This was our only experience at a ryokan while in Japan. It was like a small spa resort. We did the half-board, but we were disappointed that both meals were served in the common dining room, even though our room had a Japanese-style dining table. We asked about eating dinner in our room, but the staff downplayed it. Other than that, both meals were exceptionally large, with many, many dishes. We also took advantage of both the public and private baths. The public baths had great views of the city and were exceptional, while the private bath was just okay. The room itself was large and clean. I did fine sleeping on the futon; my husband did not. Overall, it was a good experience, just not 100% what I was expecting/hoping for.