Red Slippers Green Slippers

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Life in A traditional Ryokan (Guest House)

I am used to taking of shoes in Asian houses but Japan takes it to a whole new level:
First you take your shoes off at the front door;
then you don green slippers to walk around the ryokan;
then you take off your slippers to enter the bedrooms with tatami mat floors;
then you don red slippers to enter the toilet;
then you don wooden clogs (getas) to go to the restaurant near the front door.
You have to be very mindful to make sure you have the right footwear in the right place. But it keeps the place clean and well maintained. Much appreciated after India.

The futons a quite comfortable on the floor but I'm not sure about the pillows, basically a beanbag with no bounce for your head. Lucky I have my own pillow for travelling.

The Japanese bath is great. Really what we call a spa. You wash outside the bath first with a handheld shower or bucket making sure to wash off all soap. Then you jump in and relax in the heat. They give you a bathrobe (yukata) to wear to the bathroom but in the room everyone is naked together(separate male and female of course). It is all very relaxed if you are not shy about your body.

The only real downside we've experienced is smoking. The walls are very thin in the building and people are allowed to smoke inside, so the smoke drifts into your room and into your nose, especially when you are lying in bed on the floor. Look for a non-smoking ryokan if they exist.

Oh and if you are 6ft tall learn to duck. The doors and lights are quite low.

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