Ryokans are traditional inns that have been popular for centuries all over Japan. Travelers stay in private Tatami mat rooms and are usually served dinner and breakfast in their rooms. In an Onsen town (a town with numerous hot springs) a ryokan will probably have a small bath that feeds directly off the hot spring.
The first thing you need to understand is that ryokans are often pretty old so you have to be prepared that this will not be a modern environment. Think of it as stepping backward into the past as if you were a traveller making a pilgrimage from Kyoto to Tokyo. In fact O-Miya Ryokan is located on the old Tokaido Road which was the primary route by which people went to Tokyo (or Edo, as it was then known).
When you arrive at the front door you step into a small entrance room where you are required to remove your shoes and place them into a cabinet. Slippers are waiting nearby and you should wear these at all times when you are walking around the Ryokan (but outside your room).
The owner takes me upstairs to my room. Behind the front door is a little antechamber with a step up. This is where I leave my slippers behind wearing any foot covering (except socks) on a Tatami mat floor is a no-no. A sliding paper screen door opens up to reveal the room itself. A futon is on one side of the room. This is much flatter than the futons we are used to in North America. I remember it not being the most comfortable sleeping arrangement. In the middle of the room is a low table where I will be eating my meals. One wall is made up of more paper screens which are actually covering up the outer windows. This adds to the effect of feeling like you're in another century.
Dinner will be served at 6PM. Last week I had emailed them in order to let them know that I would be eating dinner there. I don't get to pick a meal but I'm confident that I will be happy with what the chefs bring me.
When my brother and I visited Japan we had the opportunity to take three meals in this style and they were all unforgettable experiences. I was looking forward to adding a fourth.
Just before six, the server arrived with my dinner. On a tray set before me was an assortment of small dishes. There was incredibly fresh salmon and tuna sashimi. A plate with a piece of ham, cucumber and fish cake, each with their own flavored garnish. These were unique flavors that I couldn't quite place, one seemed like fermented beans and one used a mustard base. In the end all were superb. There was a cold seaweed salad with fresh mackerel and octopus. A small covered cup contained a seafood egg custard. There was a piece of smoked whitefish on another plate. Finally there was a big hot pot containing seafood udon. The server set the hot pot alight and the udon began to cook.
A giant Bowl of rice was off to the side. After around ten minutes, the server returned with a plate of shrimp and vegetable tempura and a dessert Bowen featuring four simple pieces of fruit including a slice of grapefruit, a frozen leechee nut and a black grape.
Getting hungry again just thinking about it.
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