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Ryokan

Hakone: The Checkpoint That Ran Japan for 250 Years History
11 min read

Hakone: The Checkpoint That Ran Japan for 250 Years

Japan's key highway checkpoint ran here for 250 years — longer than the US has existed. Same mountain pass: active volcano, finest onsen, Fuji views. One hour from Tokyo.

Your First Ryokan Stay: Inside the World's Oldest Hotels (Some Have Welcomed Guests for 1,300 Years) Culture
15 min read

Your First Ryokan Stay: Inside the World's Oldest Hotels (Some Have Welcomed Guests for 1,300 Years)

Some ryokan have been welcoming guests for over 1,300 years — making them the oldest continuously operated hotels on Earth. Here is exactly what to expect at your first stay: the bow at the door, the yukata, the traditional Japanese dinner called kaiseki that arrives in nine courses, the futon laid out while you eat, and the etiquette that catches almost every foreigner off guard.

Japanese Onsen Etiquette for First-Timers: The Rules No One Tells You (Until You Get Them Wrong) Culture
9 min read

Japanese Onsen Etiquette for First-Timers: The Rules No One Tells You (Until You Get Them Wrong)

Japanese onsen etiquette explained for first-timers: the towel rule, the tattoo question, what to do at the wash station — every rule, with the reason behind each one.