There is so much to see in the world. There are and have been so many cultures to be discovered. And there are so many extraordinary experiences to be made. If only you want to see, discover and make them.

I am a world traveller. Someone who wants to see as much as possible. And by seeing, it’s not only visit those places but feel them and maybe even become a part of them. That’s why I chose many times to go off the beaten track to try something special. Because in my opinion you can’t visit a country and have an opinion about it, without meeting the locals, without trying the local food and without staying in something typical for that country.

If you’re looking in Japan for a special stay, you’ll find ryokan. Ryokans are like traditional bed and breakfasts, run by a family. And traditional means that you get to experience traditions from centuries ago: like wearing a yukata, sitting on the floor while eating, local and specialty food, sleeping in a tatami room, communal baths,…

If this isn’t your thing and you have to have a real bed and continental breakfast to be happy, then this probably isn’t your thing. I saw a male tourist in the ryokan refusing to wear the yukata since he thought it to be ridiculous, and tourists who almost ate nothing of the ryokan food that was presented to them – and not even trying it. Everybody has every right to have its own opinion, but if you’re staying in a ryokan, you’ve chosen to have a (maybe one of a kind) traditional experience. So if you don’t like it – for whatever reason – please go for another hotel and not for a ryokan where the family does its best to offer a memorable stay. And that family, the ryokan and the traditions should be treated with the respect they deserve.

For me, it was a great stay. Maybe even one of the highlights of my journey in Japan. I chose a ryokan in Hakone. I went for Hakone because it was on my way from Tokyo to Kyoto. I’m glad I chose for Hakone because it’s a truly relaxing place around lake Ashi with a very nice environment.

But first things first. The ryokan. Immediately after arriving, I was offered my yukata and some rules were explained (like not wearing shoes in the tatami room). Most people that work in a ryokan don’t speak english fluently, but everybody tries do to their best and they’ll try in every way to explain what they want to say. So communication is a little bit difficult, but it’s not impossible to do so.

Soon after, dinner was served. True to Japanese cuisine, there were countless small plates and bowls with all kinds of local and specialty food. The woman serving us explained everything, what it was and how to eat it. There were things that were really good and there were things that I wouldn’t order from a menu –  but like I said, it’s good to try something new now and then.

Before going to sleep I wanted to take a bath. In my ryokan there were only communal baths. One for women and one for men. This isn’t just a place to have a shower but an onsen. Onsen are typically Japanese and are baths filled with water from hot springs. Clothes and tattoos (unless covered by a patch) are not allowed. You can leave your clothes in a basket. Before entering the onsen there are large shower facilities where you can have a seat and clean your body (soap, shampoo and everything is provided). The onsen are obviously really hot. And although you get used to the temperature, you can’t stay very long in the hot water.

Returning to my room, a sleeping mat was placed in my room. After having a good sleep – although sleeping on a mat which I’m not used too – the breakfast was in a communal room. Again it was a large meal with countless plates and bowls with all kind of food, and again the woman serving explained every detail of the food.

After the breakfast, I continued my journey. At first I had double thoughts about my stay: the breakfast and the dinner were both huge and were quite similar in what food was offered. But soon after and especially now, I’m so glad I did it. I did so many things on one night that I’ve seen in movies and that I’ve read about in articles about Japanese culture, and I experienced so many of it in so little time. Things I would’t have experienced if I only stayed in hotels. So if you’re curious about these traditionals inns, go for it but maybe only go for one night (unless you’re certain you’ll like –  for you – uncommon food and sleep well on mats).

The rest of the day I travelled around Hakone. I had a Hakone free pass and I used it a lot. I travelled the lake by a boat and afterwards used the cable car. Enjoying the peaceful surroundings at the boat, I was the first to see something special. Mount Fuji was appearing at the skyline. At the cable car Fuji became even more clear. And arriving in Sounzan I had a really good view of the true icon of Japan. Fuji is often covered with clouds so many visitors never see it. So that’s another tip: if you stay in Hakone and take some time to explore the neighbourhood, you might get a gilmpse of the impressive Fuji.

So trying something new can lead to even more.