While there are thousands of ryokans across Japan, not all are created equal. For travellers seeking the most luxurious, culturally rich and service-focused ryokans, there is The Ryokan Collection.
The Ryokan Collection is the world’s first consortium of luxury Japanese ryokans and small bespoke hotels, bringing together a unique selection of properties that exemplify the highest standards of tradition and Japanese hospitality.
How The Ryokan Collection Chooses Its Member Ryokans
English-Speaking Help and Multi-Ryokan Itineraries from The Ryokan Collection
Free Nights, Concierge Help and Craft Items for Members
Five Steps to Planning a Stay Through The Ryokan Collection
Browsing The Ryokan Collection’s Member Inns
How The Ryokan Collection Chooses Its Member Ryokans
Hakone-Ginyu | Image Credit: The Ryokan Collection
In essence, the team curates and connects. Established in 2004, The Ryokan Collection hand-picks ryokans that offer authentic charm and modern luxury. These member properties span all over Japan, from famous hot spring retreats in Hakone and Arima to hidden gems in rural mountains and coastlines.
The Hiramatsu Karuizawa Miyota | Image Credit: The Ryokan Collection
By being part of the collection, each ryokan has met strict criteria for quality, service, cleanliness, and unique character. This means as a traveller, if you book a stay through The Ryokan Collection, you can be confident that you’ll be in excellent hands, regardless of which property you choose. It takes away the guesswork when faced with countless options online.
Member Ryokans from Hiiragiya in Kyoto to Zaborin in Niseko
Takinoya | Image Credit: The Ryokan Collection
Each ryokan in the collection has its own story. Some are long-established inns, like the illustrious Hiiragiya in Kyoto, which opened in 1818, or Kayotei in the small hot spring village of Yamanaka in Ishikawa. Others are contemporary interpretations of the ryokan concept, like Zaborin in Niseko, Hokkaido, whose award-winning architect designed it to open onto the surrounding landscape.
What they all share is a commitment to exceptional service, exquisite design, and cultural authenticity. For example, member ryokan Beniya Mukayu in Kaga is known for its zen minimalist design and private open-air baths in each room, a serene retreat with a modern aesthetic. Meanwhile, member Takefue in Kyushu offers a rustic luxury experience in a bamboo forest, complete with multiple private hot springs.
Nasu Bettei Kai | Image Credit: The Ryokan Collection
By browsing The Ryokan Collection’s offerings, you’re essentially viewing a “best of the best” list of Japanese inns, each with detailed descriptions and photos to help you find the perfect fit for your travel itinerary.
English-Speaking Help and Multi-Ryokan Itineraries from The Ryokan Collection
Cova Kakuda | Image Credit: The Ryokan Collection
Beyond the assurance of quality, booking through the collection can enhance your experience with special benefits. The Ryokan Collection provides a high-touch service to its clients. Their website (and concierge team) can assist in crafting an itinerary that might include multiple ryokan stays across different regions, giving you a diverse taste of Japan.
They also often have English-speaking staff or coordinators who can liaise with the ryokan on your behalf for any special needs, eliminating language barrier concerns. Essentially, The Ryokan Collection serves as a bridge between international travellers and Japan’s luxury ryokans, which historically catered mostly to domestic guests.
Tea Ceremonies and Private Tours Arranged Around Your Stay
Hiiragiya | Image Credit: The Ryokan Collection
Moreover, these curated ryokans often collaborate on experiences. The Collection can help arrange special and extraordinary activities like a tea ceremony with a tea master in Uji, Kyoto, or a private guided tour of a historic town, dovetailing with your ryokan stay. Luxury travellers want immersive experiences around their stay, and the Collection uses its network of member inns to arrange them.
Many of the collection’s inns have won accolades or been featured in travel magazines (some are in the Relais & Châteaux or Small Luxury Hotels listings as well). By highlighting these properties, The Ryokan Collection preserves and promotes cultural heritage while it also encourages innovation in hospitality. It’s a win-win: guests get an unforgettable stay, and the ryokans reach a global audience appreciative of their craft.
If you’re planning a trip to Japan and want to include a ryokan (or two or three!) without missing out on the comfort and luxury, The Ryokan Collection is an excellent starting point. You’ll be choosing from Japan’s most prestigious ryokans, “the collection of Japan’s most luxurious ryokans,” as they call it, and ensuring your investment translates into a truly special experience.
Free Nights, Concierge Help and Craft Items for Members
Zaborin | Image Credit: The Ryokan Collection
To further enhance the experience of guests, The Ryokan Collection offers several exclusive perks and programmes. These are designed to reward frequent travellers and provide bespoke services that go above and beyond the usual booking.
The Ryokan Collection Loyalty Program
Kayotei | Image Credit: The Ryokan Collection
If you foresee visiting Japan’s luxury ryokans more than once, it’s worth joining the free loyalty programme. Members earn a Free Night Award: one complimentary night for every ten stays at more than three different member ryokans within two years, booked at qualifying rates through The Ryokan Collection. The free night covers the room, dinner, breakfast and tax, and the award expires 12 months after it is issued.
This encourages exploring multiple ryokans and regions, and you get a free night to extend your holiday.
Exclusive Experiences for Loyalty Members
Additionally, loyalty members gain access to Exclusive Experiences, special cultural events or activities that aren’t easily available to the public.
Think along the lines of a private geisha performance in Kyoto, a behind-the-scenes tour of an artisan workshop, or tickets to a limited-entry festival, curated just for collection guests (fees for these experiences apply and are paid through The Ryokan Collection before the experience).
The loyalty programme is complimentary to join, making it a no-brainer if you’re booking through The Ryokan Collection; even first-time users can sign up and take advantage of any applicable perks right away.
ZENSES Concierge Service
Myojinkan | Image Credit: The Ryokan Collection
Perhaps one of the most valuable offerings is the ZENSES by The Ryokan Collection concierge. This is an exclusive travel consultancy and assistance service available to guests booking through The Ryokan Collection.
Need help planning the logistics of reaching a remote mountain ryokan? Want to arrange an inter-ryokan luggage transfer so you can travel light on the train? Or maybe you desire to add on experiences like guided hikes, private city tours, or restaurant reservations in addition to your ryokan nights: ZENSES has you covered. They act as your personal Japan travel concierge, with deep knowledge of the destinations and cultural nuances.
For example, ZENSES staff can assist with organising transfers (say, a private car from Tokyo to Hakone with sightseeing en route), or setting up a surprise for a honeymoon (like rose petals and champagne waiting in your room). This kind of support is incredibly helpful, especially if you’re venturing to off-the-beaten-path areas where English might not be widely spoken.
It’s like having an insider friend in Japan who knows all the best spots and takes care of the details for you.
Premium Items: Hagi Ware, Lacquerware and Yukata from Member Regions
Hagi ware tea bowl | Image Credit: The Ryokan Collection
This one’s a cool perk from The Ryokan Collection, their curated lineup of premium items, just for their community of travellers.
These might include exclusive products or souvenirs sourced from the member ryokans or their locales. For instance, many ryokans are proud of their local artisans, pottery, lacquerware, textiles, teas, etc.
Guests can purchase high-quality artisanal items that reflect the ryokan experience. Think of a hand-crafted Hagi-yaki tea bowl from a potter that supplies a particular ryokan, or the luxurious skincare amenities used at a ryokan’s spa. This allows you to bring a piece of the experience home with you. It’s also a way to support traditional crafts.
Items listed include yukata robes, a lacquerware wine glass, soup and rice bowls, and Hagi ware tea bowls. These make meaningful gifts or mementos. Each item is listed publicly on their site with its price in yen and an order form.
Partner Airline and Hotel Benefits
Additionally, the consortium occasionally partners with other luxury travel brands, for example, a partner airline or hotel alliance, which could mean you receive extra benefits like special rates or upgrades when combining a ryokan stay with other travel segments.
Keeping an eye on their News & Promotions page is worthwhile, as they frequently announce new member ryokans (in early 2025, they welcomed COVA KAKUDA and ANABUKI TEI into the collection) and any promotional offers.
All these extras turn The Ryokan Collection into a community for lovers of fine Japanese hospitality. It adds value to your trip in ways that independent booking might not match. From the moment you start planning to the time you leave Japan with a suitcase full of memories (and perhaps a few handcrafted treasures), they strive to make the process enriching and smooth.
Five Steps to Planning a Stay Through The Ryokan Collection
Beniya Mukayu | Image Credit: The Ryokan Collection
A journey into the world of ryokans is truly a journey into the heart of Japan. Whether you’re a first-time visitor looking to enhance a trip with one night of traditional luxury, or a seasoned Japan explorer crafting an entire itinerary around unique ryokan stays, the experience is bound to be a highlight.
Ryokans are gateways to Japanese culture, cuisine, nature, and sincere hospitality.
If your appetite is whetted, here are some tips to bring these dreams to life:
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- Visit The Ryokan Collection’s website to explore their member properties. Browse by region or features (maybe you want an ocean-view open-air bath, or a ryokan in Kyoto city, you can filter for those) or simply search and find a ryokan to your liking. Each listing has stunning photos and beautiful descriptions that capture what’s special about the place. It’s easy to lose yourself in imagining a stay at each one!
- Sign up for the loyalty programme (it’s free) so you can access any member-only content and start accumulating nights. Even if you only stay at one ryokan this time, membership might offer small perks like a welcome gift or priority booking for experiences. So why not create an account?
- Consult with their concierge (ZENSES) if you need help planning. Especially if you’re combining multiple destinations, they can advise the best routes (for example, “After Tokyo, take the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Kaga-Onsen for Beniya Mukayu, then continue by train to Kyoto where Hiiragiya awaits”). Tapping into their expertise can elevate your trip from good to extraordinary.
- Prepare for the ryokan etiquette so you feel comfortable. It covers things like taking off your shoes at the entrance, wearing the yukata provided, and fitting around the dinner and breakfast times the ryokan sets. Got tattoos? Just a heads-up, some traditional onsens may still frown upon visible ink due to long-standing cultural associations. It’s always a good idea to check ahead, look for tattoo-friendly spots, or cover up with a skin-safe patch if needed.
Quick tip: The Ryokan Collection site and newsletters often share tips like these to help you blend in effortlessly. Embrace these customs during your stay, the staff will appreciate it, and you’ll get so much more out of the experience. (And if you’re unsure about anything, don’t hesitate to ask your hosts, they’ll gladly help. That’s omotenashi in action!) - Consider the season and region when choosing a ryokan. Cherry blossom time in Kyoto? A riverside ryokan could offer views of petals on the water. Deep winter in Hokkaido? A mountain lodge with private hot springs and snow scenery (like Zaborin) would be unforgettable. The beauty of Japan is that each region and season has its charm, and the ryokan in that place will reflect it in decor, cuisine, and atmosphere.
Browsing The Ryokan Collection’s Member Inns
Hakone-Ginyu | Image Credit: The Ryokan Collection
Ready to experience the serenity and indulgence of a top-tier Japanese inn? Explore The Ryokan Collection’s website and start planning your ryokan getaway. From the moment you arrive to the reluctant farewell (you will find it hard to leave!), you’ll be treated to an immersion in Japanese hospitality that hotel stays simply cannot match.
Soak in an onsen with a view of Mount Fuji. Dine on artfully crafted kaiseki in your yukata. Drift to sleep on a cloud-like futon as garden breezes rustle the shoji screens. A ryokan stay leaves you with stories, and feelings, that stay with you long after the journey ends. Visit The Ryokan Collection online to explore Japan’s most luxurious ryokans and let your path to cultural immersion and deep relaxation begin.
Book your stay, pack your bags (lightly!), and get ready to experience omotenashi at its finest. Your Japanese dream retreat awaits.
