Breakaway Destination Guides (International)

Many Japanese enjoy staying at Ryokan for their food. Lots of Ryokan have a great chef and they often serve seasonal traditional food in the area. It look beautiful on beautiful plates, (Please be careful with their table wares as they could be very old and valuable!) but the delicate taste is definitely a must-try!.

The knowledgeable traveller who prizes fine food can do no better than dine in a 'ryokan'. 'Washoku' (traditional Japanese fare) not only titillates the palate but is presented in the most exquisite fashion to delight the eyes. Prepared with pride by the house chef, using only fresh and delicious ingredients, each elaborate dish is politely explained by the attendant for the diner's added enjoyment. Please be careful with the table wares as they could be very old and valuable!

This is usually an 6 to 15 course dinner beginning with appetizers. The appetizers are followed by "sashimi" or sliced, raw fish (dip the raw seafood in the dish of soy sauce and season it with green horseradish). Next is a clear soup, grilled meat or fish, steamed vegetables, a hot-pot (a light stew), and a salad with dressing. Rice, miso soup, and Japanese pickles are served at the end of the meal, and fruit or jelly is served for dessert. For more about kaiseki, please see Japanese "Kaiseki".

Country-style meals are often centred around whole grilled river fish; "sashimi" or raw seafood; fresh vegetables served boiled or as tempura, vegetable soup, pork, beef, chicken, or even wild boar hot-pots (a light stew).

A typical Japanese-style breakfast is rice, miso soup, grilled fish, and Japanese pickles. Breakfast also comes with "nori" or dried seaweed to eat with your rice (lay a sheet of nori on your rice and bring the ends together with your chopsticks to trap the rice inside). A small, salty plum is sometimes served as well as "natto" or sticky fermented soy beans and a raw egg (crack the egg into a small bowl. Add a dash of soy sauce and beat it with your chopsticks. Pour it over your rice). Some ryokans serve their own special breakfasts featuring local delicacies.

During the New Year's period you may be served Japanese "osechi" during your stay. Osechi had its earliest origins in a year end ceremony introduced to the Imperial Court from China during the Nara Period (710-793). Today it is a tradition to eat osechi during "Oshogatsu" which is the first 3 days of the New Year. The food is prepared before New Year's Eve, and they are stored in a refrigerator during the three day holiday period. The food is packed into 3 or 4 layers of lacquered boxes called "jubako." Osechi represents happiness, good health, and a bountiful harvest. The different kinds of osechi dishes have special meaning too. For example, "tai" (sea bream) symbolizes a happy or important occasion; "kazunoko" (herring roe) represents having many children, and so on. Here is a photo of osechi.

Many ryokans take tremendous pride in serving their guests the best of the local cuisine in the area. In Gifu Prefecture, for example, expect a meal of Hida beef, river trout, and freshly-picked mountain vegetables. Along the seacoast, guests will usually dine on freshly-caught fish and other seafood delights. Meals are served either in the privacy of your room or in a large dining area. Alcoholic beverages such as beer or Japanese sake are not included with your dinner and must be ordered separately. Tipping is not necessary but if you want to leave a tip, put 1,000 or 2,000 yen in a small envelope or wrap it with white paper and give it to the maid when your final dinner is served. If dinner is being served in your room, the ryokan staff will set up everything on the low table in your room. Dinner time is usually around 18:00 (6:00pm). This will give you time to check-in, get settled, and (if available) relax in the ryokan's baths. Breakfast is usually served from around 7:00am. If you request Western meals, you may receive meals which are not completely Western. In many cases, the Japanese definition of a "Western meal" will be different from what you are normally used to - please be flexible!

During your stay, ryokans in general cannot make any changes to your meals or where you are dining. For example, if you suddenly decide you do not want breakfast or if you want fish instead of meat the ryokans will generally not be able to make these changes. Please tell them while making your reservation if you have any special meal requests or if you wish to have meals in your room. Ryokans are often small, family run businesses and they are simply not equipped to quickly cater to any last minute meal or dining changes.

Help Me Get it Right

  About the Author