After a couple of connections and a few long flights, I made it to Japan this week to experience the country’s less-visited western regions. With a lineup of immersive cultural experiences, our tour group has just a few days to experience Fukuoka, Mitsue and Osaka.

While the traditional Japanese homes, rice fields and shrines should have tipped me off, the real seal-the-deal moment when it truly hit me I was in another, completely unique country was when we stayed at the Yumoto Kanko Hotel Saikyo in Nagato. This traditional, old-fashioned hot spring resort is a go-to for Japanese families on vacation and a great way to relieve muscle tension by naturally soaking in the springs.

I checked in by just receiving a paper with my room number on it, found my room on the fourth floor and opened my door to a minimalist space complete with a private bath, restroom, and a couple of tables and chairs. I removed my shoes before entering the room, as instructed, and found a wardrobe filled with two kimonos — one dress-length and the other a jacket to wear on top (most hotel guests wear these around the property during their stay). The one missing item: the futon bed.

During dinner in the hotel, the turn-down service in my room included the hotel staff setting up my twin-sized bed for me on the floor. I enjoyed the experience and, luckily, can basically sleep anywhere, but it was a truly unique experience sleeping on the floor in a hotel room, on purpose.

— Angelique Platas, associate editor