“Where do I sleep?”: American tourist baffled by Japanese room with no bed learns what a ryokan is

An American tourist’s confusion over a missing bed in her Japanese hotel room has ignited both mockery and sympathy online.

TikTok creator Autumn Anderson (@somethingicanholdonto) was traveling abroad in Japan when she shared a video of an elegant, beachfront ryokan that seemed to be missing a bedroom.

“Where is the bedroom?” she asked, apparently unaware that traditional Japanese inns use futons laid out on tatami floors instead of permanent beds.

The post, dated October 12, 2025, went viral on TikTok, racking up over 20 million views. While some commenters helped explain that traditional Japanese sleeping arrangements involve removable futons, others ridiculed Autumn for being ignorant of the country’s culture.

Plenty of Westerners in the comments confidently but inaccurately suggested she look for a “Murphy bed.” One user commented, “The amount of people saying there’s a Murphy bed is frying me. 💀”

### Why Some Western Tourists Still Struggle with Ryokan Traditions

In the video, Autumn pointed out a traditional multipurpose Japanese-style tatami room with woven mats on the floor, along with a low table and chairs. She continued the tour, revealing a small sitting room overlooking the beach, along with the bathroom and shower, before concluding, “There’s no bed, where do I sleep?”

“Do I sleep on here?” she asked, referring to the table. “What? I’m so confused.”

In an email to the Daily Dot, Autumn wrote:
“My video was meant to share my surprise and curiosity about the cultural differences in Japan, especially how hotel rooms are designed. I wasn’t criticizing it—I was genuinely fascinated because it’s so different from what I’m used to in the U.S.”

In a follow-up video, Autumn explained that she was confused because she had intended to book a Western-style room.

Rooms in traditional Japanese inns, called ryokans, are centered around a multipurpose space with tatami mats on the floor. These rooms, or *washitsu*, are where hotel staff lay out futon bedding in the evening for guests to sleep on.

> @somethingicanholdonto
> “Someone help me with this?? Where is the bed?! #メロ秋投稿キャンペーン #japan #helpme #whereisthebed #japanese”
> ♬ original sound AUTUMN

“One of my favorite parts of traveling is learning how other countries do things, and this was just one of those moments,” she added.
“I think some people took it as me being an uneducated American who doesn’t research before traveling, but that’s not the case at all. I always do my homework. I just like to share my genuine reactions when I discover something new.”

“To me, that’s what makes travel interesting: seeing things with fresh eyes and learning from the experience.”

### Intercultural Confusion Stirred Up Mixed Reactions

Commenters roasted Autumn for failing to read up on the country’s customs before arriving as a guest. Some wrote:

– “Gurl, u went to Japan without knowing how they sleep? 😳”
– “Do people not research a country before visiting?? What.”

However, other people responding to the post shared helpful information or admitted they’d have been just as confused.

– “I’m not sure why people are being so mean and rude. I would have no idea either. It wouldn’t occur to me to research another country and find out if their hotel rooms have beds.”
– “Sometimes, I’m embarrassed to be a part of the human population originating from the United States.”
– “It’s a traditional Japanese style room. There’s futons somewhere in there that the staff will make up while you’re at dinner. You must be at a ryokan.”

Autumn’s viral video sparked a broader conversation about intercultural understanding and reminders of the value in approaching new experiences with an open mind.
https://www.dailydot.com/news/japan-traveler-no-separate-bedroom-to-sleep-in/

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