Ryokan (inn) a family home. Minshuku often serve as the only type of accommodation in towns or villages too small to warrant a dedicated hotel or ryokan. The overall experience is much the same, but the food is simpler, dining may be optional and is often communal, rooms do not usually have a private toilet, and guests may have to lay out their own bedding. 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
Wakura Onsen Wakura Onsen Wakura Onsen has existed as a resort for 1,200 years. It was originally discovered by a fisherman who noticed an injured crane bathing its wing in the warm water. Mention of the onsen was first made in early Heian period documents, but full scale development dd not begin until after improvement of access by railway in the Meiji period. The center of Wakura Onsen is the "ryokan" Kagaya, a 20-floor hotel capable of holding approximately 1,300 guests. The onsen has two other hotels and 34 "ryokan." Other hotels and "ryokan" in the vicinity include: Wakura Onsen is approximately