• Staying at a Ryokan
• Check-in
• Tipping
• Rooms
• Amenities
• Toilets
• Baths
• Dinner
• Exploring the Area
• Breakfast
• Checking out
• Quick Reference

Toilets

There may be guest rooms that will not have toilet or bathing facilities en suite. In this case the toilets are usually located in the hallway. When entering toilet areas, alternate slippers will be provided for use in toilet areas only. Do not forget to change from the toilet slippers to the regular slippers upon exiting the toilet.

Some traditional ryokan may have pit toilets rather than western toilets. If a pit toilet is your only option, face the hood of the toilet. Other ryokan may have western style with heated toilet seats. This can be an added bonus if the ryokan does not have central heating.

There are also toilets that have a faucet attached to the back of the basin that is used to rinse your hands. When you flush the toilet, the clean water will run first through the faucet and then fill the cistern. This is an efficient and hygienic way to make the best use of water and is quite an ingenious concept if you can get used to the idea of rinsing your hands at the toilet!

Some high-tech toilets have several bidet function buttons that may be hard to decipher. To flush the toilet, simply pull on the old-fashioned handle on the side and avoid the buttons unless you can read Japanese.

Toilet paper should be available, but it is always wise to carry your own pack of pocket tissues in Japan. Though toilet paper is common, paper towels for drying your hands are rarely ever available.

Again, don’t forget to remove the toilet slippers before returning to your room.