Staying at a Traditional Japanese Inn Ryokan & Onsen Etiquette japan-guide.com

[yuiyoshida]

[soothsayer]

1. Gosh that's beautiful

It makes me feel stressed thinking about how I’d forget the customs but maybe I’d get the hang of it.

[dhill926]

2. got to stay at one in Kyoto 15 or so years ago...

fantastic experience. I was relaxed for days....

[BigmanPigman]

3. I just read Tony Bourdain's first experience at one of those

while reading A Cook's Tour last night. I loved his explanation of the complicated, self cleaning bathroom, the 12 rules for chopsticks, and how not to eat the condiments (you dip the sea cucumber into the liver dipping sauce). He was polite and poured sake for the two geishas (the custom) and they were able to keep up with him somehow. His main problem was that his 6'4" had to squeeze under the table, making him lose feeling below the waist and his feet hung 3" past the end of his ill-fitting sandals.