Sleeping on the floor for the first time in our lives.
Futon. Tatami. No bed, no mattress. Just a thin layer of cotton between you and the wooden floor.
I lay in the darkness, listening to the silence, thinking: "This is how the Japanese lived for hundreds of years."
In the morning, I realized I never wanted to go back to a standard hotel.
This is the story of what a true ryokan is—and why it transforms your entire trip.
What is a ryokan—and why you need to experience it
A ryokan is not just a "traditional hotel." It's an experience you can't get anywhere else but Japan. Tatami on the floor. Yukata instead of a robe. An onsen where you sit in hot water in complete silence, staring at the wall—and it's pure bliss. A kaiseki breakfast with seven dishes that look like still-life paintings.
Most tourists save the ryokan experience "for later"—visiting Kyoto or Hakone first. We decided to start right in Tokyo. And we didn't regret it.
We stayed in two places—in different neighborhoods, each with its own character. Each one was its own story.
Ryokan Sawanoya (旅館澤の屋)
📍 2-3-11 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-0001 (台東区谷中2-3-11) 🚇 5-minute walk from Nezu Station (Metro Chiyoda Line) ⭐ Rating: 9.2/10 on most platforms 💴 Approximately ¥9,000–16,000 per person. Breakfast: ¥770.
When we found this address, we were cautious. A narrow alley deep in a residential area. No signs in Russian or English. A wooden facade that looks like it hasn't changed since the 1960s.
Then the door opened.
Ryokan Sawanoya is run by the Sawa family—and it feels like visiting your grandmother for New Year's holidays. Except this grandmother speaks English and makes you feel welcome from the first moment.
The ryokan has been operating since 1949 and has become one of the most popular places for foreign guests in Tokyo: currently, about 87% of guests are travelers from abroad. This fundamentally sets Sawanoya apart from most ryokans, where foreigners rarely stay: everything here is designed so you can understand and feel Japan—even if you don't speak a word of Japanese.
The rooms are minimalist: tatami, futon, a small table, a window overlooking a garden. A paper crane lies on the pillow as a greeting. We entered the room, took off our shoes at the door, sat on the floor—and realized we didn't want to leave.
The ryokan has two private onsens. The bath overlooks a small inner garden. After a day of walking around Tokyo, it's literally the best thing in the world. We reserved evening time in advance, as recommended at the reception. We entered the hot water, looked at the garden in the darkness through frosted glass—and didn't speak for twenty minutes.
Breakfast offers two options: Japanese (rice, miso soup, grilled salmon, pickled vegetables) or Western (eggs, toast). Both are served in a communal dining room with low tables and cushions on the floor. We chose Japanese. It was the right decision.
Every morning, Mr. Sawa personally gives guests the weather forecast—with recommendations on what to wear and where to go. On the second day, he drew us a map of the best cafes in the area—by hand, with notes like "delicious here," "cheaper here," "locals only here."
A small detail to know: most rooms don't have private bathrooms—shared baths and toilets are available. There are two rooms with en-suite bathrooms—you should request them separately when booking. If this is important, choose en-suite. If not, the standard room is cheaper, and the shared onsen is better.
The press calls Sawanoya "the best budget ryokan in Tokyo with authentic Japanese hospitality." We agree with every word.
Sukeroku no Yado Sadachiyo (助六の宿 貞千代)
📍 2-20-1 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo 111-0032 (台東区浅草2-20-1) 🚇 6-minute walk from Asakusa Station (Metro Ginza Line / Tobu Line) ⭐ Rating: 8.6/10 💴 From ¥18,000–35,000 per night (breakfast and dinner included in some packages)
If Sawanoya is a family home in a quiet neighborhood, Sadachiyo is true Edo in the heart of Asakusa.
Everything inside—ukiyo-e, antique household items, vintage furniture. Every corner feels like a museum of the Edo period. We entered the lobby and stopped. My husband started photographing the prints on the walls before we even checked in.
From the ryokan to Senso-ji Temple—6 minutes on foot. To Hanayashiki—4 minutes. To Nakamise Market—3 minutes. It's the best starting point for a morning in Asakusa. We left at 5:30 AM—and within twenty minutes, we saw the temple without a single tourist.
The ryokan features a traditional onsen, yukata for walking around the corridors, and complimentary tea. In the evenings, guests are sometimes offered snacks: ice cream, ramen. This isn't a show. It's standard service.
One guest wrote about dinner: "About fifteen different dishes—a true gastronomic delight. Miso soup, grilled eel, pickled vegetables, ajitama eggs, rice with ikura—all served on lacquer trays at a low table on tatami." This is kaiseki—a Japanese word for a multi-course dinner where every dish is a work of art. We ate slowly and in silence. Not because there was nothing to say. But because the food demanded attention.
The ryokan offers bicycle rentals—and it completely changes Asakusa. We rented bikes on the morning of the second day. At 6:30 AM, we rode along the Sumida River while all of tourist Tokyo was still asleep. It was another dimension.
Honestly about the nuances: some guests mention a slight smell in the bathroom—it's minor but worth noting. The futon is thin—for those used to soft mattresses, the first night might require adjustment. We got used to it by the end of the second day and slept deeper than in any hotel during the trip.
Three itinerary points: how we spent these days
Point one—Yanaka: Tokyo that no one sees
Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street (谷中銀座商店街) 📍 3-13-1 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo (台東区谷中3-13-1) 🚇 3-minute walk from Nippori Station (JR Yamanote Line) 🕐 Most shops: 10:00–18:00 💴 Free entry
It's 170 meters. Just 170 meters.
Yanaka is one of the few Tokyo neighborhoods that survived both the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and World War II bombings. Almost nothing has been rebuilt here—so the narrow streets, wooden houses, and small shops look like you've stepped into 1950s Tokyo.
On Yanaka Ginza—butchers, fishmongers, wagashi shops, tea stores—all handmade, in small batches, as they've been doing here for decades. We walked and ate on the go: croquettes from a butcher shop for ¥150, a bun shaped like a cat's tail (you have to try it at least for the photo), hot tea from a thermos sold by an elderly vendor.
Yanaka is Tokyo's "cat city." During the Edo period, there were many temples here, and monks kept cats to protect against mice—and the tradition has remained. Now the area is full of cat statues, cafes, souvenirs. And real cats, living right on the streets and fed by locals.
At the end of the street is the Yuuyake Dandan staircase. "Dandan" means steps, "yuuyake" means sunset. The staircase was named in a contest among locals: it's the best spot to watch the sunset over the street. We arrived twenty minutes before sunset, sat on the top steps—and watched the sun sink straight to the end of the street, painting everything orange. Locals sat around us. No one was in a hurry.
Point two—Evening walk: Asakusa after 8:00 PM
Most tourists leave Asakusa after 6:00 PM. We stayed until midnight.
When the crowd clears, Senso-ji becomes different: in the evening light, the red Kaminarimon Gate glows differently, smoke from the incense burners rises in silence—and you can stand there as long as you want, without bumping into anyone.
After the temple—Hoppy Street (ホッピー通り): 5 minutes from Senso-ji. It's an alley packed with small izakaya, lanterns outside, and live music inside. We entered the first place we saw, sat at a wooden counter, ordered hoppy—a traditional Tokyo drink based on beer—and spicy chicken hagi-yakitori. We spent three hours there. Left at midnight, happy and a bit loud.
Point three—Morning traditional Japanese bath: a ritual worth waking up at 6:00 AM
This is something you can't buy in a standard hotel.
We reserved a traditional Japanese bath at Sawanoya for 6:00 AM. Left the room in yukata, walked barefoot down the wooden corridor. Entered. Closed the door. Behind the wooden blinds—a small inner garden with a stone and a young tree.
The bath at Sawanoya is absolutely beautiful, quiet, and deeply relaxing—guests call it the perfect retreat within a big city. We left after forty minutes. Breakfast was already on the table. Rice, miso soup, salmon. It was 6:50 AM.
It was the best morning of the entire trip.
What else to do in Yanaka and Asakusa
Nezu Shrine (根津神社) 📍 1-28-9 Nezu, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo (文京区根津1-28-9) 💴 Free In April, 3,000 azalea bushes bloom over an area of more than 6,000 m². A tunnel of red torii gates surrounded by pink flowers—one of the most beautiful sights of Tokyo's spring. 8 minutes on foot from Ryokan Sawanoya.
Yanaka Cemetery (谷中霊園) 📍 7-5-24 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo 💴 Free A cemetery founded in 1874. In April, it's one of the best spots for cherry blossoms: Sakura-dori Avenue runs right through the cemetery, and during the blooming season, locals gather here with food from convenience stores. Sounds strange—looks beautiful.
Asakura Museum of Sculpture, Taito (朝倉彫塑館) 📍 7-18-10 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo (台東区谷中7-18-10) 🕐 9:30–16:30 (closed Mon, Tue, holidays) 💴 ¥500 The former home and studio of sculptor Fumio Asakura—a national cultural treasure. Take off your shoes, put on slippers, and walk on wooden floors among sculptures in a traditional Japanese house—an experience unlike any other.
Ueno Park (上野公園)—15 minutes on foot from Sawanoya. In April, it's the best place for hanami in Tokyo. Over 1,000 cherry trees line the central avenues.
Kappabashi Kitchen Street (合羽橋道具街)—10 minutes from Sadachiyo. Shops with Japanese knives, tableware, and plastic food replicas. The best kitchen souvenirs in the world.
Total: how much April 2026 costs
Total with Ryokan Sawanoya: ≈ ¥44,920–56,080 Total with Sukeroku no Yado Sadachiyo: ≈ ¥54,080–107,080
In Chinese yuan ¥ (CNY) for April 2026: Exchange rate: 1 JPY ≈ 0.049 CNY
With Ryokan Sawanoya: ≈ 2,201–2,748 ¥ CNY for two
With Sadachiyo: ≈ 2,650–5,247 ¥ CNY for two
What we realized on the last morning
We were packing our suitcases at 9:00 AM. Mr. Sawa brought us tea without us asking.
He sat down next to us. Asked if we liked it here.