a traditional Japanese inn or small hotel whose floors are covered with tatami
Word origin
[1960–65; ‹ Japn]This word is first recorded in the period 1960–65. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: Pap test, deinstitutionalize, go-go, parvovirus, pop art
Examples of 'ryokan' in a sentence
ryokan
The price includes stays in hotels, guesthouses and a ryokan, rail travel, sightseeing and a guide/leader, but not flights.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Ryokan are more formal guesthouses offering traditional meals served in your room, yukata, and private onsen.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Organised travel is confined to spas and to traditional ryokan hotels, with their onsen, or hot springs.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
You are driven to an exclusive ryokan, where a beautifully presented kaiseki meal is served with the entertainment.