Ryokan (inn) Ryokan (inn) A is a type of traditional Japanese inn that has existed since the eighth century A.D. during the Keiun period, in which the oldest hotel in the world, Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan, was created in 705 A.D. Another old ryokan called Hōshi Ryokan was founded in 718 A.D and was also known as the world's second oldest hotel. Such inns also served travelers along Japan's highways. They typically feature "tatami"-matted rooms, communal baths, and other public areas where visitors may wear yukata and talk with the owner. Ryokan are difficult to find in Tokyo and other large cities because
Tales of a Wayside Inn "Tales of a Wayside Inn". The collection was first published on November 23, 1863, with an initial print run of 15,000 copies. The "New York Times" called the book "a pleasant fiction" and an "excellent account". A second series was published in 1870, and a third published in 1872–1873. Though they sold well, the latter two volumes were less popular than the first. Many of the characters in "Tales of a Wayside Inn" were inspired by real people: Luigi Monti (the Sicilian), Daniel Treadwell (the theologian), Thomas William Parsons (the poet), Henry Wales (the student), Isaac Edrehi (the Spanish Jew),