult to swallow fish, rice, and seaweed in the
morning (I've even been served grilled grasshopper—quite crunchy). Sometimes you can
get a Western-style breakfast if you order it the night before, but more often than not the
fried or scrambled eggs arrive cold, leading you to suspect that they were cooked right
after you ordered them.
A ryokan is also quite rigid in its schedule. You're expected to arrive sometime
between 3 and 5pm, take your bath, and then eat at around 6 or 7pm. Breakfast is served
early, usually by 8am, and checkout is by 10am. That means you can't sleep in, and
because the maid is continually coming in and out, you have a lot less privacy than you
would in a hotel.
You should always make a reservation if you want to stay in a first-class or medium-
priced ryokan, since the chef has to shop for and prepare your meals. You can make
reservations through any travel agency in Japan or by contacting a ryokan directly. You
may be required to pay a deposit. Another good source is the Japan Ryokan Association
( & 03/3231-5310; www.ryokan.or.jp), which lists some 1,400 ryokan as members.
Japanese Inn Group
If you want the experience of staying in a Japanese-style room but cannot afford the
extravagance of a ryokan, consider staying in one of the participating members of the
Japanese Inn Group—a special organization of more than 80 Japanese-style inns and
hotels throughout Japan offering inexpensive lodging and catering largely to foreigners.
Although you may balk at the idea of staying at a place filled mainly with foreigners, keep
in mind that some inexpensive Japanese-style inns are not accustomed to guests from
abroad and may be quite reluctant to take you in if you don't speak Japanese. I have
covered several Japanese Inn Group members in this topic over the years and have found
the owners, for the most part, to be an exceptional group of friendly people eager to offer
foreigners the chance to experience life on tatami and futons. In many cases, these are
good places in which to exchange information with other world travelers, and they are
popular with young people and families alike.
Although many of the group members call themselves ryokan, they are not ryokan in
the true sense of the word, because they do not offer the trademark personalized service
or the beautiful setting common to ryokan. However, they do offer simple tatami rooms
that generally come with TVs and air-conditioners; most have towels and cotton yukata.
Some offer Western-style rooms as well, and/or rooms with private bathrooms. Facilities
generally include a coin-operated washer and dryer and a public bath. The average cost
of a 1-night stay is about ¥5,000 to ¥6,000 per person, without meals. Breakfast is usu-
ally available if you pay extra; dinner is also sometimes available.
You can view member inns at www.jpinn.com . Or, upon your arrival in Tokyo, head
to the Tourist Information Center for the free pamphlet called Japanese Inn Group. Make
reservations directly with the inn (most have home pages and e-mail). In some cases,
you'll be asked to pay a deposit (most accept American Express, MasterCard, and Visa).
Many member inns belong to the Welcome Inn Group as well, which means you can
make reservations through one of the methods described above in this chapter.

5

Minshuku
Technically, a minshuku is inexpensive Japanese-style lodging in a private home—the
Japanese version of a bed-and-breakfast—usually located in resort areas or smaller towns.
Because minshuku are family-run affairs, there's no personal service, which means that