Could you tell us about your experiences hosting
foreign guests?
Gion Fukuzumi: Our first foreign guests were sent to us from
travel agencies, and we rarely hosted foreign guests. These days
everything has changed and every year we host on average 200 to 300
foreign guests per year. Recently we have been getting a lot of Asian
travelers but we also host a lot of American families. The Asian
travelers are more interested in shopping for electronic products
while the American tourists enjoy visiting Kyoto's temples and
shrines.
Motonago: Travel agents referred our first foreign guests to us
but today we get a lot of foreign guests who come to us by "word of
mouth." It seems "word of mouth" is a very powerful form of
communication among foreigners. During the off-season, sometimes our
ryokan is filled with only foreign guests.
Tamahan: A very long time ago the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
large Japanese corporations sent us our first foreign guests. Today,
approximately 10% of our guests are non-Japanese and they make their
own reservations with us by fax, telephone, and e-mail.
Do you notice any differences between your Japanese and
non-Japanese guests?
Gion Fukuzumi: While our Japanese guests stay only one or two
nights, our foreign guests stay much longer. Some stay a week and some
even stay a month! Our Japanese guests go sightseeing just in Kyoto
while our foreign guests use our ryokan as a base to go sightseeing
all over Japan. Also, Japanese only travel during certain times of the
year while foreign travelers stay at our ryokan throughout the year.
Motonago: No, we do not see any differences between our Japanese
and non-Japanese guests. Our foreign guests are very knowledgeable
about ryokans.
Tamahan: Our foreign guests are just as knowledgeable about
ryokans as our Japanese guests. Indeed, they often know more about
ryokans than many young Japanese, many who have never stayed at a
ryokan. Foreign travelers seem to deeply appreciate our traditional
way of doing things at our ryokan and they often say things like
"fantastic!" Our Japanese guests, on the other hand, are very quiet
and never comment about our ryokan. What a difference!
Have you ever had any difficulties dealing with non-Japanese
guests?
Gion Fukuzumi: No, not at all. Our foreign guests are very kind to
us, often much kinder than our Japanese guests! They really appreciate
the things we take for granted too. For example, when we are expecting
guests to arrive we put their name in English on a large plaque in the
lobby entrance. Many foreign guests get a real kick out of seeing
their name on the plaque and some will even take a picture of it!
Motonago: Some of our foreign guests are strict vegetarians, and
we have to change the dinner menu to suit their diet. This is not a
problem for us if we know in advance. We get a lot of questions from
our guests and because our English language ability is limited it is
often difficult to explain something to them correctly. For example,
we are often asked about our curved bamboo slats against the outside
wall of the ryokan and we find it difficult to explain it is used to
stop dogs from peeing against our ryokan!
Tamahan: Sometimes there are guests who will not eat fish but we
will change the menu to suit them. One thing that is difficult to
explain is a ryokan's pricing system. Prices depend on the size of the
room, its location, the view, and the menu. The food prices change
throughout the year depending on the season and the food being served.
Other Useful Ryokan Information
If you have never stayed at a ryokan, then Planning
Your Stay at a Japanese Ryokan will help you better plan
your stay.
Our Ryokan Styles page
will tell you about the various types of ryokans available
If it is your first time staying at a ryokan, you may want to
read our page on Ryokan Customs
Here is some more detailed information about Staying
at a Ryokan including ryokan cuisine
For more information about dining on Japanese "kaiseki," please
see Japanese "Kaiseki" (traditional,
multi-course dinner)
In A Ryokan Experience,
a guest describes his stay at a ryokan on Miyajima Island
Read Interviews with Three
Kyoto Ryokan Owners and their experiences hosting foreign
guests
A step-by-step explanation of how
to put on a Japanese "yukata" (robe)
Here is a description about the dos and don'ts of Japanese
Bathing Etiquette, and here is how to use a Japanese-style
toilet
How big is a tatami mat room? Go to this Tatami
Mat Conversion Table and find out.
Read David Paget's article "Japanese
Buddhist Temple Overnight" and a guest's article "A Night on Mount Koya" about their experiences staying overnight at Buddhist Temples on Mount Koya in Wakayama Prefecture.
Read guest's Comments about
their ryokan stays
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Gion Fukuzumi
