What is a Ryokan? Ryokans are the best way to experience Japanese culture and enjoy the true comforts of Japanese hospitality and service.
Hot springs have a very long history in Japan, and they are an intimate part of Japanese culture. There are over 3,000 "onsen" ,or hot springs, in Japan. Many can be found at the ryokans available on Japanese Guest Houses.
If you need to change or cancel your reservation, please send us an email. Our email is:
Cancellation requests are processed on Business Days (Monday through Friday 9:00 to 17:00 Japan Standard Time). The current time in Japan is:
If you received a refund for a pre-paid reservation, keep in mind that we cannot control the following:
– Charges are made in Japanese Yen (not your local currency),
– Banks charge fees which you are responsible for paying,
– Exchange rates fluctuate daily so your refund will be different from the original amount charged.
The customer is responsible for paying the following cancellation fees:
For group with less than 8 guests:
For example, if you cancel your reservation on Friday and your stay is on Tuesday you will be charged a cancellation fee equal to 100% of the total bill.
For group with 8 or more guests:
For example, if you have a reservation for 10 guests, and 3 weeks before your stay 1 guest cancels, a 20% of that guest fee would be required.
Working days are Monday through Friday 9:00 to 17:00 Japan Standard Time.
The check-in day is not counted.
It is the responsibility of the customer to follow the terms of the cancellation policy as stated above. If the ryokan has a stricter cancel policy than ours, we will inform you and follow their stricter policy. If the customer makes a reservation and cancels it, Japanese Guest Houses will not take responsibility for the cancellation nor will we act as an intermediary between the customer and the ryokan. If you wish to cancel your reservation, please send us an e-mail as soon as possible. If you do not receive a cancellation notice from us, your reservation has NOT been canceled. If you do not receive a cancellation notice, please contact us again.
If the customer wishes to change their reservation (not cancel, but change the date of their reservation), we need at least 3 business days prior to the reservation date to contact the ryokan to make the necessary changes. Communication with the customer is by e-mail only, and it takes time to communicate with both the customer and the ryokan and to work out the reservation changes.
Japanese Guest Houses does not operate any facility, and we are not in the position to represent the suitability or otherwise of any facility. Japanese Guest Houses does not accept liability to any person for the information provided on this website or incorporated into it by reference. Japanese Guest Houses does not accept any liability for loss or damage incurred by any person as a result of reliance placed upon the content of this website or any other information incorporated by reference or by reservation of a facility or by staying at any facility booked through this website or through Japanese Guest Houses.
Japanese Guest Houses is not responsible in any way for the goods and/or services provided by the companies and/or organizations listed in this web site. They are simply a list of links to Japan and travel related web sites, and Japanese Guest Houses is not connected to these web sites in any capacity.
Room(s) at a ryokan will be held only after the ryokan has received the customer’s credit card number. Room(s) at a ryokan is available at the time the e-mail is sent to the customer by Japanese Guest Houses.
Ryokans often have curfews so please check with the staff to find out the curfew time. If a customer arrives after the curfew without informing the ryokan, the customer may be locked out though the customer will still be responsible for paying for the room.
If a customer is having dinner, then the customer must check in by 17:30. If the customer checks in later than 17:30, then the kitchen might be closed and the customer will not receive dinner. The customer will, however, be charged for the dinner.
We will include a rough total of a guest’s bill in the confirmation e-mail sent by Japanese Guest Houses to the guest. However, this price will not include any extras the guest may order (such as beer or sake at meals) or any other service charges the ryokan may include.
Japanese Guest Houses in not equipped to accept reservation requests over the telephone.
Japanese Guest Houses provides reservations assistance only. We are not equipped to offer other kinds of information about travel in Japan.
While Japanese Guest Houses has made a good-faith effort to ensure the information on this web site is accurate, we accept no liability for errors whatsoever.
Most ryokans do not accept credit cards and are a “cash only” business. However, there are some ryokans which do accept credit cards.
Japanese Guest Houses cannot contact guests at hotels in Japan to tell them about their reservation at a ryokan.
Japanese Guest Houses cannot contact guests by telephone or fax. All communication is by E-Mail only. When you receive the e-mails, please make sure all of the calculations (prices) are correct. If there is a mistake, please let us know.
The customer is responsible for the final details of the reservation. We assume the customer has read and understood the ryokan’s entire web page (photos, description, ryokan facilities, prices and meals, directions) as well as the final confirmation e-mail sent to the customer which includes the ryokan’s name, reservation dates, meals, total price, check-in and check-out times, curfew time, ryokan’s telephone number, and directions. Japanese Guest Houses makes every effort to ensure the above information is correct. However, if there are any errors or misunderstanding it is the responsibility of the customer to contact Japanese Guest Houses and correct those errors or misunderstandings.
The customer is responsible for printing up and bring all the necessary details of their reservation. The customer must print up and bring the ryokan’s English and Japanese addresses, map (if available), and directions found on the ryokan’s web page. The customer must also print up and bring the final confirmation e-mail which includes the ryokan’s name, reservation dates, reservation number, meals, total price, check-in and check-out times, curfew time, ryokan’s telephone number, and directions.
These terms and conditions are subject to change at any moment without notice.
