What is the typical time range when dinner is served at a ryokan? I have read that innkeepers get nervous if their guests don't arrive by a particular time.

I am considering a visit to Momiji-so on Miyajima, but won't be able to arrive on the island until about 6PM. Add some time to get to the place and freshen up and then be ready for dinner around 7PM or 7:30. Would that be too late?

When you make your reservation, they will ask your arrival time. If it is too late for dinner they will tell you so. 6:00 certainly isn't too late. Never having stayed at Mimiji-so, I don't know their system, but in my experience, we've always been asked upon arrival what time we would like dinner to be served and they offer a time frame from which we chose.

My guess is that when you reserve, they will ask you about dinner time, too, since you will be arriving later than the usual 3:00 - 4:00 checkin time.

Because the ryokan do take great pride in serving their guests well, they will tend to get nervous if you don't arrive around the time you said you would...if you will be late, it is always best to call them and let them know.

Their deluxe dinner looks wonderful...I would pay the extra to get it over the standard dinner...just a thought for you to consider.

Kim

I agree with everything Kim said. I just returned from Tokyo about a week and a half ago, stayed in a ryokan, they asked what time I would be arriving, gave me a time frame for when dinner would be served, etc. I have stayed in other ryokan in other parts of the country, and my experience has been the same. 7:00-7:30 is by no means too late-most ryokan I believe will usually serve until around 8:30 or so.

I agree with the above posters. Upon making your reservation at the ryokan, they will likely ask you for your expected arrival time. When you arrive they will explain to you what time dinner is, or offer you a choice (i.e. 7, 7:30 or 8).

disgraceful

What's disgraceful?

ditto!, kimjapan.

Thanks for the replies. I did request a reservation last Sat. night and they responded within 2 hours. They definitely did ask when I would be checking in. I'm going to try to figure out a better itinerary so that I can get there earlier.