Staying in a ryokan, Japan\u2019s traditional inns, is to encounter the country\u2019s hospitality at its most refined.<\/p>\n
But beyond the static, one-dimensional image often attached to them, ryokan reveal a remarkable diversity and vitality. Showcasing everything from centuries-old family houses to bold contemporary creations that challenge convention, this book highlights the new generations behind these inns, some safeguarding ancient traditions, others imagining the hospitality of tomorrow.<\/p>\n
Through the voices of dedicated hosts and stories from some of the most extraordinary establishments, it explores how ryokan continue to reinvent themselves, defying demographic and economic pressures to preserve a unique cultural and material heritage. At once a journey across the archipelago and a nuanced look at an art of welcome in constant transformation.<\/p>\n