The Japan Ryokan and Hotel Association Tokyo Branch (Taito City, Tokyo; Chairman: Tsukasa Takekawa) is introducing three member properties recommended as a base for travelers from the United States visiting Tokyo. Located in Minowa, Asakusa and Yanaka, the three ryokan are also featured in English on the branch's multilingual website, Timeless Ryokan (TIMELESS RYOKAN in TOKYO). In Tokyo, a city that draws people from around the world, the branch proposes stays that offer a chance to experience warm Japanese hospitality.
Experiencing Tokyo Through Ryokan Owners Who Grew Up in the City
Many of the current owners of the branch's member properties were born and raised in Tokyo. Knowing the city well, these owners share its appeal with guests through their stays. The branch is also working to build a Tokyo ryokan brand and to share information in multiple languages.
The value of staying at a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn, lies in relaxing in a space filled with the rhythms of everyday Japanese life, as well as tranquility, beauty, harmony and the spirit of hospitality. With a ryokan as a base, visitors can enjoy a stay in Tokyo that feels like living in the city, rather than simply touring its sights.
Three Ryokan for Staying Like a Local in Downtown Tokyo
All three ryokan are located in the shitamachi, or historic downtown, neighborhoods of Taito City, where traditional streetscapes remain. Each offers service in English and welcomes many repeat guests from overseas. Experiences such as a tea ceremony, a home-style breakfast and a hinoki cypress bath offer glimpses of everyday Japan that sightseeing alone cannot provide.
Andon Ryokan: Antiques and Japanese Culture at Tokyo's First Designer Ryokan
Designed by architect Masayuki Irie, Andon Ryokan is Tokyo's first designer ryokan. Its architecture, inspired by the andon (a traditional paper lantern) and the nagaya (a traditional row house), was selected for the Annual Architectural Design Commendation of the Architectural Institute of Japan. The modern Japanese-style interior displays antiques that the owner has collected from across Japan, and the rooftop looks out over the surrounding downtown scenery. The inn also has a private jacuzzi decorated with tiles hand-painted one by one at an Arita porcelain workshop.
Breakfast is a homemade, home-style meal prepared by the okami (proprietress), offering a taste of Japanese culture through food. Vegan, vegetarian and allergy-friendly meals are available.
In the lobby and on the rooftop terrace, guests, including repeat visitors from Europe and North America, often get to know one another. Along with the charm of the Minowa neighborhood, the inn offers a stay that feels as relaxing as being at home.
Location: 2-34-10 Nihonzutsumi, Taito City, Tokyo
Access: 5 minutes on foot from Minowa Station. Asakusa is within walking distance, and Ueno, Ginza and Roppongi can be reached without transferring.
Website: https://www.andon.co.jp/en
Tel: +81-3-3873-8611
Ryokan Asakusa Shigetsu: A Top-Floor Bath with Tokyo Skytree Views, Steps from Nakamise Street
Located just off Asakusa's Nakamise shopping street, Ryokan Asakusa Shigetsu has been in business for 70 years. Its observation bath on the sixth floor, the top floor of the building, offers views of Tokyo Skytree and the five-story pagoda of Senso-ji Temple. Every room is equipped with an airweave mattress pad and double pillows, providing a comfortable night's sleep for guests from overseas. Service is available in English, and the inn's location offers easy access to both Haneda and Narita airports. Many guests are repeat independent travelers in spring and autumn, and families during the June-to-August summer vacation season.
Location: 1-31-11 Asakusa, Taito City, Tokyo
Access: 1 minute on foot to Nakamise shopping street; 5 minutes on foot to Senso-ji Temple and Kaminarimon Gate
Website: https://www.shigetsu.com/en
Tel: +81-3-3843-2345
Ryokan Sawanoya: A Family-Run, 12-Room Inn in Yanaka That Welcomes Travelers with Plush Toys
Founded in 1949, Ryokan Sawanoya is a small, family-run inn with 12 Japanese-style tatami rooms. It is located in Yanaka, a downtown neighborhood where temples, shrines and traditional shopping streets remain, and is close to the museums of Ueno Park. About 90% of guests come from overseas, especially from Europe and North America, and about 30% of overseas guests are repeat visitors. The inn's two baths, a hinoki cypress bath and a ceramic bath, can be reserved for private use. With service in English, the inn is LGBTQ-friendly and Muslim-friendly, welcoming a diverse range of guests. Travelers who bring plush toys on their journeys are also welcome: the inn lends small futons for plush toys and face-in-hole photo boards free of charge.
Location: 2-3-11 Yanaka, Taito City, Tokyo
Access: 7 minutes on foot from Exit 1 of Nezu Station on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line
Website: http://www.sawanoya.com/eigo.html
Tel: +81-3-3822-2251
Comment from Tsukasa Takekawa, Chairman of the Japan Ryokan and Hotel Association Tokyo Branch (Kadoya Hotel)
"In Tokyo, cutting-edge cityscapes sit side by side with a culture of daily life handed down since the Edo period. By staying at a ryokan and walking the streets, visitors can experience both up close. The hope is that visitors from the United States will stay at a ryokan and experience the everyday Japan and hospitality that sightseeing alone cannot offer."
For Travel Agencies and Media
The branch and the featured properties welcome inquiries from travel agencies and media in the United States. High-resolution images, online interviews and property inspections are available. Accommodation for media coverage can be discussed with each property individually.
About the Japan Ryokan and Hotel Association Tokyo Branch and Timeless Ryokan
The Japan Ryokan and Hotel Association, established in 2012, is an industry organization of ryokan and hotels across Japan, with 2,110 members as of April 2025. Its Tokyo Branch consists of member properties in Tokyo.
The branch operates Timeless Ryokan, a multilingual website introducing ryokan and hotels in Tokyo. Available in five languages (Japanese, English, Korean, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese), the site features 31 properties in Tokyo's 23 wards and on the islands of Izu Oshima and Hachijojima. Each property page links to its own reservation website. The site also introduces UNVEILING TOKYO, a booklet that guides readers through Tokyo from the perspectives of six ryokan owners, as well as private tours that start from a ryokan.
Organization Details
Name: Japan Ryokan and Hotel Association Tokyo Branch
Representative: Tsukasa Takekawa, Chairman (Kadoya Hotel)
Address: Genda Building 2F, 1-21-1 Higashi-Ueno, Taito City, Tokyo
Activities: Support for member accommodations and information outreach in Japan and overseas through the multilingual website Timeless Ryokan, among other initiatives
Website: https://nihonryokan.com/
Timeless Ryokan: https://nihonryokan.com/timelessryokan/en/
Instagram: @tokyoryokan
Contact
Inquiries regarding this press release and related initiatives:
Japan Ryokan and Hotel Association Tokyo Branch, Public Relations: Harashima
Tel: +81-3-6860-9001
Email: nihonryokan.t@din-group.co.jp
Reservations and details for each property are handled directly by the individual properties (contact details are listed in each property's profile above).