Meals at a ryokan or minshuku

Setting Your Meal Times

Most ryokan and minshuku ask you to set dinner and breakfast times when you book or check in. If you miss the time you agreed on, the kitchen may not be able to serve you, so it helps to call ahead if you think you'll arrive late.

In-Room Meals vs. a Dining Hall

Meals are served either in your own room ("heya-shoku") or in a shared dining room or hall, depending on the inn and the plan you booked. Staff usually explain which applies to your stay when you check in.

The Order of a Kaiseki Dinner

At inns that serve a kaiseki-style dinner, dishes tend to arrive one at a time in a rough order: an appetizer, a soup, sashimi, a grilled dish, a simmered dish, a fried dish, rice with soup and pickles, then fruit or a sweet to finish (names and courses vary by inn). Each dish is usually cleared before the next one arrives, and at some inns a staff member (nakai-san) explains what you're eating.

Breakfast

Breakfast is often a Japanese set of grilled fish, egg, miso soup, pickles, nori, and natto, though some inns also offer a Western-style option.

What to Wear, and Drinks

It's common to walk to the dining area in your yukata, though it's worth following any signs or staff guidance. Alcohol is usually charged separately from your room rate.

Allergies and Dietary Preferences

If you have an allergy or a food you'd rather avoid, it helps to mention it when you book — changes are often hard to accommodate on the day itself. See telling a shop about dietary needs for more.

Plans With and Without Meals

Stay plans may include meals or be room-only ("sudomari"). If you go with a room-only plan, it's worth checking nearby restaurants and izakaya ahead of time.

Related Foods

For more on the grilled fish and pickles that often appear at breakfast, see fish and tsukemono.