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
Onsen geisha Onsen geisha Onsen geisha (温泉芸者) is are Japanese geisha, or entertainers, who work in onsen (hot spring) resorts or towns. The term onsen geisha has a negative connotation in that the term has come to be synonymous with prostitute. This is due to several reasons. In pre–World War II history, the term "onsen geisha" had a negative connotation, as geisha who lived and worked at hot spring resorts or towns were often regarded as the lowest of geisha, they were unbound by contracts and could move to any other onsen town, and thus had no "history" or professional genealogy. During