Ryokans and Onsens

The computer says that it is Friday, March 30. We have just returned from Kyoto. It was another 4 days of non stop adventures. Jackie has gone out for the evening and I am here trying to let my mind catch up to my body. It has been quite a ride.

In Kyoto, we stayed at a "ryokan". My rough guide defines it as a Japanese style inn. In a true Japanese ryokan, the room provided has a tatami mat floor. The room has the traditional low table where you would eat your meal. The bathrooms are communal. As I understand it, you leave your shoes at the front door and replace it with the indoor slippers but never wear the slippers on the tatami mat. You are shown to your room and then asked to have a bath which is also communal. Upon finishing the task of bathing, you put on a "yukata". A yukata is a Japanese loose fitting robe worn in a ryokan!Ettiquette dictates that you wrap the left side of the yukata over the right as the other way is used to dress the dead. When you are clean and are back in your room, you are then served a Japanese meal at the low table while kneeling. After it is cleared away for you, your futon type bed is set up on the floor. Usually the room is devoid of all modern conveniences that one would be use to in a Canadian hotel. No tv, computer, phone,and fridge.

Jackie was so excited to tell me that our room in Kyoto would be in a ryokan. Oi. However it would be what they call a "Western Style Ryokan". We would have our own private bathroom, a tv, phone and fridge. We could use the "onsen". Okay an onsen is actually a hot spring bath, however in ryokans they are essentially huge hot tubs. They are communal and you are nude. They have separated the women from the men, but there are ones that are not.

Our room was covered wall to wall with tatami mats. Tatami mats are straw covered mats that traditionally cover Japanese floors. To me it smelled of hay fields, but Jackie really liked the smell. There was a low table with two legless chairs and cushions. Horaay for my seat. Jackie immediately rearranged the table and we set up our futon beds. In an upper end ryokan, this would be set up for you. We had to figure it out for ourselves. We each had two futons to lie on. The second futon is covered in a fitted sheet. This is to lie on top of. You are provided with the whitest flat sheet which we figured out must go next and then the last futon is for covering up with. I provided no end of amusement the second night trying to figure out how to get it set up exactly. In the end I was lying on three futons and had one sheet over me and that was on the second or third try.

Sitting on low chairs at a low table is the most uncomfortable position to be in. As I sit at a low table and a cushion to write this blog. This is where Jackie has her computer. Even more uncomfortable is lying on a mattress on the floor. The actually lying on the futon is not so bad. However getting down to the mat and worse trying to get up off the floor is a wee bit cumbersome. I am not a fan of rolling onto the floor and pushing up on all fours and then trying to get up to standing while my bladder is about to burst. I have learned that Japanese are limber and agile.

Our bathroom was cute. I liken Japanese hotel bathrooms to an airplane bathroom. There is no room to move. Pulling the toilet paper means you are going to hit something. You can have a shower and brush your teeth in the sink without moving. And always they are up one step. I was always stubbing my toes or falling out of the bathroom.

The key to a ryokan is the onsen or the communal bath. Our onsen was on the fifth floor. There is a very strict protocal to using the onsen. You enter the changing room and grab a basket to put your belongings into. You undress right there and with any other women who are there. You leave your basket of clothes and walk naked into the hot tub room. Along the wall is a row of shower heads at thigh height. You grab a bucket to sit on and a wash basin. You walk over to a shower head. You sit on a bucket and proceed to wash yourself thoroughly. I mean thoroughly. You start with your scalp and hair. Rinse. You then lather every inch of your body with soap and be sure to get between your toes and both cheeks if you know what I mean. Rinse and for good luck do it once more. Once you are squeaky clean and rinsed you can proceed to the bath which is very warm. You sit naked in there with others careful to avert your eyes. That means you are staring at your own body. In my case that was frightening of and in itself. After you can't stand it anymore you walk out, dry and put on your yukata and walk back to your room. Remember to wear your slippers. Jackie had to tell me that your shoes and slippers are always placed facing towards the door. Who knew?!!

The first night we did not participate in the onsen. My bath in our shower tub was less than fun considering I couldn't sit with my legs extended in the tub. On our second night after a very long day of walking, Jackie decided to try it. She came back with glowing remarks on how great it was. So on the third night I gave it a try.

Yes I did throw caution to the wind and went naked in a communal onsen. I was careful to avert my eyes and scrub all surfaces. I slipped into the water and soaked away every sore muscle and ache I had. I am not sure that I put on the yukata right, but I was so blissfully mellow, it did not matter. It was relaxing and invigorating all at the same time. I did use it again on our last night. These were the best two sleeps I have had in ages.

I have slept in my first ryokan and used the communal bath. These two experiences were great. Japan has some real treasures and some of them are not on the UNESCO World Heritage sight.

WKH