RYOKAN CAMP - Get A 30% Discount On Staying At A Luxury Japanese Inn!

RYOKAN CAMP - What Exactly Is This Discount Tour?

RYOKAN CAMP is a group bus tour (one night, two days) aimed at university students ages twenty to twenty-five years old.

The objective of this bus tour is to offer first-timers a chance to enjoy staying at a Japanese ryokan (traditional Japanese Inn). Different from a bus tour in which participants visit many sightseeing spots, the main characteristic of this tour is for guests to fully indulge themselves in a ryokan experience.

The tour departs from either Tokyo Station or Shinjuku Station. For those guests not accustomed to Japan's train and bus system, there's no need to worry. Once you hop on the bus we'll take you to your destination, allowing you to relax and enjoy your trip. Service is also available in English, so even those who don't understand Japanese can join the tour and have a pleasant, stress-free experience.

Japanese students and students from numerous other countries will join the tour together, so it's highly recommended for those who'd like to make some Japanese friends after arriving in Japan!

What Kind of Experiences Does RYOKAN CAMP Offer?

Having a blast with newly found friends might be one of the main draws of RYOKAN CAMP, but in addition, there are many other attractions and activities planned.

For those joining the tour, there are many benefits. Next, in greater detail, we'll discuss what some of these benefits are and the main reasons why we think you should join this tour.

Reason No. 1 - Economically Priced Resort Accommodation

Tour accommodations are at a luxurious hot spring resort called KAI, managed by Hoshino Resorts, a popular hotel group known for its superb hospitality. This 2018 tour will be based at Hoshino Resorts KAI Atami, located at Izusan Onsen (hot spring) in Japan's historic hot spring area of Atami in Shizuoka prefecture.

Starting at 34,000 yen, KAI Atami's one night-two day plan including two meals might sound a little pricey to students.

However, the RYOKAN CAMP tour fee is just 23,900 yen and in addition to the accommodation and meals, it also includes return bus fare and many other activities! This special discount is only available to students on the tour, making it a real bargain.

Guest rooms at KAI Atami are Japanese-style, set up with tatami flooring that utilizes traditional Japanese craftsmanship. The main feature of these rooms are the commanding views of Sagami Bay.

This is a group tour and each participant has their own room, so when you return back at the end of the day you can spend a leisurely and relaxing time in your own space. To have a closer look at the rooms, please refer to the KAI Atami official homepage.

Reason No. 2 - Tasty Kaiseki Cuisine and a Chance to Meet Geisha!

One of the special features of Hoshino Resorts KAI onsen ryokan, is being able to enjoy the local food and culture.

At KAI Atami, you can sample fresh fish caught in local waters and other seasonal ingredients used in Kaiseki cuisine (a course menu offering a variety of fare prepared in a traditional Japanese style).

For more details please refer to the KAI Atami official homepage.

In the onsen town of Atami, visitors can also participate in ozashiki asobi, a traditional activity dating back many years that remains even today. Ozashiki asobi allows guests at a ryokan or ryotei restaurant to enjoy interacting with and watching cultural performances by geisha and maiko (geisha apprentices). It's also called geisha asobi.

If traveling solo you might not have this opportunity, but this unique experience is available if you join RYOKAN CAMP because it's included in the plan! Also, it's not a problem if you don't understand the ins and outs of ozashiki asobi, because everything will be explained to you.

Wearing their lovely and charming kimonos, it's almost as if the geisha have sneaked out of an old Japanese movie! Be sure to get your picture taken with a geisha. This snapshot will be a lasting memory of your Japanese sojourn.

Reason No. 3 - A Chance to Learn Hot Spring and Ryokan Etiquette!

Hoshino Resorts KAI is a ryokan with an extraordinary hot spring facility. In order for their guests to fully enjoy the hot spring experience, the ryokan has been making a special effort to help educate visitors on proper hot spring etiquette.

It's the hope of the ryokan staff that visitors come to understand the basics of Japanese manners and etiquette while they're here in Japan. With this in mind, they've been teaching guests the proper way to enter a hot spring, how to enjoy kaiseki cuisine, how to put on a yukata, and so on. Once learned, these become useful lifelong skills that can be put to good use anywhere in Japan.

Reason No. 4 - Interesting Sightseeing Spots!

The tour also includes a tour of local sightseeing spots. During the upcoming RYOKAN CAMP, there are plans to drop in at various places including Izusan Shrine, known as the "god of good fortune". The following morning they've also planned a special activity in which students can enjoy watching the Sagami Bay sunrise.

So how about creating some unforgettable memories with the friends you've made during the tour?

How Do You Register for RYOKAN CAMP?

RYOKAN CAMP will be held two separate times in 2018, from February 27th-28th and from March 15th-16th.

You can submit your application on the Club Tourism homepage (English):
https://www.yokosojapan-tour.com/en/tours/CA972-1594

There are a limited number of seats available, so to avoid disappointment we recommend applying as soon as possible.

Join RYOKAN CAMP and create some amazing memories of Japan!

Hoshino Resorts official home page(English)：http://kai-ryokan.jp/en/atami/

*The tour in this article is for students ages twenty to twenty-five years old. Please be aware that this tour has some restrictions and that all seats on the tour can sometimes be full.

Photos courtesy of Hoshino Resorts
Sponsored by Hoshino Resorts