The traditional Japanese inn "Ryokan" is more than just a place to stay

You can lounge around in cotton Kimonos called "Yukata" or soak in mineral baths until you feel 10 years younger

Each Ryokan room and meal is different offering a real only in Japan experience

It's a place where you can try well-prepared seasonal Japanese cuisine

The inside often impresses wood to "Tatami" bamboo the natural world inside

Welcome to a Japanese Ryokan

I'm here in Fukushima Prefecture to show you some of the best Ryokan. now a Ryokan is usually built in the middle of

an Onsen, An Onsen is a hot spring naturally coming from the ground and these Ryokan have a lot of attractions:

There's food. There's culture. There's tradition. There's the "Tatami" rooms and then there's the bath, the Onsen baths

We have an entirely separate episode for that

Where exactly is Fukushima Prefecture?

It's a few hours north of Tokyo stretching from the Pacific Ocean to the mountains and plains on the other side

Fukushima is Japan's third-largest prefecture, and it's loaded with everything that you need for an adventure

We'll go to 13 amazing hot spring towns around Fukushima, all with their own style and charm and

Focus on the traditional Japanese Inns called Ryokan, and they're delicious, "Kaiseki" cuisine

We start this one at "Dake" Onsen and one of my favorite Ryokan called "Hana kanzashi"

The inside is cozy and beautiful

The Tatami lined hallways passing gardens and windows lined with Japanese "Washi" paper

This is a typical room at "Hana Kanzashi" perfect for two

There's a private bath overlooking a rock garden

This is a room for a family of four the Onsen bath here takes up most of the back its outdoor and covered

The natural hot spring water from the ground contains a lot of minerals giving it a milky white color

It's the ultimate room for a relaxing holiday away from it all

Welcome to "Ohkaw-So, "Ashinomaki" Onsen

Ryokan sit at the river's edge by a mountain

The lobby is spacious and beautiful

Water flows under the walkway inside the building

The Japanese-style rooms are just as lovely. A Tatami room with a spacious window a Japanese "Kotatsu" by

Kotatsu is a heated table the blanket keeping the heat under it a divine experience in winter

Stay warm relax and enjoy the view

During my visit to "Tsuchiyu" Onsen, the snow came down adding a spectacular layer of white to everything around the town

The town wraps around the river where the hot spring water flows freely it has a beautiful turquoise color to it

This is hotels "Sansui-So" where I spent the night

Here's my room come in make yourself at home

There's no bed here yet

But after you change into your Yukata and make your way to dinner the Ryokan staff will prep your room for your return

The Futon setup service is something that's always impressed me about staying at a traditional Japanese Inn

He can make up the Futon in about a minute

When I come back from dinner, I'll be able to go right to sleep if I like

Dinner at a Ryokan is a real treat. It's "Kaiseki Ryori" or traditional Japanese cuisine served in many courses

This is the complete layout so you can see just how beautifully prepared it is

Even for Japanese it's a lot. Staff will explain to you what everything is as well as include a menu

Staying at a Ryokan can be a little pricey, but with the meal and service you can see its value

It's an experience you simply don't want to pass up local A5 grade "Wagyu" beef and Sukiyaki

Beat the raw egg then dip the beef in it

The taste is amazing you won't be disappointed

I ordered the local sake

"Kampai"!

It really is a meal that hits all five senses

Wow now this is a meal fit for a king the entire layout is here

And I don't know where to start

I've been in a Ryokan many many times before and every time I do

I'm just overwhelmed by the amount the variety of food and the amount the volume of it all it's actually not as much as it looked

it's all out on the table usually they bring it course-by-course and you start from the

Starter and then move on to the different dishes

But we put it all together just so you can see just how amazing it is each season has its own special

ingredients has its own special food so the meal changes by the season and this is just incedible

I don't even know where to start

"Itadakimasu"

This is a Fukushima's brand-name "Shamo Chicken" coming from the neighborinng Kawamata

This chicken is very chewy and delicious. Chef shows the autumn cuisine. He's prepared using local ingredients

That's a big attraction about the "Kaiseki" cuisine at Ryokan trying the flavors of the area

The presentation also uses the colors of the season, brown, yellow, orange and red

When he's finished it is as much art as it is food

And to end it all I returned to my room all set up for me

It really makes me happy to see my Futon magically set up for me every time

I spent some time relaxing in the lobby a check out and talked to the manager about communicating in English

The staff is working hard to learn English

They can speak English a little bit. That's right

So international visitors can relax about language barriers

They can feel comfortable staying here

The Ryokan has guides in English to answer all questions, too

I moved on to Kawachi, Yanaizu Onsen which had a lovely Tatami room overlooking the river and bridge

In a "Aizu-Wakamatsu" is Ryokan "Harataki" at Higashiyama Onsen

I got a look into the kitchen to see just how they prepare the food for so many people everyday

The head chef is preparing the fish soup stock fresh

It takes hours of preparation every day to make every meal here a chef is making "Negi Toro" from tuna

Next he blowtorches the fish

The menu changes by season so for three months the menu is basically the same

They're using Fukushima beef for the "Shabu-Shabu" dinner

For people staying a second night the menu changes a bit reflected in the plate color

Each day at guests days the menu is altered a little

There aren't many guests staying longer than two nights

The staff also makes accommodation for guests with dietary requests these plates here of chicken instead of beef or pork

The head chef oversees the operation like a general great attention and effort is made to make sure that the meals are perfect

When finished they're transported to the restaurant where they are presented to the guests along with the starter and side items

The fire is lit and after a couple of minutes. It's time for some "Shabu- Shabu". I went straight for the beef

I always go for the "Goma", sesame sauce over the "Ponzu" the two sauces that accompanies Shabu-Shabu

It's really good

I added the vegetables and Tofu after but that's my style

This Ryokan also has a buffet. So you can help yourself to soup rice and other items. All of it made with local ingredients

You can go back to your room after dinner or for guests only hit the Onsen bath at night

Many Ryokan open their baths the day trippers

At night you can sometimes have the whole bath to yourself a real benefit to staying the night

An hour away is "Toryu-Kan", "Yunokami Onsen". This is a family-run Ryokan, smaller and more personal

The rooms have names let's tour this amazing Japanese-style room

The Futon is already set up because this room is dedicated to sleeping and evening Yukata on the pillow

The room next door could be considered the living room

In the front is the bathroom the sink separated from the toilets

Oh, in these apples go in the bath behind this steamy door

That's right this room has its own private Onsen bath great for families the shy or people with tattoos

I always change for dinner

It's sometimes hard to find a Yukata in your size, but this will do the Tatami socks are a nice touch

Let's go to dinner

The chef at Toryu-Kan works hard from the morning to prepare dinner each day

Top grade A5 Wagyu beef is on the menu seared at high heat

The inside is still rare beautiful coloring to the meat

I can't wait to try it

Depending on the season, what we get in or how it looks changes so

which means we have to change the dishes accordingly

Each Ryokan has its own unique style Toryu-Kan's "Kaiseki" cuisine really fits the season

It's polite to pick your glass up with two hands when staff pours the beer for you

Here's that Wagyu surrounded by sauces and garnish adding a lot of color

It just melts in your mouth

Meals added Ryokan always leave you satisfied, and that's the Fukushima traditional Japanese end story

Away from the city out in the countryside

Sure, you can also have Western meals and hotel experiences in Japan

like here Ura-Bandai

and you can certainly go local, too

there's a charm to every room a

uniqueness to every

experience that makes staying at a Ryokan on the ultimate must do because basically a Ryokan is where you can feel the

soul of Japan

Next time we'll take an immersive look at the Japanese hot springs the baths the traditional ends and the Kaiseki cuisine in

360 virtual reality video

Take a closer look around and feel that experience by navigating around the smartphone screen your monitor or VR goggles

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Matane