Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun An inn or hotel in Japan offering traditional Japanese cuisine and furnishings, and usually a large communal bath.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A traditional Japanese inn with communal baths and other public areas.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Japanese ryokan, from Middle Chinese lɨə´ kuan`, inn : lyə̆´, journey, travel (also the source of Mandarin ) + kuan`, guesthouse, to lodge (also the source of Mandarin guǎn).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Japanese 旅館 (りょかん, ryokan)

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Examples

  • Most onsen have associated inns, or ryokan, and the weekend trip to a mountain ryokan is as authentically and peculiarly Japanese as the August trip to the Mediterranean is authentically and peculiarly Italian.

    The Gangster In My Tub 2008

  • Most onsen have associated inns, or ryokan, and the weekend trip to a mountain ryokan is as authentically and peculiarly Japanese as the August trip to the Mediterranean is authentically and peculiarly Italian.

    The Gangster In My Tub 2008

  • Even the most upscale Japanese-style inns, called ryokan, rarely have English-speaking staff on hand.

    Japan Courts Wealthy Travelers 2009

  • For several of the nights, I'll be staying in traditional Japanese style inns called ryokan, but for the last nights, I'll be in western style hotels.

    Ups and Downs Bardiac 2008

  • For several of the nights, I'll be staying in traditional Japanese style inns called ryokan, but for the last nights, I'll be in western style hotels.

    Archive 2008-03-01 Bardiac 2008

  • While they could draw more travelers, some inns, known as ryokan, say the newcomers threaten the character of this old spa town.

    Hakone Gets Hip 2007

  • While they could draw more travelers, some inns, known as ryokan, say the newcomers threaten the character of this old spa town.

    Old Spa Town Shoots for Hip 2007

  • A ryokan is a traditional Japanese inn with tatami rooms and complimentary yukata pajama-like versions of kimono.

    Spa and Kaiseki: the ultimate Japanese luxury - Part I 2005

  • A ryokan is a traditional Japanese inn with tatami rooms and complimentary yukata pajama-like versions of kimono.

    Archive 2005-05-01 2005

  • (I never got the chance to meet them) but if I had come another night, their ryokan is a choice venue for some of the local sports teams.

    TravelPod.com TravelStream™ — Recent Entries at TravelPod.com 2010

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