When my son was less than a year old, we found ourselves out on the street in Kyoto. We had checked into a ryokan, a traditional Japanese guesthouse. Only after we arrived did we realize that the ryokan was not exactly kid-friendly, and they were not crazy about letting us stay the night. We had reservations for two nights. Showing up with a one year old and a four year old sparked a flurry of, “oh, so sorry, there was a misunderstanding with the reservation and we don’t allow kids.” We smiled, determined not to lose face. With much patience, and due to the late hour, we were allowed to stay one night.
The night ended at 4:30 in the morning, when my kids woke up. Jet lag affects us all. The guy next door didn’t appreciate the level of noise in a guesthouse with paper walls. So we quietly checked out and wandered the streets of Kyoto under a restaurant opened for breakfast. Good times.
We had a very different experience in the Mount Fuji area. The ryokan had an onsen and was definitely family-friendly. The owner/chef welcomed us with a huge grin. His wife and daughter doted on my two little blond boys. Our room had a view of Mount Fuji.
At the time I was frustrated with our experience in Kyoto. Looking back, I’m glad we had both ryokans to compare and contrast. What about you? Have you ever been kicked out of a hotel? Had a great experience at a ryokan? Let us know.