Commalog is an independent travel site about Japanese ryokan, onsen hotels and hot spring towns. We write for travelers who are planning a trip to Japan, often staying at a ryokan for the first time, and who want a straight answer to one question: is this place right for me, and how do I book it well?
What you’ll find here
- Ryokan reviews that explain who a property suits, who should look elsewhere, and what to know before you book.
- Practical guides to ryokan and onsen etiquette, kaiseki dinners, private baths, costs and booking.
- Comparisons of properties, hotel brands and onsen towns, so you can choose between them quickly.
How we research
Every article starts from published sources: the property’s official website, tourism boards and reference works, and patterns in publicly available guest reviews. We summarize what those sources say in our own words and link to the main sources at the end of each article.
Unless an article clearly says otherwise, we have not stayed at the property we are writing about. We will never pretend we did. When we describe what guests praise or complain about, that comes from the recurring themes in public reviews, not from a stay of our own.
We use software tools, including AI writing assistance, to organize research and draft articles. Each draft is checked against our research notes for facts such as prices, policies and access details before it is published. Details at ryokan change often, so always confirm the current information with the property before you book.
Our independence
Properties do not pay us to be reviewed, and they do not see or approve our articles before publication. If we add booking links in the future, some of them may be affiliate links that earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you. That never decides which places we recommend, and such links will always be disclosed on the page.
Photos
We do not copy photos from hotels, booking sites or other blogs. Images on Commalog are either made by us, published under a free license (with the photographer and license credited), or embedded directly from a property’s official social media account.
Get in touch
Spotted something out of date, or have a question about an article? We’d like to hear from you. Visit our Contact page.