Like one of those paradoxes from a Zen fable, solitude can be its own kind of stimulation.—Arthur Golden

Ryokan are traditional Japanese inns. Delve deeper into the ryokan experience with Arthur Golden, best-selling author of Memoirs of a Geisha, in the October 1999 issue of TRAVELER.

LEARN MORE

Japanese Hotels and Inns over the Years
http://jin.jcic.or.jp/nipponia/
nipponia6/sp01.html
Should you book a ryokan or a hotel? Stop by this site to find out what distinguishes them.

Japan Hotels and Inns over the Years
http://www.j-hotel.or.jp/english/index.html
Looking for a place to stay? Visit this site to reserve any type of room, anywhere in Japan.

Japan Hotel Network
http://www.tsuyaku.com/jhd/types.htm
Get an overview of the different types of accommodations in Japan, including ryokan, minshuku, and capsule hotels.

Japan National Tourist Organization
http://www.jnto.go.jp/07hotels/07frame.html
Delve more deeply into the ryokan experience at this site. It also offers links to four of the traditional inns.

Laterra Network: Japanese Inn Group
http://www.laterra.or.jp/advice2/
advice7-e.html
This simple site provides tips for staying in a ryokan and has listings of them organized by region.

Schauwecker’s Guide to Japan: Ryokan
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2029.html
In addition to information about ryokan and other lodgings, this site boasts links to sites on Japanese religion, tourism, etiquette, sports, and traditions.