Covered by snow, warm hot springs, and Japanese cultural experience, winter in Japan is an enchanted combination. Although a majority of the travellers reserve Japan holiday packages to the major cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, most of them fail to capture one of the most natural aspects of the winter in Japan stay in a ryokan. These secret treasures provide natural hot springs, tatami-mat rooms, small-scale hospitality and beautiful snowy scenery which make the ideal retreats. In case you have a final trip going to Japan traveling with the help of the Japan travel tours or any Japan travel packages, this guide will present you with the best hidden sleeping place of these amazing ryokans so that you can have an unforgettable experience during your winter holiday.

Why a Ryokan as your holiday in winter?

A ryokan is a place of stay rather than a place where only one sleeps. Visitors have access to the traditional multi-course kaiseki dishes, rest in personal or open-air hot springs (onsen), and spend the night in finely designed rooms that are full of the Japanese artisanship and calmness. The winter season makes the Ryokans even more magical, as it has steaming baths with snow, cozy interiors with fireplaces and good mountain scenery. When you include a stay in a ryokan in your Japan packages, you will get the comfort, culture, and natural beauty that is incomparable with that of hotels.

1. Lamp no Yado - A remote Seashore Retirement

Lamp no Yado Aoni Onsen

Located deep in a mountain ravine in Kuroishi, Aomori Prefecture, in the northern Tohoku region of Japan. This inn is famously "off the grid," with no electricity, televisions, or mobile phone reception in the rooms, forcing a complete digital detox. The entire ryokan is lit only by oil lamps at night, creating a rustic and tranquil atmosphere. 

Guests can enjoy:

· Open air baths, which are private and have ocean view.

· True seafood kaiseki dinners.

· Hiking paths and walking round the coast.

In case you would like Japan travel packages with the off-the-beaten-path experiences, then this ryokan is the best option.

2. Zaborin Ryokan Niseko Luxury Snow Retreat

zaborin is a modern up-scale ryokan in the Hanazono woods of Niseko, Hokkaido. It derives its name out of the Japanese expression that translates to sit and forget in the woods. The retreat has capabilities of being a symbol of calmness, as it is a mixture of contemporary architecture and the natural calm surroundings. It is especially reputed as the luxury resort in the winter snow season.

Highlights include:

· Michelin-level dining

· Japanese interiors are minimalistic.

· Getting to the ski resorts in Niseko.

Most of the Japan travel tours in winter will be a combination of skiing and onsen and Zaborin is a place where luxury tourists would not want to miss.

3. Myojinkan Nagano A Mountainside Hideaway

Myojinkan is a high-end, modern, ryokan, buried deep within the mountains of the Yatsugatake-Chushin Kogen Quasi-National Park of Nagano Prefecture, in the Tobira Onsen region, to be more precise. It is a hideout in the mountains and was established more than 90 years ago.

Ideal to the travellers who have decided to include nature retreats in Japan holiday packages, Myojinkan offers:

· Cure of alkaline hot springs

· Organically grown farm-to-table food

· Guided forest walks

4. Takaragawa Onsen Osenkaku- River Onsen and Beautiful View

Takaragawa Onsen is known to have huge riverside rotenburo (open-air baths) which turn unbelievable during the wintertime. The piles of snow are on the riverbanks and warm steam applies to the flowing water a prospect that comes right out of a postcard. This is a very fitting and applicable ryokan in all types of Japan packages and more so relaxation based and nature-based packages.

5. Ryokan Sanga -A serene Hot Village Retreat

Ryokan Sanga, which is situated in the Kurokawa Onsen Village of Kumamoto, provides secluded forest baths and a profound feeling of old traditional hospitality. The village is characterized by its pretty bridges, lanterns, and well-maintained edifices and it is particularly spectacular during winter.

Guests can enjoy:

· Outdoor baths amidst trees made of wood.

· Cultural activities of slow pace.

· Close proximity to the peaceful rural Kyushu.

· The way to select the correct winter Ryokan.

To choose a ryokan to spend your winter at, you should take into account:

✔ Location

Are you a snowy mountain, silent forest person or a coastal person?

✔ Onsen Type

Other ryokans may have either private bath, community bath (onsen) or a mixed-gender outdoor onsen.

✔ Cuisine

The kaiseki served in winter emphasize fish of the season, heartening soups and local delicacies.

✔ Budget & Style

Traditional wooden inns, contemporary luxury resorts, ryokans are in any form, many of them are located in the premium Japan travel packages. The most appropriate time to visit Ryokans in winter. The best season is in the month of December to February when there is maximum snowfall. January is the most beautiful snowfall that can be seen in Hokkaido, Nagano and Japanese Alps.

Ryokans provide a memorable experience to a traveller during the wintering season in Japan in search of warmth, culture and tranquillity. You can make your stay in Japan travel tours and Japan holiday package a truly meaningful experience, whether you want luxury or adventure or an escape to secluded countryside villages, by including a stay at a ryokan in your tour of Japan. To the travellers who are planning Japan travel packages this winter, visit one of these hidden Ryokans on your itinerary list, your winter getaway is waiting.