The 49 best baths in Kyoto

As a tourist, this was an unusual experience but super good at the same time. Totally worth the 1,200 JPY fee. I would make this a regular visit if I visited Kyoto again or lived there, and quite gutted I only discovered this gem on the final day. The system is simple: leave shoes in a locker, give the shoe locker key to the reception, they'll give you another key for the main lockers (male or female changing rooms), you store your personal belongings and then can enjoy the spa area (yes, completely naked too). There was a high turnover of people coming in and out the main spa bath area but it never felt too busy; clearly popular with the locals as I was there for 3 hours and only saw 2 other tourists. I felt revitalised after using all the baths. The electric jet bath was an odd, but satisfying feeling. For other tourists, please do not overthink being completely naked. This is normal for an Onsen experience in Japan and nobody bats an eye. Once you've finished in the main bath area you can use other facilities such as massage chairs, quiet rooms, rooms to lie down, reading rooms, restaurant, vending machines etc. Your main key locker has a barcode which can be scanned if you purchase any extras and this is all totalled when you hand the key back to make final payment. Guarantee you will leave feeling relaxed and fresh!

What an incredible and relaxing experience. Hardly used by any foreigners whilst I was here (not a bad thing) and as other have said despite being busyish it didn't feel too full. I was able to use and enjoy all the various baths without any queues at all. Cost was ¥1450 which included towel rental and I was able to stay as long as I wanted. Possibly the best thing I've done in Kyoto!!

This super bathhouse is an amazing place to relax in Kyoto if you have been traveling all day and need to unwind. There are a number of baths with different benefits and features. The sauna is also a great amenity. The in-house restaurant has delicious food and drinks. For the price you pay it certainly is a bargain. There are also places to relax like a lying down area with comic books. Overall a must visit if you are in need of relaxation in Kyoto!

Wow, this is authentic, clean and cheap. 1200 yen for unlimited time. Separate fee 250 for towels if you need them. Barely any tourists, many locals. Many different baths(hot and cold, with salts and minerals) , I personally liked the two saunas, electric baths, pressure baths(very rejuvenating and feels like a massage). You know it’s a good deal when all signs are in Japanese, but as an English speaker you can still understand the pictures. Refrain from loud conversations and follow the rules. We stayed for more than 3 hours and it’s worth the money. They also offer massages and scrubbing for extra cost. Couldn’t try them - had to leave earlier than their available slots.

Best bath house we visited in japan! Large and clean facility. Very local. Lots of Japanese people here. It is great place to rejuvenate after a long bike through temples and arashiyama forest. They have many different onsens and baths to choose from.

After a long day of walking around all over Kyoto, kick back at a local onsen to revitalise your senses and rejuvinate. Proper onsen spas in Japan are essentially like full-on wellness centres and perhaps none are more famous in Kyoto than Tenzan no Yu. It also happens to be super tourist-friendly with the reception staff speaking decent English and bilingual signages everywhere. With its natural hot spring water coming from 1,200m underground, it is well-equipped with nice indoor and outdoor bath facilities, including some interesting and innovative ones that involve the use of low-level electric currents that apparently have therapeutic effects (known as 電気風呂 denkiburo). For those who have never been to an onsen/sento before, the drill is usually the same (although sometimes with minor variations): 1)Lock your shoes inside an empty shoe locker and take the Shoe Locker Key. 2)Pass the Shoe Locker Key to the reception and they will exchange it for your Onsen Locker Key (this you need to keep with you at all times, even in the baths, hence they are usually waterproof and come with a elastic band that you can strap around your wrist) 3)Go into the onsen locker room and store your stuff into your assigned locker. Strip off all items of clothing before heading into the onsen proper. 4)When you are done, just reverse steps 1-3. **Take note, like most onsens/sentos in Japan, Tenzan no Yu also has a strict policy against admitting anyone with tattoos into the onsen due to its age-old associations with the Yakuza. When you are done with the baths, grab a meal at the adjacent dining hall, which serves everything from sushi, sashimi, yakitori, ramen, omurice etc.

Great experience here. Loved the body scrub and food. Not a fan of the massage though. She didn't really do a good job on my full body massage. She only focused on one area which was upsetting.

It's a traditional hot spring, but it has a very relaxing atmosphere, with various styles of hot springs and a sauna. It's the most historic hot spring I've visited.

A very special Onsen, already 100 years old, very clean and spacious. It was surprisingly relatively busy right at opening times 3 pm on a weekday, maybe because it was the day after their weekly rest day, but still it was enough space to roam around and try the different baths and even the sauna. We loved that there was a cold bath outdoors as well. The electric bath is super strange, we couldn't stand it. 😁 Overall very great local bath experience. Friendly and foreigner welcoming place, they don't care about you having tattoes.

great tattoo friendly onsen! has a sauna which I wasn’t expecting- so cheap too. nice outdoor bath, would recommend! also my first experience of a bath with electric current being passed through it- so weird but fun!

Highly recommend. As a foreigner I was not sure what to expect (first time experiencing the traditional way) and it was truly one of the best experience I had. Very friendly Japanese lady at the door who could speak a bit of English. The different pools (cold, super hot) and the sauna were all great (plus another outdoor one with cute little fish pond). A must see while in Kyoto. Thank you!

If you’re a tourist looking for a nice Onsen experience this is NOT it! I really don’t understand the positive reviews. This is a very old outdated Onsen that is not taken care off. The sauna smelled like the room where you dry your ski shoes after a long day in the mountains. The toilet was smelling super bad as well. The pools don’t have the Onsen line temperature up to 40 degrees. There are no areas to rest so it doesn’t make sense to stay longer than an hour. Luckily we just lived around the corner otherwise I would have been extremely disappointed! This was our forth Onsen experience and all others have been nice so far.

Took my 15 month old toddler here and was pleasantly surprised that they had 2 change tables and a small fee for babies. We brought our own towels and shampoo. We don't speak Japanese but other people were very helpful in letting us know what to do or which pools are not too hot. No judgement and all smiles. In a corner of one of the pools is 'electrified' (not sure how) so we didn't go in. There is a small outdoor pool which was refreshing.

I have mixed feelings about this place. The building is beautiful, same as the outdoor bath. But if you want to stop here without the rental towel, soap, and shampoo you have to pay for it. So the price is quite high for such a small facility. And most importantly, the water smell is strong in chlorine and the changing room smells like a mold. Sadly, I cannot recommend it.

Room had a great view of the bridge, futons were super comfy, nice closet space and sitting space. Downside was the toilet itself had a strong smell which would not go away. The in room kaiseki meal was beautiful and well executed, just nothing particularly outstanding or memorable. Service was excellent from check in, to meals, to throughout the stay. The private bath is worth the reservation (not that pricey). I believe their spring water is natural and you can find more details on the website. Location is right across the bridge, very convenient. I would recommend it primarily for the bath, the value of the whole package is also compelling. Probably wouldn't personally visit again.

Splurged for 1 night. Really cool how there's massage chairs and free icecream. They really do fee you a lot with snack, dinner and midnight snack. Then breakfast in the morning. It was probably the most we ate in Japan and it wasn't even 24 hours. My advice would be to get there as early as possible (3pm) to start enjoying the amenities. Learn from our mistake. They bring in the bedding after dinner and take it out while you're at breakfast. We didn't realize this and left a bunch of stuff on the beds but the staff were nice and put them aside neatly (oops). The building is quite old and lacking in soundproofing. You can pretty much hear everything going on outside the room

Looking for an onsen, we stopped here and asked about private rooms. The receptionist’s condescending reply (‘only for customers’) was hilarious: nothing makes you want to become a guest more than being sneered at. If answering a simple (and legitimate - you are not a supermarket) question politely is too much to ask, then clearly your hotel isn’t worth anyone’s stay. Japan, oh Japan… so convinced of your politeness, and yet so often proving the opposite.

Staying at this ryokan was a truly unique and unforgettable experience: absolutely recommended! There was a bit of a language barrier, but the staff were incredibly kind, professional, and went above and beyond to meet all our requests. We had asked for a vegetarian and a vegan meal, and everything was just perfect! Both the dinner served in our room and the breakfast the next morning. The private onsen was also an amazing experience, and the room itself was fantastic. I recommend checking in as early as possible to have time to enjoy the tea and settle in peacefully. The only small thing that could be improved is that it would have been nice to receive more explanations about the dishes and the customs to follow. However, I understand the language can be a limitation, and perhaps they usually explain more when there are no special meal requests. Overall, a wonderful experience that I would absolutely recommend!

We had a wonderful stay at this ryokan. The staff is very warm and professional. Overall it was a positive and memorable stay for our time at arashiyama. The location is excellent. The public baths were clean and well maintained. The hallways have some wear and tear but we felt that was part of the experience. the hotel was not too busy so it was great to have most of the amenities to ourselves. The set dinner served in our room was so unique because they bring you a new course roughly every ten minutes. The breakfast was also extremely filling for us with a wide variety of items.

Felt like royalty staying here. The staff were so friendly, the location is in my favorite part of Kyoto, the food was unbelievable with all the different multi-course meals they serve. I really want to come back again in the future.

Needed to experience a traditional Japanese inn and this was my First time and it was the highlight of my trip. I’m so used being independent living in US that experiencing being served was so embarrassing at first but this is Japanese hospitality so I advise to fully embrace it. We paid 300+ (2 person) which is a splurge but the service, food and amenities and location made it all worth it. Even putting out and keeping back your shoes were done by the staff. Our room attendant was so nice and modest. Shout out to Fuko san. She is really hardworking and ensuring we were taken care of. The dinner course was fantastic and they did follow my dietary preference. It was my fault that I forgot to mention that I dislike raw fish but the chef made up and served me sushi instead. The private onsen (additional payment) was magical. It was open air and overlooked the river. It was so cold but the hot water made it comfortable bathing in open air. The room was very comfortable and clean and i really loved traditional Japanese rooms in general (tatami mats and sleeping in futon). Can’t beat the location, central and just by the historic bridge. I think i gained few pounds from non stop eating. They even provided tea and onigiri as midnight snacks and the breakfast was also scrumptious My only complain was the bidet was not functioning adequately. The wand would not retract completely. Otherwise, I will definitely stay in this ryokan again in the future

We booked a standard ryokan room (futon with tatami), with no view. The room is incredibly spacious - a luxury if you want to compare to typical hotel room size is japan. The ryokan has hot bath facility, and allow private timeslot booking although you need to book it (or remind them) with the reception everyday (this is despite we have provided our preferred time online during room booking). Also available are complimentary coffee (a big Nespresso machine in common area), tea, ice cream machine, 3 massage chairs, drinking water dispensers, beautiful in house pond and garden, classic japanese restaurant. The staff are all very helpful though most speak only limited english. Kyoto itself is magical, comparing to Osaka and Tokyo (2 other cities we visited in this trip), a calmer city that allows spiritual and more relax experience (over 2.2k temples and shrines)

We had wanted the traditional Ryokan experience for our first time in Kyoto. You know, the whole Tatami mats and Futons business. And Yachiyo delivered. Lovely building and room. Staff were courteous, professional and helpful. The Massage Chairs, Coffee Machine and Soft-serve machine (that one was a welcome surprise) got a lot of use from our family (2 adults and 2 teenage boys). Sadly our itinerary was too full for us to try the beautiful restaurant overlooking the garden. The best thing was the Onsen. Guests can book (free as part of their stay) private 45 minute slots with the Onsens. Perfect for people who aren't quite ready to go the Full Monty with strangers for that part of Japanese culture. I was not expecting to use the Onsen as much as we did, but we did. Every day! The whole family loved our evening soaking sessions.

This is a very nice and very well located traditional ryokan. If you want original vintage, this is the place to go. The room was very spacious and clean; the female/male public onsens, which can be privatised for couples at certain times during the day, are very nice too, particularly the men's. Service was attentive. You can have coffee and ice cream a gogo, and use one of the three massage chairs whenever you feel you need a massage. We had the Japanese breakfast once and it was fantastic: high quality ingredients, generous, and prepared to perfection. It gave us the opportunity of eating the best tofu we've ever had, and of trying tofu skin (an earthly delight we didn't know existed) for the first time.

It’s not worth the price , it was so booring and the onsen didn’t feel authentic at all. the shower in the room took a long time to be hot . the zen of the view had a light directed to our room so it was noisy , we could not enjoy the view. there were only 1 electrical plug that was running there telephone, Tv , and air purifier. so u couldn’t use it to charge ur phone unless you unplug one of them + it kept disconnecting. During the checkout they requested payment for accommodation tax in cash only , after insisting on paying with card they give us the machine! Not the best choice for me.

Staying in a traditional ryokan was a must for us and this place delivered! Our first two nights were in the BEKKAN Standard Japanese room. We checked in our first night around 9-10pm and were greeted by one of the staff who brought us sake to have as we settled in. The room was well maintained and we felt the wear/tear that some guests were displeased with added to the charm of the hotel. It did not feel dirty by any means. The futon beds were more comfortable than we were expecting! Our third night, we splurged for the Japanese Style Suite TAKE. The staff moved our bags for us while we were out exploring Kyoto. When we returned, the private onsen was filled and ready for us! A perfect afternoon of relaxing with a gorgeous garden at our feet. The best way to spend our final night in Japan!

So lovely. Family run. Great food. Make sure you book breakfast or dinner 1 day prior. So fresh! No last minute dinner or breakfast reservations. Very traditional. Calm and quiet.

I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for the wonderful experience my wife and I had during our recent stay at your hotel. The private onsen was absolutely amazing, providing us with a perfect place to relax and unwind. Additionally, I want to thank you for celebrating my wife's birthday in such a special way. Your friendly and kind staff made the occasion even more memorable, and we truly appreciate the effort you put into making it a delightful experience. I highly recommend your hotel to anyone looking for a great getaway. If anyone wants a fantastic experience, they should definitely book a stay with you and enjoy all that you have to offer! Thank you once again for everything. We look forward to visiting again soon

I paid for the most expensive option available at their main website and it was honestly amazed. It was the best hotel experience I've ever had in my life. The plan that I paid for included a dinner course meal and breakfast. I think there were plans without meal plans as well. We had our own private bath and shower area and it was amazing. The bath is placed outside of the shower room and taking a hot bath outside with a nice breeze was so relaxing. The traditional Japanese dinner course meal was great as well. The presentation of the dishes were beautiful and the taste was amazing as well. If you've never had authentic Japanese food, you might not enjoy it as much but I would still recommend that you try it for the experience. There's also a breakfast meal and it comes with the Japanese and Western meal option. The Western meal option looked kind of lame to be honest compared to the amazing Japanese breakfast they provide for you. The interior of the ryokan and the room looked very traditional but very well maintained. The staff members were also very polite and helpful. Just be aware that some of the staff members speak little to no English so make sure to have a translation app handy. Overall, I was impressed by this ryokan experience and I really hope to visit this place again in the future.

We stayed for a night and it was absolutely incredible. As many others have said, the price seems a bit steep, however, this place is well worth it. The service was very nice and the 13 course dinner was absolutely beautiful in looks and taste. We had a nice view to a small, but pretty garden. The breakfast was great and the view to the water was pretty and relaxing. Not much to say other than we probably will return back some time again in the future!

We stayed for four nights. Had an absolutely incredible experience. The hotel is located in the BEST part of Kyoto and is absolutely stunning. The price is steep, but definitely worth it. The dinners are 5-7 course experiences! The service is absolutely stellar. Just an all-around excellent experience. Highly recommend.

Great location, room, food and service. We stayed here in late Dec 2017. The river and bridge are right outside. The room is traditional but has all the modern amenities. The best were the food, tradition Kyoto cuisine. I think the ryokan puts in effort to make non-Japanese speakers feeling comfortable. There are multi-lingual person at reception desk, dinner menu has English translation.

Stayed here for just one night and worth the experience and price. We couldn’t reserve a room with private bath but hotel was able to let us reserve private bath at 11pm. The hotel shuttle was able to pick us up from the close by train station and helped bring our luggages into the room. They also wiped clean the luggage wheels first!! Amaze view seeing the river view in the morning!! Once in life time experience for my wife and I.

Expensive, but great service. Dinner well prepared, super polite hosts and they provide really comfortable attire. Private bath is a must, outdoor public one is great too. Great views during breakfast and really near a beautiful bamboo garden too. Overall A++

Staying here was an amazing experience. From the moment we arrived it was special. The food was delicious, brought to us in our room, the onsen was perfect (both the public and private one). Every detail was thought about. The room looked out into a beautiful Japanese garden -- the rain on the day we left only made it more beautiful. Worth the splurge for the real ryokan experience.

If you're planning a trip to Kyoto and looking for a truly authentic Japanese experience, I highly recommend visiting this bathhouse, which was easily the highlight of our trip. Located within walking distance, it provided the perfect blend of relaxation and cultural immersion. From the moment we arrived, the experience felt like a mini-adventure. We were welcomed into the bathhouse with a series of straightforward yet essential rules that set the tone for a respectful and rejuvenating visit. It’s important to note that the rules are strictly enforced, so it’s worth paying attention to them to avoid any embarrassing moments. For example, before entering the spa, you must remove your outdoor shoes and store them in a locker to the right of the front door. This creates a clean and peaceful environment inside. Once you’re inside, head over to the vending machine to purchase your entry ticket as well as any additional services, such as a soothing massage. I’d strongly recommend getting a massage—seriously, it was one of the highlights of our visit! After securing your ticket, you head upstairs to the changing area, where the next set of important rules comes into play. The most significant rule is the requirement to wash thoroughly before entering the spa area. This includes both your body and your hair, and it's non-negotiable. It’s crucial to respect this custom, not only to maintain cleanliness but also to honor the tradition of Japanese bathing culture. Once you're clean, you can head to the different pools and saunas, but remember: no swimsuits allowed! Yes, you have to be naked, but this is a typical and relaxing part of the experience. Keep in mind that your hair must be pulled up and kept out of the water to maintain cleanliness. This bathhouse is not just about the physical relaxation but also the mental mindfulness it encourages. The dry sauna was also a standout feature. Make sure to use the mats provided when sitting inside, and always rinse off before entering a new sauna or pool. It's common to bring your own shower shoes and towels, though they do provide shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. After your sauna or bath experience, it’s customary to rinse off your body again to keep everything fresh. What really made the experience enjoyable was the atmosphere—quiet, respectful, and calming. You’re asked to refrain from talking loudly, using lotions or oils in the water, or disrupting others’ peace. It’s a place where people come to relax and recharge, and it’s important to respect that shared serenity. As for the amenities, the food was a delightful surprise. The hot food options were comforting, and the ice cream and natural yogurt were perfect after a long soak. The vending machines only accept cash or coins, so make sure to bring some yen with you. It’s a small inconvenience, but the quality of the experience more than makes up for it. Overall, this bathhouse provided a wonderfully relaxing and culturally enriching experience. As long as you follow the rules and remain mindful of others, you’re sure to have an unforgettable visit. Whether it’s your first time in Japan or you’re a seasoned traveler, this bathhouse will leave you feeling refreshed, relaxed, and truly immersed in Kyoto's unique bathing culture.

Look, if you’re in Japan and want to hit reset on your cortisol-soaked body, this place will get it done. Checked in around 6 PM when it was busier than a WeWork IPO meeting, but the crowd thinned out fast. Here’s the play-by-play: ✅ Shoes off at the door. Lockers to the left – no coins needed. ✅ Bath pass was 840 yen. That’s about what you’d pay for a latte in Manhattan, except here you leave feeling like an actual functioning human. ✅ Bring your own towel (I grabbed mine from the hotel). You’ll want a small towel for walking around the baths. If you forgot, rent one. Pro tip: the small towel goes on your head in the tubs so you don’t look like a clueless tourist. ✅ Wash up thoroughly after you strip down. The locals are meticulous – respect the culture. ✅ Lockers in the changing room are also free – efficiency porn in action. ✅ Rinse off after each tub using the little buckets. Everyone does it. Be everyone. ✅ Sauna has these bright orange ass pads. Use them or you’re just sitting in other people’s sweat. ✅ I stayed for 90 minutes. Left feeling like I could do a TED Talk on resilience and then deadlift a small car. Inside, the facilities are clean, easy to navigate, and no-nonsense. The relaxation room after was full of people sprawled out in a post-bath coma, which is exactly where I found myself, draped over a floor cushion wondering why I don’t do this every week. For less than the cost of a bad whisky at an airport bar, you’ll walk out reborn. Highly recommend if you’re in the area and your body is screaming for mercy.

We were on the look out for an onsen and found this place with a quick google maps search. Few things to remember when visiting: - no swimwear - no need to bring your own towel, you can rent small and big towel from the reception. - cash only - orange small towels are to be used when sitting in sauna - wash yourself frequently after and before sauna - hairdryers available in dressing room We had a great relaxing experience. The facilities were clean and large, with many saunas and pools available. Genders were separated to their own facilities. We had some lunch after the visit, also paying only with cash. The food was affordable and delicious! We would strongly recommend this place to experience an authentic and traditional onsen. Staff were also helpfull with translating things!

There are many baths and saunas, and a resting area is also available free of charge. The baths are very nice, I paid ¥970 for one adult ticket and it was definitely worth it. The restaurant inside has food which is okay, but it is not too expensive. There are also massage chairs you can use if you pay about ¥400 or so.

Very friendly to foreigners, don't need to buy soap or shampoo (bring a towel). Multiple tubs (herbal soak, massage jets, cold plunge, outdoor rock bath), and two saunas (regular and salt)! Most relaxing bath experience of my life, there's even snacks you can buy and a vending machine with flavored milk.

Great onsen with cold bath, jet bath, warm bath, electric bath, and outside bath. There's also a sauna and salt steam room. Be sure to wash yourself before entering any of the baths. Just follow what locals do and you'll be solid. Enjoy the baths and soak away your stresses!

Oh wow 😮 apparently just existing in a Japanese bathhouse is a crime now 🫠 My friend and I didn’t even use our phones — we just put them on the table while drying our hair 💁‍♀️ (sorry for not placing them on the floor, I guess? 😌). Other people were literally on their phones 📱 but sure, let’s come after us instead 👏 And the best part? 🤡 We were talking in a totally normal voice, literally about to leave 🚶‍♀️🚶‍♀️ — and some lady decides we’re “too loud.” Like… ma’am, the hair dryers were louder than a jet engine 💨 but yeah, we’re obviously the problem 🙄✨ It’s giving main character energy but in the worst way possible 💅 We did absolutely nothing wrong, yet somehow ended up being the villains of her little drama 🎭 The level of passive-aggressive nonsense was honestly impressive 😤👏 Congrats, I guess? 🫶😌

I liked the ability to use a credit card and the automated system.

This facility looks old. Inside it's not so clean, and the price is quite high for such quality. Definitely not the best bath in Kyoto, maybe worth visiting if you have some business near.

Dios mio! Me senti como en Mexico 💓 aguas termales pero estilo Japones. No se porque tiene rating bajo. Everyone was super friendly, the facilities are clean, I was skeptical because I saw many negative reviews but its not bad. They have so much variety I ended up staying here two hours, I would definitely come back and we had such a pleasant experience that we are considering doing this every night while in Japan 💓 I forgot to mention the price is super cheap, and we were the only teo foreigners and no one treated us different or looked at is differently. We felt truly welcomed

A nice hot spring, free parking, lots of choice of food. There is also outdoor area, which is nice during cooling season. The jacuzzi is also very nice, occupy a relatively big area with multiple types of jet pool. However the shower is a little disappointing, cannot control water temperature and the water is a little too hot for comfortable shower. The onsen water also smell more chlorine than anything else.

This is by far the worst onsen we have been to - the indoor jacuzzi smells chlorine so much that I did not want to enter. The outside bath is very hot (45°C, seems to be fine for locals) and not very clean - I have found hair there and the walls were slimy. The most disappointing here was the fact that there is literally no relaxation room. After the bath you have the possibility to wait for your friends / family just in front of a restaurant that smells of fried food where you can find four square benches and a tv - that's it. We were searching for a real relaxation room that we know from all the other onsens we have been to and found one - just a normal room with tatami and some mangas. However, we were immediately told to leave it as it was accessible only for the clients of the "stone spa". For this price I have never received so little and at the end was really disappointed.

Very big public bath. They have bath outside as well. Great place spend weekend morning fo me.

The place is very big with jacuzzi, indoor and outdoor Onsen. Also Korean scrub service is available

Our stay at Nazuna Hotel in Kyoto was one of the best experiences we had in Japan. The traditional rooms and baths were beautiful, and the hospitality was exceptional. As Muslims, we deeply appreciated their effort to accommodate our dietary needs, including providing a guide to halal restaurants. They even gifted us something for our honeymoon. When my husband fell ill, the staff kindly took care of our laundry and brought us nourishing food. As a Muslim woman, I felt completely comfortable and respected. Thank you, Nazuna team ❤️

We had a wonderful stay at Nazuna Kyoto Niijojo. The atmosphere strikes the perfect balance between authentic ryokan charm and modern comfort. Our spacious room with a private bath was a highlight, and the entire space felt warm and inviting. Service was exceptional – the staff were attentive, responsive, and added a personal touch by celebrating my birthday, which made the experience even more special. The food was excellent: beautifully balanced, well-portioned, and made with high-quality ingredients. We also enjoyed a relaxing massage during our stay. Overall, it felt like an extension of exploring Japan’s culture, while still being a place of rest and comfort. Highly recommend.

This was by far one of the best experiences on our trip. We booked a room for three adults and did both the chuzashi breakfast and sukiyaki dinner. The staff were AMAZING! They were pleasant, helpful, often went out of their way to help us with luggage or questions, and were all around wonderful people. The food was some of the best we’ve had this trip, and the rooms were wonderful. Even the futon (two queen beds and a futon were available to us) was splendid. Probably the cleanest place we have ever stayed, the two baths were heaven, and the design is stunning. I would come back here in a heartbeat.

Exactly what we wanted for our stay in Kyoto - a quiet, luxurious hotel with a bathtub. Tasty food, which was a nice blend of creativity and traditional regional food, while eating you get to chat with the hotel staff that serves and prepares the food. The rooms were neat and clean, the bathtub was fully-functional (not a given, even in pricier hotels). Staff excellent and friendly, staying here was one of the highlights overall from our stay in Japan. You really get what you pay for!

The hotel is perfect located and it’s very unique. The staff is very friendly but the staff doesn’t speak a word English which makes it very hard to communicate. This was quite annoying. Plus in my suite, the ceiling was extremely low. So I needed to duck all the time which is not comfortable at all. So be aware of this or ask for more spacious rooms. Plus the lights in the rooms are not cozy but super bright. It doesn’t have a warm feeling.

Beyond incredible, we wished we stayed more than one night! The entire atmosphere was so serene and a good location despite being a little away from central Kyoto. The service was unmatched and the staff was very friendly and accommodating.

We had a wonderful time during the stay in Kyoto. The team makes you feel at home and the professional and courteous service is second to none. The immersion in local cuisine and traditions was a great experience and made the stay a once in a lifetime type journey.

This was a 2-night splurge of our Japan trip. Fairly priced considering it's location against the mountains with an on-sight hot spring. The breakfast is one of the most staggering spreads I've ever seen, and introduced me to foods I otherwise would not have tried. The hot springs were the highlight of the hotel for me. Available 24 hours, and was the perfect way to relax and refresh each night before bed. Only downside is it's relative distance from a major train station, but that can be offset by Uber or riding to the small trains station across the street.

Not sure what’s up with all the bad reviews. THIS PLACE IS THE PERFECT location, atmosphere and traditions. People complain about the quality of wood and stuffs but the entire place is wood and tatami, unless you are constantly changing inside wood, of course the “hot spring” hotel is gonna have wood looks abit in bad shape. Not many tour guide mentions that it is right at the station so it’s very easy to take trains from Kyoto to this place when dragging your luggages. It’s close to many major traditional restaurants, convenient store, park, paths to temple and the shopping district. One suggestion is to NOT get meal included options because there are so many highly rated premium quality of food options near this location, you don’t want to end up locking to eat the same thing if you staying longer than one night. The hot spring itself is amazing, there are private and public bath options and both are very great catering to all ages and group sizes. Personally love their public bath that has many amenities and great for relaxation. Bed is comfortable and room is very spacious for Kyoto standard. Massage also great option. AND they give traditional rubs to walk around when going to the baths. You don’t see photos of public baths cuz phones are not allowed in it! But it’s really big with indoor and outdoor baths with many shower options and sunna, steam room, and cold tub.

We stayed at Kadensho ryokan, which cost around 350 euros per night, and honestly, it’s just not worth it. I understand it’s supposed to be a local experience, but it completely lacks proper guidance. Upon arrival, we were handed a piece of paper with a basic map and a few instructions, but there was no real explanation of the cultural aspects, like whether we should rent a kimono, how to behave, or how to make the most of the experience. For something that’s meant to be immersive and traditional, it felt rushed and superficial. People often say you have to try a ryokan when you go to Japan, but sincerely, I wouldn’t recommend it at all, at least not this one. The atmosphere was stressful, everything had to be done quickly, and we didn’t feel the peaceful, authentic Japanese vibe you can easily find just walking through charming little streets in the country. It’s a shame, because it could have been special, but for the price, the lack of warmth and cultural depth makes it a disappointing experience. As for the baths, yes, they were clean, but everything felt outdated and honestly quite unpleasant. The facilities didn’t match the price point or the expectations of a refined, relaxing experience. Also, this place is listed as a 5-star property on Booking, and I honestly don’t understand how that’s possible. It doesn’t reflect the level of service, comfort, or experience you’d expect from such a rating. This review isn’t written out of bitterness, it’s just an honest reflection. I wouldn’t recommend this place, and I wouldn’t recommend the ryokan experience as it was presented here.

There’s a lot to love about this place! It’s beautiful, there’s 24/7 access to the private baths and public baths run overnight. But outside of the Onsen itself, the room’s tatami mats are definitely starting to mold and the scent is pretty strong, and the amenities are really hard to use. Breakfast you get a strict 2.5 hour window, Yukata counter was out our entire stay, etc… For the premium price here there are way better options in Kyoto.

A busy and popular hotel and onsen with locals and tourists alike. The rooms and interior of the hotel are beautifully and thoughtfully appointed in keeping with traditional Japanese design including the garden courtyards and bath house. While the beds make for a comfortable night sleep. The breakfast is worth having too. It’s only a short walk across the Katsura River to the main part of Arashiyama. I would recommend staying here.

I always love to stay with Dormy Inn when travelling in Japan, they always serve you with the highest standard. The hotel is spotless from top to bottom. Our room is half board so it comes with dinner and breakfast. Dinner on the day has sushi, tempura, tofu shabu shabu, salmon roe rice and many other small dishes. You can order tempura unlimitedly. They always give you more than enough food, I feel bad not able to finish all. This hotel has 5 private onsens room, operate 24 hrs daily. We tried 3, all have their uniqueness and all are amazing.

This was a good ryokan experience! Don't expect things to be like a regular hotel here as it is very different from a modern hotel. I noticed most of the bad reviews are from tourists who want their hand held the entire time. It is our responsibility as tourists to research and respect the culture we are being a guest to. The staff were very friendly and very helpful and eager to serve us. They spoke english and offered to explain things to us in english despite us speaking fluent japanese. We had a smooth stay and had no issues communicating with the staff in Japanese, but I believe they have a great capability to be able to serve foreign tourists who speak english. We were able to borrow yukatas to use during our stay. Our room was very big, the largest hotel room I've stayed in japan. The interior was very wooden and cozy. Toilet and shower were seperated into 2 different rooms! In japan this is a good sign, as lower end lodging would not have the space for this and combine the toilet with the shower room. The onsen was spacious, there are many options since they also have 5 private onsens. There is free ice popsicles, tea, or sometimes free yakult available self serve to enjoy after a bath. Theres also a small gift shop within the property, and massages for an extra fee which requires booking since it gets booked out by night. We got breakfast and dinner included and the food was very authentic, it is very traditional. Some of the menus might not suit the tongue of tourists who are not used to traditional japanese food. I love Japanese food and loved being served bites of all kinds of japanese cuisine for both dinner and breakfast. There is free ramen at night even if you don't get the dinner included, and during my stay it was a simple and light shoyu ramen, which was also perfect for me because it is my favorite type of ramen. You are allowed to bring this ramen into your room and get as many portions as you'd like during service time. There is also a free flow drink bar with soft drinks and hot tea or lattes that you can bring into your room, and microwave to use for anyone who needs it! For the negatives, There were so many tourists that made the place crowded and loud, many children and some of them were running in the hallways. I understand there was nothing that staff could do about with the state of over tourism in Kyoto and especially in Arashiyama, but it affected our experience in the ryokan greatly and was a big minus to us since we had to be strategic about the time using the facilities available there or have to watch staff have to explain to everyone the basic rules of a ryokan. The private onsens were crowded at night, so we were able to look into all of them during check out-check in time while all the other guests were busy. Ryokans are supposed to be quiet and relaxing, but most of the tourists didn't know to whisper in the halls or stop their children from running around. Some didn't realize you have to immediately take your shoes off, and so on. I believe it would be difficult for staff to fully explain these rules to tourists who come to Arashiyama to sightsee kyoto. For this reason alone I do not see myself returning and this might have to be a one time experience for us. It was a very good experience and I'm very grateful to staff who served us! For a more authentic ryokan experience if you are the type of person to be bothered by overcrowded places, it might be a good idea to look into a smaller inn or ryokans that only allow adult guests to stay with them.

Definitely amazing and exquisite experience of visiting a Japanese traditional public baths. Great opportunity to take pleasure in hot springs. No need to worry about small tattoos: you may cover them up with a plaster👌🏻 Visit can be booked on Booking and Klook. Besides, it is possible to pay your stay right on site (there are no limit or restrictions about number of guests). Man’s and Women’s baths are separate. Nevertheless, you can surely come there with kids.

A bold and slightly daring new experience I finally decided to try — taking a dip in an onsen (Japanese hot spring)! Armed with nothing but Google Maps, I headed to the Arashiyama area by bus — my first time ever taking a bus in Japan, too. After about 45 minutes, I arrived at the final stop. Walking along the beautiful riverside — where lots of tourists were busy taking photos — I finally reached the onsen. After storing my shoes and paying the entrance fee (you can also rent a small or large towel if you didn’t bring one), I received a locker key bracelet. Then came the moment of truth — time to strip down completely and head to the public bath area. This onsen has four different pools, each with its own temperature: a hot indoor pool, a hot outdoor pool, a cold one, and one I’d call the “milky hot bath” (sorry, that’s just my nickname for it, haha). There’s also a sauna room with tiered seating so more people can fit comfortably. Before soaking in, it’s custom to rinse off first — basically, take a full shower using the soap, shampoo, and conditioner provided in the washing area. Only then can you relax and soak in whichever pool you like. Don’t worry — the hot water is perfectly tolerable! I went on a Friday afternoon, and it wasn’t crowded at all — quiet, calm, and super relaxing with no noisy groups chatting around. After about an hour there, my whole body felt instantly refreshed — all the soreness and fatigue just melted away. I could’ve fallen asleep right after, haha. What an experience. Definitely worth trying out!

When you get into this place you have to take off your shoes and place in a locker, and take the shoe locker key to the admission counter and pay for the entrance. After you paid the counter will give you another locker key which will be used inside the public bath area. The onsen is a bit small as compared to other paid public japanese bath. In view of the high admission fee this seems not quite worth. But what pissed me off is that when I leave, the old guy in the counter keeps giving me a wrong shoe locker key. As I remember where I put my shoes in, I told him this is not the correct key but he just don't listen and insisted that I remember wrong. Understand that there could be communication problem, but his attitude really pisssed me off. Eventually an old lady step in, then I finally get the correct shoe locker key and have my shoes back😭

Another super duper onsen experience in Kyoto. There're so many options for both indoor and outdoor pools. The facilities were so clean and luxurious. As well as the amenities inside.

Made a quick visit to this spot (about an hour), friendly staff and service! There’s around four pools with varying temperatures. There will be signs that say they are not tattoo friendly. I do have some tattoos and asked if they had tattoo covers. They sell medium size tattoo covers for 300 yen each. I had to buy four of them to cover most of my tattoos.

I was in Onsen for the first time in my life and I was delighted! I was worried for a long time whether they would let me in with a tattoo (about 8-5cm on my arm), there was also a sign at the entrance that you can't get a tattoo. But. A very nice woman who works there reassured me that you can buy a band-aid right from them for 200 yen. And they let me in. The bath itself exceeded my expectations. Women and men swim separately. There was no embarrassment, no one looked at me, everyone was busy with their relaxation. There are two hot tubs inside, one has a massage jet. The bath is hot outside and it's mini cold. And the sauna itself. Out of habit for Europeans, the water is really hot, it's hard to sit for a long time and it's unlikely to work. We spent about an hour there, changing the bathtubs in turn. If I'm still here, I'll definitely drop by again. Thank you for the experience. Also, the woman at the entrance told me that my jacket is Kawaii! I remember it with delight.

After climbing to the summit of Fushimi Inari and strolling through the serene paths of the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Fu Fu no Yu Onsen was the perfect way to unwind. The baths were incredibly soothing — the warm water eased every ache from the day’s adventures, and the peaceful atmosphere made it easy to fully relax. The outdoor rotenburo was a highlight, surrounded by nature and open to the crisp Kyoto air. After my soak, I treated myself to a chair massage that worked wonders on my tired legs and shoulders. And the best part? Enjoying an ice-cold bottle of milk afterward — simple, nostalgic, and so satisfying. The sweetest touch was the kindness of the local grannies. Even with the language barrier, they were so warm and welcoming — their smiles and gentle gestures made the experience feel even more special. If you’re looking to recharge after a big day in Kyoto, this onsen is an absolute must.

A bathhouse frequented by locals. It has a nostalgic vibe. They provide instructions in English. They only accept cash. Very clean. The guests practice good hygiene, washing up after themselves, then they have used a stool, a scoop, a seat. Cost of 550 yen per entry and 100 yen for the towel. Bring your own small towel to save the 100 yen. They have lockers for footwear, belongings and also valuables. Recommended. Thumbs up!

My first public bath experience in Japan was really relaxing. The staff spoke English and even gave a simple guide on the do's and don'ts. Entry was ¥550 plus ¥100 for a small towel. There were three hot baths, a cold bath and a sauna. The locker room was also quite spacious.

A bright retro neon light guides you down the dark alley, towards a small bridge over a small canal. Walking in, you're greeted by Radiohead on the speakers and a very hip, modern type sento with a variety of really cool merchandise being sold too. It was my first sento experience and glad it was. It was a perfect mix of that old retro vibe meets modern & hip and so I didn't feel so out of place. The girl at the front desk spoke English and also handed me a very useful (and cute) comic with elephant doodles on the do's and don'ts of a sento. I've been to other sento's after this and 550 yen per entry is pretty cheap still for something so close to town and good facilities. 100 yen extra for towel if you don't have one. Even though there were lots of foreigners, it was also a good mix of locals and everyone was respectable (unlike some other places). I wouldn't be short of recommending this place to anyone.

Highly recommend! I went because it was tattoo-friendly and well-reviewed. It has a vintage, friendly, quirky charm that I loved. Definitely a spot for locals as well as foreigners like me. The English information sheet taught me things even though I’ve been to other spas, so I recommend you give it a read! Felt clean and non-judgmental. I left with a very nicely priced can of beer, as well! Perfect ending to my night.

I was really nervous at first to try a public bath because I’ve never done anything like this before. The staffs were super helpful and had a series of instructions in English for us to follow so we knew what to do. The facility was clean and happy, with lots of patrons coming in and out. The baths themselves were so relaxing and I immediately felt at ease. I particularly enjoyed the medicinal bath. There are cold drinks available for purchase when you leave so you can enjoy something cold after being in the warm bathhouse. You have to pay in cash. They are welcoming of foreigners and tattoos are ok!

Loved it here because they are open early compared to other places, the smell of incense is pleasant and the baths are awesome. I enjoyed the medicinal pool and the electric bath was strong. For the Electric bath you want to start in the center and gradually move your legs to the edges. Was too strong to keep my arms inside bbt my lower half felt great. The sauna was hotter than what they generally use in the US.

Great local sauna! A local tour guide recommended Ume Yu, and I’m really glad I checked it out. The place has a very welcoming vibe, even for foreigners — felt completely comfortable the whole time. It’s not the biggest sauna, but that actually adds to its charm. Best to come a bit before the busy hours in the late evening (they’re open until 2 a.m.), so you can fully relax and enjoy the experience. Definitely worth a visit!

Visited Ohara no Sato Onsen for a few days with my boyfriend to relax while hopping around Japan. Truly one of the most beautiful and amazing experiences we’ve both had. The facility itself was very quaint with old school charm. Our bedroom included traditional tatami mats, a private bathroom, and AC. We slept on soft futons on the tatami and it was so nice for my back! Our windows faced out to lush greenery. The onsen here was also a godsend. There are three baths: indoor, intermediary, and a cauldron like bath. All three baths were amazing, my favorite was definitely the hottest cauldron like bath. The fresh mountain air mixed with the hot bath was just perfect. Breakfast and dinner were both provided by the Minshuku at regular times. We enjoyed chicken nabe, traditional Japanese breakfasts, and chicken sukiyaki during our time here. We also had the opportunity to try a white miso icecream which was delicious! Do yourself a favor here and try the miso! They had 4 different miso varieties available and they were all incredibly delicious. The team was all so kind and friendly! Everyone that works here was very polite and helpful whenever we needed them. They even arranged for a shuttle for us to the bus terminal the morning of our last day. Ohara itself is a very charming town, we explored the area by foot and took advantage of the beautiful nature. The Ohara Historical Hike brought us to a beautiful waterfall (beware of leeches) and a variety of shrines and temples. We also stopped by the farmers market and picked up a variety of locally made goods as omiyage for our family and friends. It was great to unwind from a day’s exploration with a soak in the baths! The only caveat we had was with the guests. A woman was speaking very loudly on speakerphone during dinner on our last night which was very disrupting. The same woman was also using her phone in the changing room of the baths (even when there were signs explicitly stating not to). This made me uncomfortable as I was barely dressed at this point. My boyfriend who was enjoying the male’s bath also said a guest didn’t shower and directly went into the bath… Besides these isolated incidents (obviously not caused by the facilities or team), this stay was perfect. Thank you so much Ohara no Sato team for your kindness during our stay! We can’t wait to come back!

The hotel has a few strong points – it is quietly located on the forest edge, which makes the surroundings peaceful. The meals were also excellent – dinner and breakfast were healthy, nourishing, made from fresh ingredients, and offered truly authentic Japanese flavors. Another highlight was the small but charming onsen with the option of bathing outdoors while enjoying the beautiful forest view. Unfortunately, the overall experience does not justify the price of almost €250 per night. The building hasn’t been renovated for a very long time – it feels damp, moldy, and sadly, not clean. The smell of mold and humidity is noticeable and difficult to ventilate, which can be disturbing for many guests. The hotel’s infrastructure is weak, and service could definitely be better. At check-in, the receptionist prioritized walk-in onsen visitors paying just a few coins, while we were left waiting with heavy backpacks – not the kind of welcome one expects at this price level. In conclusion: while the food and natural setting are memorable, the outdated, moldy condition of the hotel and the unfriendly service make it impossible for me to recommend staying here. In Ohara, you can surely find better options for the money.

I'm a long haired western guy. I liked this place a lot. The Onsen bath was so relaxing haha. I had to be careful to keep my hair out of the water, though, because I know that's disrespectful. I had to wrap it up with my mini towel because I didn't have a hair clip or anything hahahaha. The food was delicious, the service was wonderful, and I had a very pleasant time.

The food was all very fresh, nourishing and delicious and served in beautiful dining rooms. Service was great, the staff were very friendly and accommodating of our baby. The manager carried him/entertained him for a little while while we ate. We were also offered a lift to the bus station upon check-out. The onsen was very beautiful and peaceful. It is lovely looking up at the maple trees in the bath. Only downfall is the musty feeling of the rooms although the room was fitted with a dehumidifyer and air purifier. Definitely feels like the accommodation could use a deep clean and maybe some renovations. Our room was right next to one of the onsens so had a strong musty smell. The lighting could also be a little softer.

The hotel in Ohara has huge potential – it truly captures the spirit of old Japan. The location is unique, practically in the forest, and even the 15-minute walk from the bus stop with our backpacks was very charming. The path leading to the property already sets a special mood. A big highlight is the small, intimate onsen – not large, but very atmospheric. I was able to enjoy it mostly on my own, which allowed me to relax, unwind in the hot bath, and soak in the peaceful forest surroundings. Meals were tasty and well-organized. The staff was generally kind – especially one man with glasses, who was always positive, smiling, and helpful. Unfortunately, the property in its current condition loses a lot of quality. The rooms are in need of renovation and a thorough refresh. In our room there was a very strong smell of dampness – so intense that I couldn’t sleep the whole night. The air conditioner displayed a message about replacing the filter (with no English translation), and the dehumidifier in the room had no effect at all. After just one night, all of our belongings – clothes, backpack, even hair – smelled of damp. While lying on the futons, it was easy to notice huge amounts of dust under the windowsills and in other corners. The whole place clearly needs a deep cleaning. In the hallways there were insect control products, which suggests pest issues – the couple in the next room reported finding cockroaches. In summary – this place could truly be outstanding, top of the top, thanks to its wonderful location, unique atmosphere, and the lovely onsen. Sadly, due to neglect, dampness, and lack of cleanliness, the full potential is not being realized.

Location is super pretty, in the middle of the forest. The outside rotemburo, with a 2 people bathtub is pretty and pleasant. Rooms are a matter of luck. We might have gotten the worst one ( no 5) small, with just a little window facing a wall and an Aircon machine, and most of all, the mould smell was unbearable. The tatami floor or minshuku card is no excuse, I've stayed all over Japan in traditional and rural hotels with tatami mats and they've been very pleasant and great. Maybe if you get one of the other rooms, the experience might be good, it wasn't for us, couldn't get the mould smell out of my nose and it was really uncomfortable.

Lovely place. Wonderful staff and meals. But the damp mold was so strong in our room I felt suffocated and uncomfortable. The onsen was beautiful and everyone was respectful.

I thoroughly enjoyed my stay here, everything was meticulous, thoughtful and perfect. I stayed in the single room, the size was just nice for one person and I heard that it was previously used for tea ceremony, it also created a real sense of culture and heritage to the space. The onsen bathtub in the room has lovely natural texture and scent, it was very well-maintained. The staff also provided different tasty local snacks in the fridge everyday which was a very thoughtful touch. Both the breakfast and dinner were very refined, fresh and beautifully presented. The public onsen space was super clean and comfortable. The staff are very attentive, helpful and speak good English. I will definitely go back when I visit next time.

Everything you can think of, they went above and beyond! Service is amazing. Course meal food was delicious. Room was very clean. I am glad to have experienced Rangetsu. The thoughtfulness and politeness that they carry is wonderful. They are so respectful!

The stay was the best we've had so far in Japan out of the two weeks we were there. The service was impeccable and the staff were attentive and helpful. They gave recommendations in the area for sights or for local sake and beer. The food was excellent and the views and rooms were immaculate. I wish we had more of our nights booked there but are happy we spent what time we did there and would do it again!

Truly unique and memorable ryokan experience, including the most elaborate breakfast of our lives. My only regret is that our reservation, made through a travel site, didn't include dinner and it was too late to add it on upon arrival. Advisable to contact them prior to ensure that you have a memorable dinner on-site.

Went there in 2017. A classic Japanese ryokan replete with outdoor bath, teahouse, breakfast and everything. Extremely professional and dedicated service. On our last day, me and my family had to check out before their regular business hours. The management really went above and beyond to prepare our breakfast extra early and grab us a taxi to Kyoto Station. We didn't speak any Japanese; the management didn't speak any Korean, but they still put in the extra effort to communicate to us by translators. Location right by the riverbank surrounded by great walking paths and cute cafes are also a big plus. It definitely wasn't cheap. But this is a 4 star ryokan, not some cheap hostel, so no surprise there. Everything was well worth the price, and it truly felt like a luxurious splurging experience. Strongly recommended for anyone who can afford to indulge themselves while visiting Kyoto.

beautiful views of katsura river and very close to the bamboo grove however i do find it way too expensive, having stayed at similar ryokans in the mout fuji / hakone area for a fraction of the price... the kaiseki breakfast and dinners were beautifully presented but i preferred my previous full board meals in hakone / kawaguchiko.

We got a complimentary upgrade to a bigger room, and the room was huge!! The dinner and breakfast were also great! The private hot spring tub was awesome. The service was so awesome to a point it scared us a little at the start. They paid so much attention.

67,450 Yen for one night, was it worth it? Absolutely not. Ryukyu Onsen in Okinawa was a much better Ryokan. Also, at Ryukyu, you have a private bathtub on the balcony (with actual hot spring water) overlooking the ocean. What do you have here? Regular water and a view of a wall. Do you want Onsen water, well, better walk downstairs and go jump in with other people. 67,450 also does not come with a meal...no dinner, no breakfast, not even coffee. You want coffee at 5am? Well, walk 10 mins to a conbini. I have stayed inn many Ryokans, this was the only one that didn't offer a meal and also was the most expensive. This is a 20,000 Yen Ryokan... the only service I got was them grabbing my shoes and putting it away then grabbing it when I am heading out. Other than that? They did absolutely nothing. This place is overrated and overpriced. Go else where.

Our stay at Togetsutei was one of the most meaningful experiences of our lives 💚 From the moment we checked in to when we walked out the doors we were taken care of. The room was breathtaking (and we got one of the more basic ones!), the bed was comfortable, and I daydream about the giant cypress bath every day. My fiancé and I both have tattoos so we had to book the private onsen, which was the best decision ever. It was such a relaxing and unique experience. And a cute kitty came and visited our window! I can't wait to come back!

Our stay at Arashiyama Togetsutei was incredibly underwhelming, especially considering the price of around AUD $800 per night. We expected a traditional ryokan experience, but instead were left feeling misled and dissatisfied. Major issues: No kaiseki dinner or breakfast provided on Wednesday — this was never informed to us beforehand. We found this out after arrival. One of the key reasons for choosing a ryokan is the dining experience, so this was a huge disappointment and completely unacceptable for the price. No private ryokan facilities. Only public baths available. Again, this wasn’t clearly communicated or advertised. For such a premium rate, we expected private onsen access or at least a more exclusive experience. Poor value for money and overall quality simply did not match the price. The experience felt basic, outdated, and nowhere near what we believed we were paying for. Overall, this stay felt like a ridiculous price for a very poor experience. I would not recommend Arashiyama Togetsutei to anyone looking for an authentic, high-quality ryokan stay in Kyoto. For 800 aud per night customer expect 5 star or equivalent experience. This arashiyama togetsutei had poorer quality than toyko love hotels. Absolute disappointment

Stayed here for one night in Room #14 after 4 days of too much hiking in central Kyoto. Togetsutei aged well with the surrounding and offer the service you would expect from any traditional Japanese ryokan. I booked well in advance via Agoda so I can’t remember what is included so we are quite pleased to find out breakfast is part of the package. The private outdoor onsen which is part of our room is unbeatable - always warm and ready for you to dip in. It helped us release all the pain from walking 30k+ steps over the past few days. Thank you again for the hospitality, we sure wish to be back in red leaves season some day, it must be beautiful around town in the fall.

Extremely friendly and polite staff, nice traditional room with private bath & excellent food & service. Really good location too right in front of Togetsu-kyo bridge :).

I recently stayed at this charming hotel with my husband and 1 year old and it was an absolute delight from start to finish. The setting is incredibly peaceful - all the staff very friendly and helpful! they also speak english. Definitely a very baby friendly places to stay! wants to come visit again.

Staff here is very kind to answer questions, provide well service and help foreign visitor to speak to taxi driver. The hotel is purely Japanses style and extremely clean with histry. It definetly delivers awesome experience. Food is also good. Hot spring is relatively small to other modern hotels; however, not too many people are in the same bath with you. This is my first time to receive such high-level service in travel, not by modern facility but by communication and inner experience.

The rooms were clean with a beautiful view, with yukatas provided. The private onsen was wonderful. The staff was even more amazing and helpful, accommodating all dietary restrictions for breakfast and dinner. They also called a taxi for us. Overall, recommended for everyone that wants a luxurious experience in Kyoto.

An absolutely amazing stay. This a small onsen that is very private. The actual onsens and areas are small so not great for large groups. But great for couples or by yourself. The scenery is amazing. But what stands out is the service and food. Every meal was a beautifully presented meal and quite generous. Nice to have all the temples around for you to walk to during the day as well.

We stayed here our last night in Japan and it an excellent choice! Getting out of the city, having a private garden, a private onsen, a Kaiseki dinner, and a gourmet breakfast made for an expensive 24 hours, but it was 100% worth it. The service was impeccable. We have done a lot of world travel and eaten very well, but both agreed that the Kaiseki dinner was our best fine dining experience ever. My partner was particularly impressed with the beer and wine list. The surroundings- a monastery and picturesque path with little waterfalls - were lovely for an evening stroll. Two minor quibbles - the ceiling-mounted A/C unit had bright lights that lit up the room at night, and the onsen (big enough for us both to fit in!! <3 ) was actually too hot to stay in for long. Still, I would come back in a heartbeat. Strongly recommended.

Our first ryokan experience couldn’t have been more perfect. We stayed in a room with a private outdoor onsen and woke up to the most peaceful Japanese Zen garden view — it felt like a dream. Dinner was an incredible kaiseki , with wagyu shabu shabu that practically melted in our mouths. We paired it with a Junmai Daiginjo sake flight, which matched beautifully with each course. Breakfast was just as memorable. The hospitality was warm, thoughtful, and made us feel completely at home. A truly romantic and unforgettable stay — one we’ll remember for a long time. Location is secluded, not convenient but hey it’s a hidden gem. I would gate keep this place lol

Incredible, incredible, incredible place. We booked the Kaede room after much research and it was so much more than what we were looking forward to. The expansive garden, private onsen bath, public baths, dinner+breakfast, welcoming staff that spoke English. I must sincerely advocate for you to book the Kaede room and treat the location with respect. The same person who checks you in will give you a Ryokan tour, serve you dinner and breakfast, translate, transport luggage, and drive you to and from the bus station. the place has only 9 room, each curated with their own view. It cannot be understated how incredibly breathtaking this entire place is. Book more than one night's stay. We sincerely regretting only staying one night. I will forever cherish my stay there for the rest of my life.

I stayed one night with my family and we were very impressed by the service, friendly staff, room, and food. We were picked up at the ohara bus station by the owner/manager which was very convenient and were welcomed with hot tea and mochi. We stayed in the room with a private onsen which was beautiful and serene, and wore the Japanese garments provided (which was a new experience!). It was my first time having a traditional Kyoto dinner and breakfast which were lovely - everything is home grown or local and tasted very fresh. Meal service was very attentive. Overall very happy with our stay and I’m sure we’ll be back the next time we one back to Japan

Stayed here for a couple nights on a recent trip to Japan and was impressed with Seryo from top to bottom. The staff are friendly and helpful, the rooms are spacious and comfortable, the food is incredible (particularly breakfast), and there are just so many other small details that elevate this place to being a wonderful stay such as beautiful sake sets at dinner and the welcome tea and mochi they serve when you arrive. Not to mention it’s located in a serene area that is so naturally gorgeous and just off the beaten path enough to not feel super touristy. I got to see some wonderful practically empty shrines and temples, mountains, a waterfall, etc. all within walking distance. And the local shops are cute and sell a lot of homemade/handcrafted foods and goods that I didn’t find elsewhere in Japan. I hope to be able to come back to Japan in the future, and if I do I will absolutely stay here again.

We came on a Sunday, around 2pm. Not so crowded. For public foot osen 300Y, right behind the train at the Arashimaya Station. The water was hot and soothing for tired feet after a long walk. Interesting experience. Please get the tickets from the Information Station.

Life saver! Buy 250yen ticket at station information center (few walks away). Free towel. Real hot spring water. Good view. Not crowded. Little hidden gem in Arashiyama!

The name of “Arashiyama (literary, ‘the storm mountain’) comes from the wind known as “Atago Oroshi,” which blows down from Mt. Atago in the west edge of Kyoto. The building of Randen(Keifuku Electric Railroad)’s Arashiyama Station is located right across from the gate of the Rinzai sect head temple and World Cultural Heritage, Tenryū-ji. The station provides pathways for walk, small parks, kiosks and a “footbath.” If you have time, enjoy the FREE footpath and the delish food at the station. One of the highlights is to take plentiful instagrammable pictures of the amazing art installation of 600 backlit pillars adorned with vibrant kimono textiles (the kimono forest). I Walked through the relatively short kimono path and admired the fascinatingly gorgeous Kimono patterns. Would love to capture all the kimono pattern images, but it may need to take approximately about 100 pictures. So I just took few patterns that caught my attention. I have seen many stunning IG photos of the kimono forest’s night scene. So next time I may try to take some of the night photos for memory keeping sake. Here share some of my creative photo editing of the kimono forest. The popular Tenryū-ji (aka ‘the temple of Heavenly Dragon) is just 2 mins walk from the station. Apart from admiring the awe-inspiring scenery of the temple, you can visit the Pond of Dragon. It is believed that the Dragon is the guardian deity of the station, protecting the travelers’ from any danger or obstacles of their journey and making their wishes manifested. Next time will visit the temple and the dragon pond. So many “next time” spots awaiting me to explore!

Lovely little footbath in the middle of the train station. You pay at the information desk, ¥250pp which is very reasonable as there is no specified time limit - apparently 10-15 minutes is good for you? Not sure the science behind that but it certainly feels good. The bath is at 40°C, which is quite hot especially at the beginning. If you have sensitive skin this might not be for you, my feet turned bright pink!

What a cute amazing find. It was nice to soak your feet in the foot bath after a long walk around Arashiyama. Buy your ticket at the information booth and they'll give you a small towel which you can keep. There a tap to wash your feet before and after the soak. The train station has free Wi-fi so you can soak while researching your next stop or posting your pics. Unisex and family friendly.

After a long walk around the area this was the perfect spot to warm my feet and take a breather. 200 yen for entry but very worth it. Being Surrounded by kimono lanterns added a level of novelty to the experience.

Nice to soak into the foot bath after a long walk,recommended. You need to purchase a ticket for 200yen each that comes with a towel.Ticket can be bought at the information counter nearby.

Based on reviews here, I decided to go early to avoid the crowds. My friend and I left the hotel around 6:30 and we enjoyed a pretty empty visit in the bamboo grove. Definitely recommend this to others interested in a more peaceful stroll. Many of the shops and restaurants are closed in the morning but I still prefer it to being packed in.

Nice, tucked away area of Kyoto in the hills. Nice scenery, seed a lot cooler than downtown. Easy to get to by bus. Some overpriced food and souvenir options, but not much else except scenery and temples. Quite crowded with locals and tourists, but nothing crazy.

It’s a pretty place. You first walk through a row of nice shops and food stalls — very happening and lively. Then you reach the bamboo path, which looks lovely. We went in the evenings — embraced the crowds— I’m not obsessed with getting the place to myself. I actually really liked the shops outside. They were just cute. Very Kyoto. And definitely tourist prices but fun.

One of my favorite places in Japan. The scenery in all seasons are just amazing. Was here several times in Spring during full Sakura bloom and now in fall for the colors. Amazing. Can’t possibly explore the whole area in a day.

There’s NO bamboo forest in this location! Bamboos is on another side of the river. However, the walking path goes along the river and leads to an old temple. Temple is original and there are no tourists. You can also have a break on the riverside rocks.

Arashiyama mornings are pure magic Since the stores were still snoozing, we grabbed our trusty Aquarius drinks and set off for a stroll. Crossing the iconic Arashiyama Bridge, the soft morning light made everything glow like a dream — naturally, we stopped for a million photos. It was a holiday, so the area was buzzing with tourists, locals, and even a school field trip — but somehow the serene vibe still won us over. And because Arashiyama clearly loves surprises, we even spotted a Poke Lid of Ho-Oh — yes, that legendary firebird joining our morning adventure. Moral of the story: mornings here are less about shopping and more about sipping your drink, soaking in the calm, snapping your best shots, and maybe, just maybe, catching a legendary Pokémon along the way.

The famous bamboo forest of Arashiyama is worth visiting. Allocate at least two hours for this excursion and time it early in the morning to avoid the crowds, too.

This was one of the best meals of my life. I came here for the first time 11 years ago, The end of May as well. So the ingredients were very similar, but it's amazing to see the new dishes with similar ingredients. The room was so beautiful , there were bamboo outside the window. From start to finish, each course was better than the last. My favorite was the bonito, uni, and wagyu courses (pictures). Our server, Lyn, was probably the best server we ever had. She was super attentive, professional, and funny.

Location: Very nice, definitely very stylish Atmosphere: Traditional, clean, separate room, tatami mats Service: Excellent, very good English, traditional clothing (nicely looking) Food: Excellent. I have to admit that we are not experts for the depth and details of Japanese cuisine but every dish was marvelleslouly created, with style and love for details. You could sense the love for food, details and implementation. We had a wonderful everying with a great view to a traditional garden, sake was fitting very well to the dishes and really nothing to complain. We enjoyed it and had a great talk / evening and I wish you have a similar experience. The Service was spectacularly good but modest and respectful. The dished with the smoked sweet fish (we got them shown as they were still alive), the Wagyu (the red pepper sauce was great) and the bowl topped with aubergine were our personal high lights. Everything was very traditional and at least as I could understand it done in perfect style. If you want to have a very traditional evening in combination with great food and service you should go here. Sustainability: It was visible that they really invest time and energy to use bamboo to save resources - from my point of view a very positive effect. Very personal note: I will never be a fan of Uni / sea urchin - no matter how well it is done / prepared.

Exceptional from start to finish. Every element was thoughtfully curated with meticulous care — refined yet effortlessly welcoming. The food was both stunning and delicious, a true display of culinary artistry. Most memorable of all was the warmth and authenticity of the staff, which made the experience not just memorable, but genuinely meaningful.

Japan is renowned for having more Michelin stars than any other countries in the world, including France itself. Yet, in a Milky Way of Michelin, nothing could’ve prepared us for the transcendent experience at Kikunoi Honten. Nestled on the far end of Gion-Kyoto, this 113 year-old culinary temple embodies the pinnacle of Japanese Kaiseki cuisine. Consistently been awarded 3 stars since 2009, dishes here weave generations of traditions with the finest seasonal ingredients. Everything was served flawlessly with grace, beauty, precision, and heritage; without “alien” ingredients to Japan like caviar or truffle; and especially untampered by any pretentious theatrics we detest (gold dust, dry ice, bubbles, etc). There’s not much else to be said about the chief conductor behind Kikunoi’s success, the legendary chef Yoshihiro Murata. Considered a living pillar of Japan’s culinary excellence and the grandfather of Kaiseki cuisine, he is the only chef in the world to hold 7 stars. As chair of both the Japanese Food Association and the Japanese Culinary Academy, in 2023, he was invited to cook for world leaders at the G7 summit in Hiroshima. Accepting only 11 parties a night in its 11 private rooms, we were lucky enough to be served by lady of the house and the very wife of chef Yoshihiro - to whom I used my “birthday” as a pretext for a private tour of the kitchen 🥹

Kikunoi Honten serves exquisite kaiseki in a serene Kyoto setting, with seasonal dishes & impeccable presentation. Chef Yoshihiro Murata also designs exclusive Japanese meals for Singapore Airlines - an authentic fine dining experience on the ground & in the air.

Unforgettable. If you’re looking for a place to celebrate a milestone with your loved one, this is the place. Kikunoi Honten’s menu is creative but still rooted in tradition, taking you on a journey of flavours. My experience with the summer menu was refreshing and fulfilling, ending with a dessert that carried a lingering touch of summer. From the presentation to the flavours, and the serene atmosphere overlooking the lush garden—everything felt just right. Even the walk to Kikunoi Honten is part of the experience, as the property is nestled in an old village lined with small shops and towering trees. If you’re looking to create special memories while you’re in Japan, I highly recommend making a reservation here as every season sure will bring a unique experience.

PLEASE LISTEN TO ME AND SAVE YOUR MONEY. this was absolutely the worst “fine dining” experience in my life. And I’ve done a lot of them. I’m honestly so disappointed, we didn’t ate even half of the dishes that’s been served, chewy, bland, soulless. Yes it’s pretty surroundings, but that’s pretty much it. You can find better and cheaper places in Kyoto. Honestly I enjoyed sushi in sushiro even more Than this. I Don’t UNDERSTAND HOW THIS PLACE HAS MICHELIN STARS, tbh I stop respecting Michelin as it’s been a few times when their recommendations flopped. 145k yen wasted!

Quite easy to reach. However it was hot day, +32 C. View to the Garden was impeccable. Relaxing to just sit and sip Green Tea on Tatami. Restrooms there. See the bloody stains. Staff will help to tell story. ¥800/person, with Tea and Cookie

We took a day trip to Ohara from Kyoto to get away from the crowds and it was 100% worth it. The entrance fee was 900¥ and included a matcha tea and a pastry. It was so wonderful to sit and watch the garden while sipping my matcha. This was my favorite of the temples we visited (we also did Jikko-in Temple which had a better matcha and Sanzen-in Temple which was much bigger and I would highly recommend stopping by those too). The garden was so gorgeous with all the foliage and the 700 year tree is a must see!!!

This temple is close to Sanzenin but not well known and very quiet. The fee includes a tea ceremony. The tea is exceptional, and you can enjoy it while sitting in the tatami room facing the garden with its magnificent five-leaf pine trees. Highly recommended.

The temple has beautiful autumn leaves and serves matcha with mochi with a great view of the mountains and a famous tree (the drink and desert comes with the ticket). The battle of senjouhara occured within the area, and you can see damage and blood from that time period.

I recommend going at the opening hour to experience the quiet time with the tea and scenery

Hosenin has a beautiful garden just behind the ticketing counter that most visitors miss out on. The main garden with the 700-year-old tree shaped like Mt Fuji with its blood ceilings from Fushimi Castle are the main attraction, bjt don’t miss out on the other garden either! Entry is expensive at ¥800, but it comes with a bowl of matcha.

If you miss here during Kyoto trip, you will regret. Hosenin Temple is smaller than Sanjen Temple, however, it is worth a visit to have meditation and refresh. Don’t forget to take free tea and sweet. You should pay it in Other temples.

Exceptional. The grounds, the location: breathtaking. The staff: above and beyond. Rooms are perfectly nice, but admittedly you come here for everything else. When my wife and I arrived she was feeling under the weather. We happened to mention during check-in our first order of business would be trying to find an English speaking clinic - the staff took it upon themselves to call ~6 different places to confirm English speaking and availability. Additionally when we were leaving the hotel to go to our next stop in our trip (a hotel downtown for a different experience) - they offered their hotel taxi. (FYI They have complimentary service from the hotel to Kyoto Station. They overheard us talking about an uber to our next hotel and they said “can you cancel the Uber?”. They talked to the driver of the taxi, packed the car for us, and walked us out with a fond farewell. Shout out to associate Tunil! Felt like a goodbye hug while leaving a beloved family members house.) Don’t miss out on the Happy Hour in the cafe with the view over Oi river. Also want to praise to the private Onsen experience that you can book. Very romantic, clean, and beautiful. So sad to leave this place and cannot wait to return. If you’re looking for a wonderful view, with a staff focused on your happiness, with exceptional Japanese grounds: look no further. This is it.

My experience at this hotel was incredible. There is absolutely no noise pollution at all, it is very silent and serene. The grounds are well maintained, the restaurants were great (especially the fried chicken), and the staff is really attentive. The location is interesting because it is the closest hotel to the bamboo forest, monkey park, and surrounding parks. To get to downtown Kyoto you take the Randen tram and then a train, which takes 42 minutes total including the walk. We spent most of our time enjoying Arashiyama and the activities that were close by. I highly recommend this hotel

The level of excellence you would expect from a luxury hotel. The staff were friendly and accommodating, always going the extra step to ensure our stay was as comfortable as possible. My wife and I visited on our honeymoon, and I would like to give a special “Thank You” to Naoto (aka “Now”) for ensuring our honeymoon was extra special. The location is unbeatable. The grounds of the hotel are lovely and unique—giving the feel that you are truly immersed in the timeless city. The Suiran blends the best of Japanese and Western hospitality, making for an unforgettable stay. Our room was spacious, clean, quiet, and comfortable. I enjoyed utilizing the ensuite onsen daily to relax and unwind. My wife noted her massage at the spa was delightful, and would highly recommend. Lastly, do not miss a chance to enjoy a sunset with champagne along the river.

Not only was this place beautiful and had some of the most delicious food, the staff were beyond friendly and made you feel at home. My husband and I came here for the last day of our 2 week trip and couldn't think of a better way to spend it.

This place is simply excellent. The staff are all incredibly personable as well as professional and they excel at their jobs. We felt welcomed from the moment we arrived and they took care of us and went above and beyond. I wanted to give a special commendation to Sota who gave us a mini sake lesson at the complimentary champagne hour as well as Naota who we had a great conversation with to the point that we were worried we were keeping him from his duties. Yoshi the wine expert at dinner was also just incredibly friendly and interesting to talk with and we both felt privileged to have such great staff. I would also like to give my most sincere compliments to the chef at dinner. I have had steak and meat in many different restaurants(A5 Wagyu in Japan included) and it is not an exagertion to say that the strip of steak in the coursed dinner was the single best piece of meat I have ever had. Seriously. So. Good.

I chose Suiran because of its location. You can drive and park there if you are staying there. Easy walking to the nearby shopping streets. Also very nice environment. Professional staffs too. Only the room is a bit old. All sockets and TV are not so modern. Tiles of the shower room very slippery because I slipped and fell on it. Fortunately I'm not injured.

Beautiful hotel, very clean with impeccable attention to detail. We wanted to stay in the Arashiyama area for two nights and this was a perfect location. Outstanding amenities and we loved how professional and polite the staff were. Hitomi was an incredible help to us as we took special anniversary photos in the garden, and arranged for a reserved place at a nearby Izakaya. The manager also provided a generous welcome gift and we truly felt like special guests. The breakfast was amazing and I loved everything! Don’t miss out on the washoku meals! The champagne hour was a wonderful touch and felt it truly was “free flowing.”

When I arrived at Kyoto Station, I was amazed by how huge and modern it felt, almost like a small city on its own. It was really easy to find my way around thanks to the clear English signs, and I loved that I could quickly switch between the Shinkansen, JR lines, subway, and buses for my day trips. I grabbed a quick meal in the underground Porta mall, which had plenty of affordable options, and later explored the upper floors where I found the rooftop garden and Skyway with amazing views over Kyoto, plus the illuminated stairs that looked magical at night. I also used the coin lockers to store my bag, which made sightseeing much more comfortable. The station was definitely crowded, especially near the bus terminal, but I felt it was part of the experience, and overall I enjoyed spending time there—it turned out to be not just a station, but a destination in itself.

Kyoto has a massive sprawling station that connects people to the subway, JR West Lines, Kintetsu, Kyoto City buses, and Shinkansen. It greatly contrasts the rest of the city with its rather modern architecture and grand design, with high ceilings, and a rather cool “skybridge” at the top floor, which serves as a bonus observation deck. The station is usually very busy with the Shinkansen level being especially crowded, and it is usually wise to budget 5-10 minutes to navigate to your platform as crowds may be challenging to navigate through.

Was here in July recently on a break visiting Osaka Expo. This is the 3rd time in Kyoto over that last 15-20 years, and this is always a must-make stop. Nice atmosphere and can go up to the top level for a view of Kyoto. Also plenty of food options in this station.

I’m a US travel today taking the train from Kyoto station to Nara. I checked the schedule of the train B01 leaving at 9:27. The train station is big so we were not able to find the right platform. I went to platform 8-9 then we were told that was not the right platform so we needed to get out and go downstairs. I asked the service officer to manually waive the train charge because we were at the wrong platform and didn’t board the tram at all. Then I asked the service officer how to get to the B01 line platform to Nara, he immediately lost the patience and rudely told me “I don’t know!, I don’t know!”. The attitude was extremely bad…this is the first time we met such rude officer who WORKS in the train station but would not tell travelers the direction! You work here you don’t know?! I was shocked by his attitude! My wife took his photo when he came out to repair the reader. I then asked a different officer from the same office at the window and he explained to me well how to get to the B01 platform, luckily I was having one minute before the train left. I would like to report this officer’s unprofessionalism and attitude! He rained professionalism being an officer working at the station, and also ruined travelers entire day!

A nice railway station that is well marked and sign posted. A transit point for Shinkansen and other local trains to get by around. It is a bit away from the downtown though. You’ll have to taxi your way to get to the riverside and all the happening alleys.

This is a humungous station that has several different train lines including the world renowned Shinkansen aka bullet train of Japan. The station has more than eight floors, several platforms, exits, ticketing booths and multiple customer service booths. Alongside being a station, it is also adjacent to a shopping center. There are some landmark spots too, especially the eight floors of steps. The station is very clean. Directions are posted everywhere but it’s little bit confusing. It’s so huge that when we returned to the station from Fushimi Irani, we couldn’t locate the store where we left our luggage. We walked around for 20 minutes to find the path to other side of the station. Buying Shinkansen tickets was difficult too. Since we were boarding evening train, regular ticket wasn’t enough, the clerk sent us back the booth to buy express tickets. Tickets are expensive for express lines, about $175 per passenger to go from Kyoto to Tokyo. Once we were inside the Shinkansen platform it was super nice. The platform and their destinations were clearly marked. All the timestamps were posted on display screens. The platforms themselves had wonderful small waiting rooms. People waited in there for 1-2 minutes before the arrival of their train, as we could see the train arriving from the waiting room. There were several vending machines to purchase drinks and snacks.

I was pleasantly surprised by how grand and luxurious Kyoto Central Train Station is. I’m not sure why more places around the world don’t do the same—it truly leaves a lasting impression on travellers and makes a big difference to your overall experience of the city. The sheer variety of food options is incredible, and they’re all good—there’s just no other way to put it. It’s also a fascinating place to simply stand or sit and people-watch, as you see so many different walks of life passing through this impressive transport hub—coming together and then parting ways to their own cities, towns, prefectures, and adventures. I stayed in Kyoto for five days and used the station as a base for day trips to places like Osaka, Nara Deer Park, and Nagoya. The transport system in Japan is just so well designed and thought out—I can’t wait to visit again!

Lovely Ryokan with very friendly and helpful staff. The tatami mats and futon were quite comfortable, and the rooms had available air conditioning, which was greatly appreciated. I tried the private bath as well, which was excruciatingly warm, but very relaxing, and nice for my aches and pains after weeks of travel. I’ll echo that the walls are thin, and I could certainly hear neighbor’s conversations, but it wasn’t too disruptive, and nothing I’m not used to from apartment living. The location was also very nice with easy access to the train station, and lots of nearby sights to see. Highly recommended!

Stay here if you want to experience culture while staying at an excellent Kyoto location. My husband and I stayed on here on our first trip to Japan in a tatami room. Kyoto is beautiful and I’m glad we chose to stay in a ryokan with the nearby beautiful historical buildings and temples. It fit the vibe. The Japanese style breakfast was very good and featured local ingredients. (Book breakfast ahead of time!) The food, staff, and room are a relaxed environment that feels warm and homey. Only a few places have private bath where couples can go together, and it was very worthwhile. Even in the heat of September, the hot bath relaxed my muscles. When combined with sleeping on the futon, even though I have chronic pain disease I was virtually pain free. The guidebook provided in the room ended up pointing us to the best things about our trip! Make use of it. Thank you to the staff!

Modern yet Traditional. It’s a beautiful and well maintained Ryokan, with modern amenities like the attached bathroom. This was our first experience in a Ryokan and it felt at home, the futon beds were so comfortable. Not to forget, to make it a wholesome experience we were provided with Yukatas too. In terms of location, its closer to the Kyoto Station about 5-7 mins walk but about 20-30 mins walk from main attractions, but we found that good else, you’re always in the hush bush of the touristy areas and don’t enjoy your stay. I would definitely recommend this place.

If you want to immerse yourself in the full Japanese experience this is the place. The location was built about 130 years ago, it is earthquake proof build with steel but they did wrap wood on the exterior to make it an old Japanese look. Tatami bed was also an experience. It’s a thick comforter, over bamboo floor that are utilized for multipurpose (living, dining and sleeping space) for the Japanese back in the days. The stay of this hotel really does take you back to the time. Although an issue I did run into was my comforter was a bit old and flatten out in the middle of it while the side is fluffier (I have slept in these before and the age of the comforter does matter, and I guess this place is a bit aged so are their comforters?) and so the whole night I felt my spine/back to the floor, which was a bit hard on my spine, lead me to not having too well of a sleep through the night. I ended up sleeping on the small corner edge of the comforter bc it was fluffier and less flatten which was unfortunate, kind of lead to my back pain. I wished they would offer extra comforter to make up for the older flattened comforter. The outside light does shine in early on because the window/sliding door is to the outside and it’s the traditional Japanese door where the sun does light in early. But that can’t be helped. Other than that, the staff are super friendly and speaks English. One of the front desk lady told us she was from Texas and was super helpful. Breakfast is an add on that needs to be booked in advance, and is down on the dining hall floor. There is also laundry here although you do have to go to the front desk to buy detergent. This review was written on our first of the 6 night stay, so I may add to it later on as well if anything changes/progresses.

We booked a room with a garden view through a booking service and did not consider any other option. However, upon arrival there was some sort of error on the booking website, and we never got the garden-view room we had reserved. Instead, we were given a less favorable room overlooking the parking lot. This was a very disappointing experience that unfortunately spoiled our impressions of the trip to Kyoto. I am not sure whether the issue was on our side or with the booking platform the hotel uses, but I would advise future guests to double-check directly with the hotel in advance to ensure that the chosen room category is truly reserved. The hotel staff were very friendly, and we really appreciated their attitude. It is a pity that this situation happened.

This was my first ever stay in a Ryokan style hotel. I actually ejoyed that the bed is on the tatami floor. Being taller then average i did not have issues "sticking out a bit" from the bed. Also i found thisvtype of bed quite comftable (even more than a typical hotel bed that tend to be softer)

Out of the accomodations my friends have visited for our trip to Japan so far, this has easily been the best. The service is phenomenal - staff are incredibly friendly and accomodating, and are patient with our many inquiries. I love the decorations and overall it feels very authentic. Thank you Matsubaya Ryokan!

For a Japanese mid range hotel (step up from business hotel) the rooms were very nice size. Plenty of room to maneuver around room. You could actually relax in room. No bathtub, but shower stall was a very nice change. Public bath was clean and comfortable to use. A really nice onsen experience at a reasonable price. About a one minute walk to station makes the location an a plus.

So far, I’ve stayed in four hotels in Japan and this had the most spacious room (granted, two of the others were at a lower price point). The desk area and shower door need a deep clean. And the remote was just gross. Anyhoo, it was absolutely fabulous to finish each busy day with ramen, an onsen visit and a popsicle. The morning probiotic drink, a plus. This has also been the best smelling hotel I’ve stayed in, ever! Not the warmest staff compared to the other hotels but still helpful. Luggage transfer payment was cash only. I was able to use a credit card at a different hotel.

Reserved a "no-smoke" room and it stank like cigarettes. When we tried to change it they said they could, but then we went to the lobby and they acted like they didn't have anything else available. Locations is good for people coming from the train, but it's not close to the main area of Kyoto. Not good for people who want to be close to restaurants, bars, etc We checked in then immediately checked out because we knew it didn't meet our standards with the price we initially paid. The hotel was kind enough to give us a full refund though which we were grateful for

full transparency, my initial review was 4 stars and had an invalid complaint re: the air conditioning in the hotel rooms. after a 4th YouTube video we noticed a slight difference in the screen on the remote and finally got it working! I'm happy to report that this was an error on our part, but would still recommend the hotel potentially adding some instruction on how to properly operate the system. Breakfast is great, the staff is absolutely amazing, and the location made it a great foundation for our various activities with direct access to Kyoto station and a lot of food choices.

Man, I love this hotel chain. Best business hotel chain in Japan. This one has a really nice open air bath (rotenburo on the roof. They also have a freezer with free ice cream and a manga library. The hotel breakfast buffet here is also top notch.

Best hotel we have ever stayed at!!! 100% recommendation Only a few minutes walk to Kyoto station. Lawson is right next door. Overall a really good location. Room was cleaned everyday. Staff will call to your room to ask whether you need cleaning service or not. The cleaning lady has always done a great job, our room was spotless. We had a twin bed room. Room-size is good, compared to the normal room-size in the most Japan hotels. Highlight of my 5-night stay here was the delicious buffet breakfast (majority japanese style, western style also available) the free ice cream, free yakult and free soba noodles at night. All of them are truly amazing. Cannot forget the onsen on 9th floor, really clean and comfortable to use. It is never crowed so you will definitely have time to relax here. They also offer free washing machine next to the onsen area, dryer is available to use with 100yen for 20 minutes. How amazing and convenient is that!!! Honestly, Dormy was not our first option since we want to book the viral hotel on social media. But after researching for a while and finding out that Dormy also offers the same services and not too overhyped and overcrowded like the other one, we switched to Dormy and never regret that decision. Thank you so much for the experience you gave us and we will definitely come back the next time we visit Japan!

Fantastic mid cost hotel. There's onsens on the 9th floor that's open late into the day. Also in the morning, near the onsen they have complimentary Yakult drinks and in the late evening to night they have complimentary ice cream and icicles. Also between 9:30-11pm they have complimentary ramen in their restaurant. Staff was amazingly friendly and helpful - I missed my check in day due to flight delays and arrived a day later and they were able to give me a refund for the one day I missed without me even asking! Would stay here again if I ever visited

Lovely onsen close to Uji. We came here with no expectations and were really blown away! They have a great variety of different pools with varying temperatures, minerals, both indoor and outdoor. The salt sauna was really unique. The outdoor pool was really naturalistic! & the individual tubs were unique too. The onsen ended with a wonderful dinner. We were amazed and will definitely be back!

I have never been to a "super" sento. Uji genji exceeded my expectations. The front desk was helpful, and spoke some English. I enjoyed all the baths and the reading area. They also had a lobby area with seating. It would be nice if there were more comfy chairs, but I guess the focus is on the bath area anyway. I did also notice that while people were kind, this sento did not have a "chatty" atmosphere compared to smaller public baths. This can be good or bad depending on how outgoing you are! I did not try the restaurant but it looked like it had a lot of yummy options. The chilled beer was nice. If I am in the area, I will definitely go here again.

Onsen Uji felt like a true local gem. We were the only foreigners there, but it felt completely natural—no one stared or made us feel out of place. The atmosphere was friendly and relaxed, Lot of groups of friends and families enjoying their time together. I really enjoyed the variety of pools, both indoors and outdoors, each with different temperatures. Watching TV in the sauna was a fun touch, and the cold plunge was super refreshing. There’s also a steam room with salt scrub, which felt great on the skin. A great spot to unwind and soak in the local culture!

There’s a free shuttle here from Uji station on both the Nara line and at Keihanuji stop. The staff is extremely friendly and welcoming. Sauna, steam room, cold plunge, and herbal soak, and outside pools… they literally have everything. And to top it off I got the best massage / reflexology treatment that I have had in Japan. Also there’s a cute display of this miniature town. Seemed like a local’s spot with student and senior discounts.

It's a busy place filled with locals (we appeared to be the only tourists trying to fit in place). They have three indoor and one large outdoor onsen. Various pampering upgrades, snacks and drinks are available. Plenty of parking outside. Entered the venue after a long hot day exploring Kyoto. Left very refreshed and rejuvenated.

Glad we managed to catch the hourly (2:35pm) shuttle bus from the bus stop in front of JR Uji station, near 7-11 (bus & schedule attached). A good respite from the crowds in Uji. Mostly locals, good experience. 3 small indoor pools and 1 large outdoor. We paid 1,100 yen at the counter, slightly cheaper than Klook. Seek help from the very nice 7-11 staff if you’re unsure where to board the shuttle bus.

Lovely onsen in Uji. I bought tickets via Klook which was a happy thing as I wouldn't have come otherwise. First things first, there is a free shuttle from Keihan Uji Station and also JR Uji Station so no stress about getting here. Next, very friendly staff members. Onsen is fully equipped and have both indoor and outdoor options as well as sauna. This is a local place that if you are foreigner, you will be the odd one out. There's food and drinks options on site as well as rest area upstairs that includes massage chairs, manga collections and tatami mats for resting and chilling. I loved it here and would come back again if I am ever in Kyoto/Uji.

The onsen is quite big and clean but unfortunately tattoos are not allowed, unless you have just one that you can cover with a patch that you need to buy at the reception for 500 yen

Decent supersento in an area with not too many other options. The natural hot spring in the outdoor bath is trucked in from Nose in Osaka (運び湯) meaning there is no well on the site. It's smaller than what has become usual but is part of a bigger entertainment complex. This is in south Kyoto and not a part of the Kyoto tourist complex. Don't expect the "Kyoto" experience, go to Tensan or FuFu in Arashiyama for that.

Unbelievably bad. Worst super public spa I've ever been to in Japan, in years. It feels more like a large sento, with more jet spas & a salt spa. I'd rather go to a small sento (only 450¥). The high ceiling structure makes the sounds louder, & somehow the locals there talk extra loudly (in Japanese). The middle-aged Japanese women don't rinse before entering the cold bath despite the Japanese sign. One put her face & hair (!!) where the water spouts into the cold bath. I told a staff who agreed that was NOT OK, & to tell them if it happened again. I came out less relaxed & more annoyed. 850¥ on weekends/ hols. 750¥ on weekdays. Not worth it. Avoid if possible. It draws in crowds only cos of its accessibility.

I loved it here. Barely anyone at the onsen.

I was skeptical about this place's low rating before I came, but now that I've been here, I understand why it's rated so low. First off, the place is very small. The second floor consists only of the onsen itself, while the first floor only has a small cafeteria, the front desk, and the shoe lockers. There is essentially no resting area. There are a couple of seats besides the ones in the cafeteria, but nowhere near sufficient for accommodating the amount of customers this place gets. Second, the facility is old. You can tell by the fact that over half of the showers in the onsens do not have walls separating each other. Instead, two shower units share a bench-like seat, so you're open to the person showering next to you. Furthermore, the shower heads in these no-wall showers are not handheld, as they are in every other onsen that I have ever been to. They are fixed to the wall, and the nozzle (attached to the shower head) only turns the shower on/off. In all of the showers (including the ones separated by walls, which do have handheld shower heads), there is no way to control the temperature of the water. Instead, you have one main shower head for hot water and one faucet for cold water. The faucet is not a shower head so the only way to use cold water is to collect it in the bowl or with your towel. The baths themselves are decent. Nothing bad or particularly special. I really think this place ought to just close for a while and renovate. Until it undergoes some major improvements, I don't think it's worth coming here.

Had the New Year special foods and together with karaage, salad bar, desserts, coffee (and soft cream machine!) it was a great value. Good variety. Onsen is nice as well. Always helpful staff. One note: please, please, people not familiar with onsen, at least take a shower before getting in! Better yet ask a local or staff about onsen customs.

no tatami room to relax after the bath.

Not too busy when we went 8pm on a Thurs. Lots of lockers, plenty of variety of baths, upstairs saunas and pools are fantastic. Great value, nice chair area to relax afterwards. Friendly staff.

This was the first public bath I've been to so I was a bit unsure what to expect. I found this one online while looking for a tattoo friendly option. When you enter the building there's a vending machine to buy tickets from. As well as the main bathing ticket, you can rent towels (either big or small) and also buy soap and shampoo etc. You have to take your shoes off when you go in and there's lockers in the entranceway to put them in. Take the ticket to the counter and collect any extra bits and then you go through into the changing room. There's lockers to put your belongings. Then from there you have to be naked. When you go into the bathing area there are showers lining the walls of the room, they're low down so there are stools to sit on. Wash yourself thoroughly with soap etc and then you can enter the baths. There's a few different types with different scents and temperatures and there's also an electric bath. There is also an upstairs with a sauna and a cold bath. After you've bathed you can wash again or just rinse off and then go get changed. There's also a cafe just behind the main reception counter. I had a great experience here and ended up coming 3 times during my trip, would definitely recommend!

Very nice sento. Tattoo friendly. There were about 8 different pools (7 warm/hot and 2 cold) and one sauna. Be prepared that there are not many spaces where you can sit and relax. But if you’re just going to have a quick visit this should not be a problem at all.

The two young girls at the counter appeared somewhat reluctant to help me since I didn’t know you put your coins in first, THEN select what you want, and then it will give you your change (i think she had to turn the lever at the top too). After, the girl just gestured with her hand to go in. Luckily i had done this a couple times before. So heres my interpretation of what to do. It looks like you have small lockers on one side for umbrellas and on the opposite side is for the shoes. You go behind the curtain (left side), grab a basket, get naked but take with you your soap/shampoo/conditioner AND hair tie. Put your basket of clothes + bag in a locker and take the key along with your supplies. First you take a very thorough shower and scrub everything! Get real clean because they are watching you and quietly judging! Now PUT YOUR HAIR UP, and enjoy. The milky one is a mineral bath, while the dark one is a medicinal/herbal bath. In the middle you have one hot bubbling one, the two on either side are medium hot, and across is the electric bath. It appears even the locals don’t know how to use it. From what Ive figured out, you have to see where the plates on either side are. Slide in right in the middle, this is the safe zone! Now, I keep my arms out of the water cuz the current is too strong and buzzes my arms. so place your bottom half in and gently work your legs towards the plates, making sure that your sore muscles face the plates so the current can contract those muscles. Even one inch from the middle and it will contract (cramp/flex) your muscle. Have fun playing with it, carefully moving towards it just the slightest. I discovered i have nerve damage jn my left hip from a fall as a teen because i couldn’t feel any muscle contraction or even nerve aggravation. Upstairs is the sauna, cold bath, and another more relaxing bathing area with chairs if you need a break. Theres also a special rock room but it says you need a reservation and robe for that. Wish I knew more about that one.

Great onsen, or sento. Am not fussy on the naming when they are this good. Cheap, plenty of baths, great water temps. Need to bring your own soap etc but also have good prices if you need it.

The electric bath is worth visiting, I felt energized for the rest of the week! The receptionist is English-friendly but is a bit cold so it’s best to start with the sauna afterwards.

Many tubs and showers and there is a very nice sauna in the second floor. Shampoo & soap are available to purchase, but they are a little expensive

Excellent ramen experience! Amazing dip-ramen sauce with mystery taste, strong and tasty, the noodles were bouncy with fast iced process from boiled water, it was impressive

Fantastic public bath - potentially the best I found whilst staying in Kyoto. Entry is cheap at about 550¥ for adults, with it being both foreigner and tattoo friendly. The facilities are as good as they come, with: probably about a dozen showering stations; as well as 3 separate indoor hot bath, inc. Bubbles ;); an outdoor bath; cold plunge, that is actually a good cold temperature; and a sauna that can fit well over a dozen people at max capacity, with a TV too. Obviously if you are a foreigner, make sure you're aware of the rules and manners of using a Japanese bathhouse, but I definitely recommend going!

A simple, local sento. Very affordable if you’re just looking for a place to relax for an hour or two. Very spacious sauna with a TV inside. Outdoor bath is very nice as the weather cools, with two sundecks to lay on.

We had a very pleasant experience there! (Tattoo and piercing friendly) It was our first time at a Japanese onsen and it was a little bit awkward at first. We didn't know what exactly to do, but we saw the process from the locals. Just go with the flow and you are going to enjoy it! The place was super clean and you could try many types of hot baths and sauna. One of them was green and another one red !!! The customers are mostly local people and maybe they will be staring at you. I think that they were just curious... Be careful with the hot springs and sauna. Don't stay into the hot baths for a long time. You may not feel well after this. Use the cold water to feel better!

My favorite out of all tattoo-friendly sento in Kyoto (and I went to 10 different ones). Clean and well-kept, not big but with enough room in the changing rooms that it didn't feel cramped. Free soap and shampoo (doesn't happen too often in Kyoto), friendly staff who speak English or at least show you English instructions. No noisy or troublesome guests, when I was there at least. Nice selection of baths: a nice outdoor bath with just the right temperature, 3 different hot baths including massage jets and a scented/infused bath (that day they had a rose and sandalwood bath), 1 cool bath, and a sauna too. Careful: they only have a squat toilet (at least the section I was in).

Amazing onsen. Very local, very clean, good price and just relaxing. I had an amazing time and because it was sooo hot outside, doing this for few hours was such a good thing. The good part is they also had a cold basin, apart from all the cold one, and a sauna, which was great. Felt very clean and relaxed after.

Local neighbourhood sento a bit outside of city center and not close to main attractions. Went there on a Saturday morning, around 15 mostly elderly men there. They seem to come here for a quick wash and soak and usually leave again after 1 hour. Installations are old-ish but clean and well maintained, reception lady was friendly and showed me a paper in English with useful info about price and etiquette. Cheap compared to other such sentos. The shoe locker has a wooden key, simply insert the key and push it down to open and pull it out to lock the box. There are 15 squat showers, 1 standing shower, 1 dry sauna, 4 pools of which 1 cold water and 1 hot purple water with a faint smell - my guess was lavender. For a simple, local experience I prefer this sento to the one in Tokyo Tower complex (see my review there).

Stayed in a half traditional, half western room. Staff were welcoming and professional, an absolutely smooth process when it comes to the staffing. Location is decent, quiet enough neighborhood but a little bit of a walk to transport links. This worked for us but may not be for everyone. The rooms were spacious and well kept, however in need of a little updating. There was a strange smell in the room, eminating from the traditional straw mats I think but not sure. Possibly related to the cleaning agents used. Seemed better when sliding doors were closed overnight. The smell was quite irritating.

Amazing place to stay. I haven’t stayed at a traditional Japanese place before. The beds are basically a small mattress on the floor with a blanket so don’t expect much. It’s a 8 minute walk to all the shops and a 5 minute walk to the subway. Don’t listen to the bad reviews as the staff are all friendly. Place is clean and comfortable and quiet.

The only good thing about this place is the staff. Everything else is just a way to take your money. The rooms are small, the futons are uncomfortable and short. They have a terrace, but smoking is prohibited, and there’s only a tiny room where you can’t even sit down to smoke comfortably. A very disappointing place. If you’re staying in Kyoto, look for any other place — it’ll be better. It looks nice visually, but they only offer the bare minimum and try to squeeze money out of you in every possible way. They provide a yukata for you to wear and even ask you to use it, but if you take it with you, they’ll charge you more than it’s worth. Very disappointed with this place.

I chose to stay in this place over 10 years ago for the location, however i keep coming back every year for thier service. What surprises me most is that every year, they just keep getting better and better adding new things to thier pool of services. The staff are so sweet and nice and on multiple occasions they have went above and beyond like for my anniversary celebration with my wife a few days ago. A special thanks to Lin and especially Piere for making me feel just as home. Can't wait to see you guys next year 🤗

Perfect location in Kyoto. It's an easy walk to sights such as the food market and the walk along the river. The hotel common areas are charming. The design was beautiful. They sometimes host smaller events such as a sake tasting. The room was big enough. The walls, however, are a bit thin. We could easily hear the noise in the hallway.

After a night at the immaculate Takayama Ouan ryokan in Hida-Takayama, I’ve been spoiled. This Kyoto “ryokan” feels a bit cheap. Something like a gimmick or wallpaper slapped onto a hostel. For what you pay, the elevation of service, ambience, and attention to detail just isn’t there. From insufficient (read: too short) polyester bedding to glaring overhead lights (all or nothing! Aside from a single floor lamp….) to weak WiFi, it feels like I’m on a Disneyland ride that was being sold as the real thing... it’s not the worst — solid location, nothing inherently “wrong” with it — just didn’t standout. And was a bit underwhelming compared to all the other accommodations we’ve experienced around Japan.

Super duper foreigner friendly” I wanna personally give a shout out to the great staff that are friendly and bilingual. Especially the one named Hugo, I had a specific situation where I was having trouble finding a box for a certain item that was ergonomically weird. He was able to create a housing that was padded to ship. It was super kind of him. All over a nice place with nishiki and other things around. I only wish it was a tad closer to the station. But everything else was perfect.

Wonderful hotel, 5-star accommodations in a fabulously remodeled elementary school. Fantastic breakfast, tremendous staff, complimentary guest lounge with drinks and fresh delicacies. Breakfast is superb served in the library…ask to see their book about the history of the building. We stayed in the Four Seasons in Osaka and we loved our stay in Kyoto at the Seiryu just as much or more!

Fantastic stay at Hotel Seiryu Kyoto. The property is beautiful and has the charm fitting of Kyoto. From the moment you hit the driveway off the busy street it’s an oasis of tranquility. The rooms are well designed, plenty of space for relaxing. Wonderful daily and turndown service. Restaurants were phenomenal, loved the partnering with famous French chef Alain Ducasse for Benoit restaurant on property. We enjoyed daily breakfast overlooking the courtyard and inside the library. K36 rooftop bar was hopping every night, the weather was great so definitely helped set the vibe, we had a blast. Private baths are a must, we enjoyed them after our early morning walks. Really starts the day in a clear peaceful mindset. Our favorite part of this hotel were the team members. Definition of Hospitality, every single person we encounter was the warmest and most friendliest. Welcome desk to rooms team, “Okini” for your warm hospitality. We look forward to our return hopefully in 2026, I full recommend this hotel to all my friends and family looking to visit Kyoto. Ps- The guest lounge was a daily stop for us (several times a day), what a treat for guest. Enjoyed the offerings and special events held daily. 😁

Gorgeous luxury hotel in heart of historic Kyoto. The surrounding area is very busy with tourists, but the hotel is an oasis of calm. Staff are exceptionally nice and good at their jobs. After a day exploring on foot (very easy from hotel) we returned footsore to a warm welcome. Every day we enjoyed relaxing in the fabulous guest lounge - having a glass of champagne, delicious snacks and enjoying the views. The events hosted there were very worthwhile especially the Maiko dancing and chatting afterwards. What a privilege. Hotel actually has a small but decent gym with a good cable machine and range of DBs - much appreciated.

Our stay at The Hotel Seiryu Kyoto Kiyomizu was SO memorable and special. I am not exaggerating when I say it was probably our favorite hotel we've ever stayed at (including around the world.) We absolutely loved the history and story behind the hotel and seeing the book documenting the transformation was such a cool touch. The gardens around the hotel were also so peaceful and welcoming, and the view from the rooftop bar was incredible! The staff were all so incredibly kind and hospitable. I especially wanted to highlight Hikari, who was so thoughtful at breakfast, always making sure we had everything we needed and that I was not too cold sitting outside. When she found out it was my birthday, she had the kitchen staff prepare a special treat for me, which was SO so nice and delicious! We also really enjoyed the maiko performance in the lounge (on 10/28). What an amazing experience that we felt so fortunate and humbled to be a part of!! While some of the magic was ruined by extremely rude guests in the front laughing and talking the entire time, it was still an amazing Kyoto experience I will never forget. Thank you so much to the Hotel Seiryu for making our Kyoto trip so wonderful and memorable!! I hope we will have the chance to come back again someday!

When me and my wife arrived at this hotel, the way we were greeted in the registration process we new this is gonna be one of the best experiments and we’ve ever had a five star hotel from day one it took very, very good care of us. One of the best perks that they have was free water, free juice and free alcohol in your room no Other # five star hotel that we stayed at offered this breakfast was very good. The best service that I’ve had in our adventures traveling around the world thank you again whoever ever decide to come back to Japan. Definitely stay with you guys.

This was one of the best hotel experiences we’ve had . The property is in a perfect location. The hotel grounds are serene and beautiful. The service is top notch. They have one of the best concierges out there. Special thank you to Yuri Nakamura for making our stay incredible! We’ll definitely stay here anytime we’re visiting Kyoto.

This is truly one of the most wonderful hotels we have ever stayed at. The location is perfect - in the center of everything yet the hotel itself is so peaceful and quiet. All of the staff are so genuinely kind and welcoming. Every night felt like we were coming home. We enjoyed every second of our stay and will always return when we are in Kyoto.

Beautiful facility- comfortable beds. The bedroom area is tight in space. Spa like tub that is spacious. The room comes with drinks in the fridge and evening egg sandwich snack. They have a lounge you can enjoy in the evening. They also include morning breakfast, it can be Japanese style or Western. The price is what took away a star, for what you get the $600-$800 price tag is not worth it.

Highly recommend if you're looking to spoil someone/yourself. Nazuna Kyoto Tsubaki St. is a stunning stay that blends traditional Kyoto charm with modern comfort. The serene machiya-style design and lantern-lit walkways create a beautiful, calming vibe (great photo opportunities). Our room was cozy yet felt spacious, with thoughtful touches like sleepwear and a private bath. Everything was spotless and felt luxurious, from the ambience to the quality bedding. Breakfast is offered in either Japanese or Western style (I recommend getting the Japanese set) and was incredibly fresh and delicious. There’s also a relaxing upstairs lounge near reception with snacks and light refreshments— perfect for chilling before heading out or unwinding before heading upstairs to bed. The townhouse is two stories, so if you’re travelling with heavy luggage or have mobility issues, going upstairs to the sleeping area might be slightly inconvenient. However, there’s plenty of room downstairs in the small lounge area to store luggage. The staff were warm, attentive, and spoke excellent English. The location is convenient yet tucked away enough to feel peaceful. Although the stay is on the pricier side, the experience and service definitely justifies it. A perfect mix of tradition and quiet luxury — highly recommend.

Over the past three weeks, my wife and I have stayed at several hotels across different cities in Japan, yet Nazuna Kyoto truly stands out as a unique and unforgettable experience. The attention to detail and the exceptional hospitality of all the staff were remarkable — every service felt personalized and sincere. The rooms are beautifully designed, and the food and complimentary offerings are thoughtfully prepared to enhance every moment of our stay. It’s a highly recommended experience that perfectly captures the spirit of Japanese hospitality. Special thanks to all the staff for their kindness, professionalism, and genuine care — you made our stay truly memorable. Additional sweet from the staff at our last night dinner 🌹

From the moment I arrived, the staff made me feel so welcomed and taken care of. The traditional townhouse design blended beautifully with modern comforts, creating such a unique and relaxing atmosphere. My room was spacious, serene, and filled with character. The private bath was a highlight, and very unique. The attention to detail, from the decor to the amenities is incredible.

Amazing ryokan with amazing service! The semi open air bath was a huge draw for us and was very much needed after a day's worth of exploring Kyoto. Everything about the room was cozy and had everything we needed. Hanako was very thorough with the check-in walkthrough, providing us with all the instructions needed in order to make the most of our hotel experience. She was also very kind with helping set up our massage appointment!

My husband and I originally booked a 2 night stay but ended up being able to extend and do 3 nights by making an additional single night booking. The service when we first got here was amazing, they kept our bag for us so we could explore Kyoto and helped us ship the luggage to our next destination. The room was exactly as pictured and then semi open outdoor bath is exactly what we needed. As someone with a bunch of tattoos it was the perfect place to enjoy a hot bath without worrying. The breakfast was amazing and I would highly recommend if you’re looking for a luxury stay in Kyoto.

Had a wonderful stay at Nazuna Kyōto Tsubaki St.. The rooms were spacious, clean, and beautifully designed, blending traditional Kyoto style with modern comfort. Staff were warm and attentive, making us feel truly welcome. Special shoutout to Rin, she has been so helpful and patient :) A peaceful, memorable stay — highly recommended!

Great 4 night stay! We stayed in a double superior and enjoyed the comfortable bed, spacious bathroom, and amenities. Also, the AC was always on and welcome relief from the Kyoto summer weather. The staff was eager to offer assistance anytime we entered or left the hotel to make our visit more pleasant. The location is on a quiet street next to a beautiful stream. It is about 15min walk from Kyoto station and about 5min walk to KeiHan station and city bus. There are a few restaurants within walking distance and a 7-11 convenience store at the end of the street. I would definitely stay here again and highly recommend this hotel to others!

This one feels like coming home. Very warm and friendly hosts. They look after you like they are your mom. We got water on our way every day as well as to go trash bags. The location is just perfect between small houses and in front of a little stream. The rooms are large and provide you with everything you need. Would absolutely come back again if I ever visited Kyoto again.

This Japanese-style hotel - Ryokan is perfectly located, just a few minutes' walk from the subway station and only 15 minutes from the bustling train station commercial area. it's also very convenient for reaching various attractions. The hotel is spotlessly clean, with top-notch service, and the Japanese breakfast provided is excellent. The day before our departure, they even gifted us delicious, beautifully presented cookies. The room facilities are unique and thoughtfully designed, offering a view of Kyoto's iconic traditional rooftops from the window, while a clear stream flows right outside the hotel's entrance. It's very very quiet here. You can open the window and fully enjoy a sweet dream. I'll definitely stay here again on my next trip to Kyoto.

Such a lovely hotel in Kyoto. Warm and friendly service. Pretty uncomfortable room with a Japanese toilet of course, a wooden bathtub and incredibly comfortable beds. Nice extra touches were beautiful robes, L’Occurane bath products and both a tea kettle with beautiful cups and saucers, and an espresso coffee maker in the room. staff were lovely. And the location was excellent. On a quiet little street between little houses with a stream right in front of it but easy to get to everything. There was a 7-Eleven and family Mart quite nearby as well as a few cute bars and restaurants. Loved my stay there!

We chose Japan for our honeymoon and absolutely loved the enchanting atmosphere of Kyoto. The hotel was in a very central location, and the staff were extremely friendly and attentive. They even left us a small surprise for our honeymoon, which made us very happy. Everything was perfect, and we would definitely choose this place again.

We had an amazing stay at Kyoto Takasegawa Bettei. From the moment we walked in, we felt the calm, traditional vibe — shoes off at the entrance, soft slippers inside, and beautiful tatami floors in the room. It really captures that authentic old-style ryokan feel, but with all the comfort and cleanliness you’d want. The room was spacious and beautifully designed, with a lovely wooden cypress bath that felt like a private onsen. After a day exploring Kyoto, soaking in that bath was absolute bliss. Breakfast was served right in my room, and the Japanese breakfast was delicious — beautifully presented and full of local flavors. Such a great way to start the day! And very filling. The service was outstanding — every staff member was kind, helpful, and went out of their way to make sure everything was perfect. If you want a real Japanese experience with a peaceful atmosphere and top-notch hospitality, this place is perfect. I’ll definitely stay here again next time I’m in Kyoto! Thanks. Jo

Very nice hotel.. the building and rooms are very well maintained.. the location is good, Maybe about 10 min walk to train station?.. The staff are all very attentive, friendly, helpful! Great experience and would highly recommend!! friends joined us from another property near by, due to issues with their rental.. they too were very impressed and happy with their move to join us..

Absolutely loved everything about this place — the calm, relaxing atmosphere, the kind and professional staff, and most of all, the massage itself. It was out of this world! My feet felt completely renewed. The snacks and drinks were also such a treat — everything was delicious. I’d come back in a heartbeat.

After a long day walking around the Arashiyama area, we stumbled across this massage parlor. Beautiful parlor, extremely clean, and wonderful staff! We did the standard foot massage and each masseuse really took their time! Overall, fantastic experience and will be back!

This place is a godsend! I would come here every day if I could. Miko’s hands are truly magical — I felt so relaxed that I was fighting the urge to fall asleep. Highly recommend to anyone in need of some peace and rejuvenation! Trust me your feet will thank you!💕

The whole experience with massage was very enjoyable and relaxing. I feel so relaxed and peaceful. The staff are very sweet, caring, warm and welcoming. Thank you very much for your hard work! I love it so much!

This foot spa deserves all the stars and more. Friendly, exceptional service, relaxing atmosphere, and feels really good especially after a day or few of being on your feet sightseeing. Definitely would recommend this place and look forward to coming here again

It was a great experience ! Was able to accommodate me last minute. I chose the green tea foot massage. 50 minutes felt like 2 hours! All the staff and Miyu was very professional and definitely released all the tight muscles from all the walking!

Treat yourself!! This amazing foot spa will relax you and your feet, while you enjoy a lovely drink and some treats. Staff are amazing, friendly and you will walk out of here with a smile on your face and a skip in your step.

I felt very welcomed here. Although I am a bigger girl with tattoos. I really wanted to try the original onsen experience, and I has it here. There are separated areas for men and women. There were only locals and me, so I was intimidated a bit. But all in all I loved the experience. Would recommend it to anyone, there is a big hot bath for share a small extra cold one, and a sauna.

Nice , small onsen. They have a men’s only and women’s only section. There is a hot bath, cold bath and sauna. They provide soap, shampoo and a small towel. Bring your own towel to dry off with. Tattoo friendly! My body feels amazing - must be comfortable being nude.

Great little onsen in Kyoto near accomodation. Staff were very friendly and helpful, with the change-room and baths clean and functional. We went as a family and everyone enjoyed it. Went to the hot bath, sauna and cold pool as well as having a good scrub and wash. Recommend for a good suburban onsen on a cold day.

First time in a onsen for us. The lady at the desk was so nice even if she didn't speak other languages made her best to understand us and be understood. We had a vague idea on how onsen works but all the other clients were nice and helped us to do the right thing. We are both heavily tattooed and it was not a problem for no one. It is like a family ambient when people often know eachother. A little gem.

My friend and I came here every night in Kyoto as it was only a few minutes walk from our accommodation. The owner is so sweet and friendly. She doesn’t speak English, but she is patient and I loved finding out about the history of the onsen by conversing through Google Translate. They provide a small towel and soap if you need one, but I’d also recommend bringing another towel and your own soaps. The baths and facilities are very clean. Such a relaxing place to unwind after a long day exploring Kyoto and other areas. Highly recommend getting a cold milk or drink from the fridge afterwards, then relaxing at the bar or couch. Ohki-ni!

This is the second onsen i tried, I came with high expectations especially because of the reviews. I’m a heavily tattooed person and was accepted as mentioned. However the hygiene wasn’t that great, we was given a bar of soap that had been used by other people…gross! Luckily I came prepared with my own shampoo and conditioner as this is not provided. There are two pools, one hot and one cold and a sauna. The experience was fine, but I’m not sure if the first one I visited in Tokyo had me with high expectations. However the hairdryer is provided at no exta cost.

A guide for first timer from a second timer 1. Slide to open the door 2. Take off your shoes and put it into the shoe rack 3. Pay cash at the reception 4. The reception lady will give you a new bottle of shampoo, a soap and a towel (I suggest to bring your own towel) 5. Get into the changing room, undress yourself and put all your items into the locker 6. Get into the bathroom 7. Bath and clean yourself 8. Get into the onsen and enjoy! A bottle of milk after this onsen is highly recommended!

Expensive ¥770 compared with other is ¥450. Seems target customer is tourists. Only have one big bath (male side). Cleaning is quite good. But I saw a man did sth bad (see a little bit 💩on the small plastics seat. Really 🤮🤮

Men’s just had one central bath. They have special days where they add certain items to the water. We had apples when we went. For that price, I would have wanted more of a variety when it came to bath options.

Inside Kyoto Tower building take lift down to level 3B. Has around 16 Japanese-style wash stations, 2 box showers, and 1 hot water pool. No steam bath, no jacuzzi, no dry sauna, no resting/sleeping area. Ideal if you have an hour to kill around Kyoto train station, and for a quick shower (shampoo and body wash are provided) and for quick hot tub relaxation. Old installations but clean and properly maintained. My photo shows Citrus Fruit Bath which is only available on certain days.

Very expensive for what you get. It's not worth it even if you get a discount through Keihan Railway or other places. One bathing area, and tons of showers. It feels very industrial. However, having the in-bath towel included is nice, though I brought my own. The sitting area outside of the bath has magazines and stuff. Otherwise it's pretty standard.

Difficult to find but worth the hunt if you need a place to kill time and get clean. I had an overnight bus to catch and had two hours to wait. I washed up for 750yen. Bath was clean but the locker room was a little musty (expected given the baths in a basement). AMAZING customer service. The staff doesn’t speak English but the male worker did everything to help me and was so kind. I have a swollen ankle and he even provided me with an ice pack. Overall great place! One star down because of the musty smell but I promise it’s not bad enough to not come. I would definitely come back! Charging station for electronics, vending machines, lounge, and great service.

A great place to spend an hour or two to soak if you're waiting for a train. About 800 yen, free small towel, 100 yen extra if you want to rent a big towel. Staff very helpful/friendly.

A public bath at B2 floor in Kyoto tower. You can enjoy Japanese style public bath after sight seeing in Kyoto. Twels and body sorp are freely served. Just visit here casually. There are smart phone chargers at the lobby.

Such amazing staff who make you feel welcome from the moment you arrive! We were greeted in the middle of the mountains appearing lost and a kind women asked us if we were with Momiji-ya. Our name was already on their list and they were waiting for us! The whole experience was tranquil and quiet. The perfect way to relax during a long trip. Food was top quality, room was cozy and clean, private bath was magical. Couldn't have asked for a better time in the mountains. Thank-you Momiji-ya!

Beautiful ryokan in a stunning location. The service from the staff was impeccable. The shuttle bus from the station was very handy. The evening meal was many courses and provided a insight into Japanese traditional food. There were maikos during the meal for entertainment. The breakfast in the morning was my wife's favourite meal. As stated by others, the accommodation is slightly aged, which we didn't mind. However, unfortunately under the table and on the skirting boards there was a large build-up of dust, which was very noticeable when sleeping on the floor. That was our only criticism of our otherwise amazing stay.

Location & nearby walks were the highlight. A Miyazaki dream! And the dinners were tasty. Breakfast was ok (I have had better traditional breakfast- sorry!) the actualc onsen is very small & disappointing. And the private onsen is just a big bath in a room (which you can reserve for 45 mins & pay extra) - you have to stand to see the nature if you open the windows. It is not great. The place itself is old fashioned, which is nice, but for the price I would say there are better options. They have strict rules too about enjoying the outside areas- this is only during the day at certain hours. Don’t make the same mistake as us and wait too long to book an onsen experience in japan. Good places get reserved months in advance so plan, research, etc this is really beautiful but it was really missing the mark. Also - flimsy towels. Which is crazy given it’s all about bathing … sigh. Such a shame. It is quiet though, peaceful, and I cannot emphasise how wonderful the nearby shrines and walks were. That was the highlight for sure!

We were genuinely looking forward to a traditional ryokan experience, but unfortunately, we left feeling rather disappointed—especially given the price point. The ryokan itself felt very dated and overly simplistic. While we appreciate rustic charm, the overall condition and upkeep left much to be desired. The outdoor bathing tub, which was meant to be a highlight due to its connection with nature, was sadly off-putting. Upon opening the cover, we were greeted by floating bugs and insects, which made it impossible to enjoy. Another letdown was the kaiseki dinner. For the premium charged, we had expected a private dining experience with thoughtfully curated dishes. Instead, the meal was served in a common area and the selection felt rather underwhelming in both presentation and variety. That said, the saving grace of the stay was the breakfast, which was beautifully prepared and enjoyable. We were also very grateful for the warm and attentive staff who served us during meal times — their kindness and hospitality did not go unnoticed. While the service was commendable, the overall experience unfortunately did not justify the price paid. We hope improvements can be made to restore the ryokan to its full potential.

Absolutely stunning Ryokan in the mountains of Kyoto. Beautiful and traditional stay. We used the shuttlebus from Hanazono which was really convenient. Immediately from the start we were taking care of like VIP guests once we left from the bus they immediately took our luggage and brought us to our stunning room right by the river. They explained everything and we got a tea for the start. Our private bath outside was right next to the river beautiful views! As dinner we had shabu shabu with wagyu beef (you have to mention this at least 3days beforehand) which was really delicous. In the morning we got a huge breakfast. for me it was a bit early for fish for breakfast but otherwise it was really amazing. Hope to stay here again in the future. ありがとうございます！^_^

Visited Oct 2025 First of all I will say that the quality of service from the staff was excellent. I have no complaints there. But for the price I paid, I felt underwhelmed. I would NOT recommend coming in the autumn as I did. The only draw is the momiji, but 1) there is no maiko performance, and this was the main reason I booked, and 2) the meals are served inside in a small dining room. For the price point, I expected private in-room dining, or at least a heated kawadoko. Being stuffed into a small dining room with other guests was especially annoying given many of them were also visibly sick and coughing. It felt like eating in a hospital. The food was pretty bland, which I guess is just the Kyoto style. I had way more enjoyable meals at izakayas near my cheap hotel in Kyoto. It seems like on the second night they do shabu shabu, but on the first night it's just a kaiseki spread with a lot of seafood. I would have preferred the shabu shabu, if I had a choice. Also, having any kind of drink with your meal is not included in the price. Not just alcohol—they make you pay for tea, soda, coffee, non-alcoholic drinks, etc. I felt this was exceedingly cheap. The private onsen is basically a clay pot full of water that the staff pre-fills and then sticks an aluminum covering over so it stays hot. If you want to sit in the public onsen, it costs extra. The shuttle bus is convenient but it leaves super early (9:10am) so it's hard to enjoy breakfast, which is at either 8 or 8:30. Beyond any of that, the hotel itself is old and shabby. Not in a charming way, but in a dirty and broken way. I attached photos of what I mean: scratched and stained walls, cracked broken appliances, electronics that look like they came from the 80s... Rustic charm is one thing, but this is not charming. They also have a ton of weird rules. For example, you can't wear the yukata they give you outside, even just to take photos. Overall I found my stay incredibly underwhelming and I wouldn't pay this much for it again. I feel they rely far too much on the beauty of the area rather than striving to run a great hotel.

An extraordinary experience with incredibly professional hospitality and astoundingly good food with a focus on quality, seasonally appropriate ingredients. My partner and I stayed two nights in a room with a private outdoor bath as we have tattoos. The room itself is fine, but the view was extraordinary and the outdoor bath immaculate. The view was amazing, tub large, and water temperature nice and toasty. My only real complaint is that the building is quite old, so even with all the doors closed, some cold air can sneak into the room, which you can distinctly feel when you're sleeping on the futons on the floor even with the heat cranked and the heating pads on. First night's dinner and breakfast were large, varied spreads. The second night (we chose the beef hot pot) and the second morning's food was much simpler, but still amazing. I never confirmed this but the beef was probably A5 or A6 quality. Two nights is probably the perfect amount here. The area is fairly remote, about 30 minutes out by shuttle bus (conveniently labelled with a Momijiya sticker with pickup and drop-off from Hanazono station), but there are a couple temples and the Kyoto Western Trail in walking distance. I wouldn't come here if your intention was to go back into the city during the day, this is a much more enjoy-the-nature and relax kind of stay. Overall, it was incredible. I have never experienced such high quality hospitality in my life. Highly recommend for any couples.

Excellent ryokan situated at saga-arashiyama, this place is very decent if you're looking to explore east Kyoto and would like a convenient place to start from. With excellent service staff, quality good and great onsen, you won't be missing out on this good deal.

Great traditional Japanese hotel with real hot spring, a large garden, great location, delicious food, and friendly staff. Note, however, check out is 10am but check in is 4pm!

Although no server speaks English, this hotel provides excellent dinner in room, great breakfast with amazing garden view, and comfortable hot spring experience. Worth giving a try

We had an excellent Japanese meal there.

It is very comfy, cozy and got hearty services

Great service!

(Translated by Google) It's an old inn, but it's been renovated and is comfortable. You can view the garden from various angles. The food was delicious. At the end of the meal, we were served miso soup with seaweed and yuba, which was really delicious. The bath is clean. It's not a natural hot spring, but it warms you up. (Original) ふるい宿ですが、改築されて快適です。お庭もいろんな角度から眺められます。お食事も美味しかったです。最後に赤だしがでましたが、海苔と湯葉だったのですが、ほんとうに美味しかったです。 お風呂は、きれいです。天然温泉ではありませんが、あたたまります。

A bit out of the way but worth it if you want a traditional ryokan experience. They do have a free shuttle to the city in the morning which was very helpful. Everyone who worked there was so kind and helpful. We paid for dinner & breakfast both were filling but be prepared to be adventurous, they give you a lot of different types of foods. We also used the onsen while there it was super nice, not busy and they allow heavy tattoos if you are finding it hard to find a tattoo friendly onsen.

Disappointing stay due to unwelcoming guest policies We were very disappointed with our stay at this hotel. We specifically chose it, even though it is an hour away from Kyoto, in order to enjoy the onsen, the open-air pool surrounded by forest, beautiful views, and the feeling of experiencing the “real” Japan in nature. Unfortunately, we could only stay for one night, as we had to travel to Tokyo the following evening, but we encountered several surprising and rather unwelcoming policies. We arrived at the hotel at 10 PM. When we asked about booking breakfast for the next morning (it was not included in our rate), we were told it was no longer possible. The onsen has very limited hours — from 4 PM to 11 PM, and then only from 6 AM to 8 AM. By the time we checked in, we had less than an hour to use the facilities. The next morning, after a long journey the day before, it was difficult to wake up in time to enjoy the onsen before 8 AM. The outdoor pool opens only at 10 AM, which means there is no opportunity to enjoy a peaceful morning swim before the sun gets too strong. When it did open, it was immediately crowded, making swimming impossible. This schedule also means you cannot combine an early-morning onsen with a pool visit without waiting two hours in between. After spending the day outside the hotel, we returned around 4 PM before heading to Tokyo and thought it would be nice to relax in the onsen before the trip. However, three different reception staff members told us that, since we had already checked out, we could not use the facilities without paying an additional fee. I have traveled to more than 45 countries and stayed in hotels of various levels, and I have never experienced this before — in most places, guests are welcome to use the pool, sauna, or spa on the day of check-out, especially in hotels of this price range. Yes, I understand it was our choice to arrive late, but the combination of restricted onsen and pool hours, along with the lack of post check-out access, made the stay feel unnecessarily restrictive. It’s a shame, because the hotel itself is beautiful, with spacious rooms, great views, and a stunning natural setting — but the hospitality and guest-friendly policies simply did not match the setting.

The views from the bathhouse are simply stunning. The staff were very attentive and kind. Yes, the beds are on the floor as a traditional ryokan is. they also offer a free shuttle ride to the Golden temple. What a beautiful, stunning location by far this hotel, and the staff super seated our expectations. Breakfast was just lovely. We did not have dinner here, but we did go to a local restaurant right down the street with a wonderful Japanese woman that made us the best traditional Teppanyaki.

Literally everything about this place has been absolutely amazing. We got the tatami floor room with a bath and a view. The room is huge, the bathtub is huge, and the futons are more comfortable than expected. The view is beautiful too! I go in and out a lot to smoke, so I like that the smoking section is close to the entrance. But every time I walk by the front desk I am greeted with nothing but happiness and smiles. I have felt sooooo welcome here. The private Onsen was super nice and clean too! The location is pretty far away from anything so be prepared to spend a lot on taxis. But I knew that coming here. I'm happy it's on the super outskirts of Kyoto. It's so quiet up here in the mountains compared to the center of the city. This was the perfect way to end our trip in Japan. There's also lots of temples within walking distance to see! They even held our luggage for us on the first day so we could explore. Then our luggage was waiting for us in the room when we walked in! The place has really good wifi too! It This was a definite 10/10.

We are booking this hotel. The hotel didn't tell us, we need to booking dinner before 3 day. After we came here at 15.30. They said booking dinner full. We must to go outside to another retaurant. However, the restaurant are far from hotel by bus 20-30 minutes or by Taxi 15-20 minutes. Finally, we didn't have dinner. The service of hotel very bad. The location of hotel very bad too.

Although this ryokan was a little further away from the city center, my bf and I had no regrets. They had a free shuttle bus to the city but my bf and I used the local bus most of the time! Honestly we were so sad to leave when our time came to check out. The staff is wonderful, the room is beautiful, the food was incredible. Will definitely be coming back. Truly felt like a magical escape from the busy world.

This place was amazing! The rooms were so cool in a traditional Japanese style. We also noted that our room would have been wheelchair accessible in its entirety. Staff were excellent. They were accomodating and polite every step of the way. Extremely patient with us as we did not speak Japanese. They also went above and beyond to accomodate our last minute requests to add breakfast to our stay and to send luggage to our next stop. We even missed the free shuttle bus into town by a few minutes and they prepared one just for us so we did not have to Uber in to the station. Whilst some may say the location is poor for its distance from town, that is what made this place so appealing to us. It is so close to nature and you feel very immersed in the experience. A very nice breather from the hustle of the big cities. Our only wish is that we stayed here longer!!!!

This was definitely a very traditional experience my boyfriend and I loved every moment the staff were always so kind an welcoming. The room we had stayed in was the Japanese style room main building and it was large for just two people but we loved the space and that we didn't had to live shoulder to shoulder. I loved that every time we got into our room we were welcomed with tea . We had the opportunity of having our breakfast service (traditional Japanese breakfast) and it was always amazing it was so serene and had delicious food. The onsen baths were so relaxing an tranquil I was alone in the bath at the time an it was a great experience everything was clean an had instructions in how to properly use the bath. This will definitely be one of our memorable moments from visiting japan would love to stay here again in the future.

Great location right in the centre and walking distance to the mall area and nearby bars. The staff is very friendly. They served a delicious traditional Japanese style breakfast for guests, with beautiful views of their Japanese garden from the restaurant.

Excellent service and Japanese hospitality, thought the rooms are a little outdated and rundown, with scuffs on the walls, and fluorescent lighting. However everything was very clean, and I felt good about using the tub in our room when I was too tired to go down to the public bath. The public bath was small but also very clean and I had it all to myself. Very long open hours, from 4pm to 1am for both sexes (separated) and also in the morning. The worst part of the stay was they only have buckwheat husk pillows (basically a bean bag) and did not have any western style pillows. Was shocked to have not seen this mentioned in any other reviews. With that said, if you can tolerate the pillows, I think this is a very cute, traditional, old style hotel with big rooms in a great location. One evening when we got back, a woman served us tea in our room and chatted with us. We got a different little treat and little origami’s left in our room everyday. We took our shoes off every time we entered, and they stored our street shoes in a closet. Breakfast was served in a communal room overlooking a beautiful courtyard garden. Times offered for breakfast were early - 7, 730, or 8. Big kaiseki meal with a changing protein, vegetables, miso soup, rice everyday. It was nice to start off mornings with a traditional Japanese breakfast.

The staff were (despite my lack of Japanese) incredibly friendly and helpful. And the breakfast is just wonderful.

Amazing experience for someone trying to learn and practice Japanese as part of the trip experience - staff were so kind and welcoming and helped with umbrellas, leaving stuff in my room as a pit stop while still out and about, any service I required. Breakfast was also fantastic - now wishing I had added dinner as well but will do that next time I visit! Room setup was plenty of space and had all the quiet tranquility I expected. Will stay here any time I’m in Kyoto - looking forward to the next stay!

Absolutely amazing location in the heart of the city, exceptional and unique experience, one of the best hotels I have been to, the service was top notch, incredibly friendly staff, would always come back when visiting Kyoto.

I was a bit worried seeing some negative reviews but I can confidently say that those must be from troll accounts as this was probably our favorite stay we have ever been to. Extremely kind and accommodating staff, delicious and intricate meals, and overall just a beautiful place to stay in. Location is decent, close enough to busses and trains. We could not recommend this place enough. ありがとうございました to the staff for everything

The was, by far, our favorite spot that we stayed at in our trip visiting Japan. This 160 year old building is quite lovely. The traditional Japanese gardens flow naturally with the house and offers a sense on serenity. The rooms allow me to experience traditional Japanese living. The breakfast was delicious and was cooked by the mother of the owner, who are quite kind. The rest of the staff were very friendly and was a joy to talk to. We highly recommend you staying here if visiting the area and wish to experience authentic Japanese lodging.

Everything was perfect — from the warm and friendly guidance of the host, to the cozy and relaxing bedroom, and the delicious breakfast in the morning. 😍 We could truly feel the charm of the traditional, historic atmosphere. Although the building is old, the interior was spotlessly clean and well maintained, which made it even more appealing. If we come back to Kyoto, we will definitely stay here again. My parents were also very happy with the accommodation. 💛 We absolutely loved it — highly recommended!

We stayed one night, in the room by itself. It was very quiet and very relaxing. We were able to walk to the market and shopping. Our check in was so sweet and came with a welcome drink and sweet treat. My husband fid the bath in the am. We received a traditional Japanese breakfast in our room. Everything was lovely! Would stay here again.

Where hospitality ends, begins relentlessness We spent the last few weeks crisscrossing Japan in search of the best boutique stays, and we thought Ryokan Toshiharu would be the crown jewel of our carefully curated list. Let’s start on a positive note: I saw a lot of reviews complaining about the shared-bathroom situation. Honestly? We quite enjoyed the sento-like experience. Of course, you do need to like Japanese-style bathrooms. I also liked the little snacks in the common area and the Nespresso machine. Now, for the rest. First: The breakfast is wildly overpriced. I honestly don't know why anyone would go for it. The rooms, too, felt like they could use a bit of care. Ours had a hard pillows and the futons were placed right under the air conditioner. Still, those are details we could have easily overlooked… if it weren’t for the ryokan’s biggest flaw: they simply do not read the room. Literally. It’s fine to hover if your guests are into that. Maybe some people enjoy being gently policed while on vacation. But here, we found ourselves tiptoeing around the staff like misbehaving teenagers. They took our room keys hostage, kept watch like sentinels, asked constantly where we were going (um, out?), and entered our room without asking. The worst: you cant use the shower when you want to even if you are the only ones present there at that moment. Unless you booked a time at least 12 hours in advance, the shower room it seems is off limits. If you enjoy spending $400 a night to feel policed, this might be for you. Otherwise, maybe keep looking. Japan has plenty of gems that don’t come with a chaperone.

We decided to stay one night in a ryokan to have a traditional / cultural experience while visiting Japan. I can’t even begin to describe how amazing our stay at Toshiharu Ryokan was Right from the moment we arrived everyone was so accommodating and nice. The Ryokan is actually a very well maintained protected property, we were given a tour of the place, told about it’s history and shown all common areas They have a thermal bath that you can book, having the bath all to yourself during your selected time, truly a relaxing experience after spending all day walking around Kyoto The rooms are exactly as you’d imagine in a traditional Ryokan. We stayed in a room in the ground floor, the only room within the property with a private toilet. We also had access to a private garden that connects with the toilet, which is actually separate to the room Next day we were offered a traditional Japanese breakfast which was really nice. The hosts speak English and one of them even spoke some Spanish

Our favorite hotel from our trip! This is more than just a hotel, this is truly an experience and one that we will never forget. The staff were incredible and treated us like family. Rooms, baths, and amenities were in tip-top shape. The breakfast is also a must. Thank y’all so much for having us again and making our time in Kyoto so special!

Everything was Perfect, the hotel, the room. The staff members were so kind especially Yoshiko sama! She was so sweet, professional and explained the history of this establishment to us perfectly. Without her, our experience would not have been the same. Thank you so much! It was the best hotel of all our Japan trip and of my life, you need to experience a ryokan here !

It is hard to imagine a better stay. The staff is unbelievably kind and caring. They made our stay into one that we will never forget. On top of that, the rooms are so beautiful, you may not want to explore Kyoto. Do opt for the breakfast, which was exceptional. Additionally, opt for the private bath experience, which is the perfect way to relax after a long day walking around the city.

We were unpleasantly surprised by our stay here. This felt more like staying in an apartment than in a boutique hotel. There was no staff consistently present—every interaction required calling someone to come to the front desk or assist us, which is not the service-based hotel experience we expected. Most concerning, when we returned midday to refresh, we found our room door left wide open, leaving our belongings visible and accessible from the hotel’s entrance. It was over 40 minutes before a staff member returned to the room. This raised concerns about safety and security. Other disappointments included the drinks and sweets provided, which were well below the excellent standard consistently found in Japan. The private bath was also underwhelming—set in a small room with loud music and bright lighting, making it anything but relaxing. The massage offered was given in the guest room, on the bed, and fully clothed, which did not feel like a spa-quality experience. On the positive side, the shower and tub had excellent water pressure and very hot water, which made them a highlight of the stay. Beds were comfortable. Overall, this property does not match its price point. It was neither boutique, service-oriented, nor relaxing, and unfortunately, we would not recommend it.

Absolutely loved our stay at Nazuna Kyoto Gosho. The ryokan is tucked away on a beautiful, quiet street, yet still within easy reach of all the major attractions in Kyoto. The room was spacious, beautifully designed, and incredibly peaceful—perfect for relaxing after a day of exploring. The traditional Japanese breakfast was a standout: delicious, thoughtfully prepared, and beautifully presented. What really made our stay special was the staff. Everyone was warm, welcoming, and went out of their way to make sure we had a great experience. If you’re looking for a peaceful and authentic stay in Kyoto with easy access to the city, I can’t recommend Nazuna Kyoto Gosho enough.

We felt very comfortable and refreshed, but we would not get the dinner or the Onsen next time. Loved the room with the garden and large soaking tub! The bed was comfortable. The breakfast was good and the staff was all very friendly and helpful while also giving you your space. It was a very peaceful and relaxing facility. The price is very high even for the quality. The complimentary amenities including beverages, toiletries etc were not very many. Most of the complimentary beverages were teas. The coffee was very bitter. The dinner was very expensive yet bland. One small glass of sparkling white wine is included in the dinner price and when I purchased a glass of whiskey the pour was very small for the price. Maybe 3/4 of an oz. The Onsen experience was also lacking. We expected more than just a hot pool, and the price is not included.

My husband and I were excited to stay at the hotel during our trip to Japan. We made an error on our reservation and did not realize until we got to Japan that we had booked for the wrong date. We reached out to the property to ask if they could transfer our booking to the correct date, but were told we had to cancel without a refund and rebook if we wanted to stay. This was not something we could afford. We understand that the hotel has policies, but we had hoped since they still had available rooms online that they would be able to accommodate us. Very disappointed in our experience.

Absolutely loved our stay! A beautiful traditional ryokan with just the right modern touches. The breakfast was to die for—every bite was perfect. The staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming. Super relaxing atmosphere, and the neighborhood is peaceful and charming. Highly recommend!

What an amazing experience. The space itself is unbelievably beautiful and calming, but the staff makes the experience next level. Everyone here was so welcoming, lovely and kind. It felt like home, and we are so excited to return one day soon.

It was our first time staying in a Ryokan, and overall, the experience was underwhelming. For what they charge, I expected more. We stayed there for 2 nights and didn't get a chance to try the breakfast (and breakfast is my favorite meal of the day) which by the sounds of other reviews we didn't miss much anyway. The "breakfast" was open from 730 - 930, which is pretty late for someone who likes to start their day early to beat the crowds. The comforter was dusty, and the cover for it was more of a bed cover rather than a comforter cover. The shower floor tiles had black mold, which is the most harmful. The mold indicates that they do not do a thorough job cleaning the floor. On the plus side of things, this place was located in a convenient location, the staff was superb and they are the reason for the good reviews, the room was spacious and the accommodation wasn't too bad overall.

Very friendly and wholesome staff. They do a great job of making you feel welcome, as if you were coming home to family. The room was wonderful with everything you can ask for, including some complementary beer and sake to help with the jet lag. The secret bonus to the stay was having access to a private bath area, which you have to reserve ahead of time, with giant bath tub to enjoy with your partner. Expect a relaxing and invigorating experience. We will definitely be coming back without a doubt.

This was like stepping back in time, with all the modern comforts you want and need when travelling. The location is so perfect, walking distance to everything but in the Gion district. The staff were very friendly and helpful and the rooms were so clean comfortable and beautiful. We would love to stay here again - it was an excellent place experience

Sakanoue is located in Gion and the location is fantastic. Walking distance to Kiyomizu-dera, a shrine with a evening market and the main shopping streets of Gion. its not near the train station (have to take a bus from Kyoto station) but that is ok as Gion is a very nice part of kyoto to stay in. The staff is great. Attentive and hospitable. at least 1 staff will be around to greet you when you come and go. However, i do find this establishment overpriced for what it is. while the location is great, the rooms are very old and not well maintained. the bathroom is vintage and mould could be seen in all the corners. i was not comfortable taking a shower here. the bedding was uncomfortable. sad to say i did not get much sleep on all the days i was there.

I loved every single detail at Sakanoue. The room, the bed, the amenities, the breakfast, the location—everything was truly wonderful. The staff were incredibly kind and attentive. I recommend this place without hesitation. A special thank you to Mr. Kodeja (apologies if I’m mispronouncing your name)—it was so thoughtful of you to communicate with us in our native language. Your kindness made our stay even more memorable.

Amazing hotel with the best service from the staff. Rooms feel really premium for the price and a great location. Only improvement could have been the breakfast.

There are not enough stars to give this hidden gem. The rooms, the service the complimentary items. This is where you want to stay. We initially came for one night, saw the rooms and service, walked back downstairs and booked an extra night immediately. This place is soooo worth it!!

Sub par kaiseki meal. Lights so bright in dining room felt like a school cafeteria and killed any view that might have been. Meal was rushed, with all the courses brought out in about 20 minutes. Flavors were just ok. Nothing special here.

Great traditional Japanese food and awesome views.

For hotel guest only. Don’t bother if you’re not staying with them

Nice little cafe for people watching while your phone charges. Try the rice balls for a cooling treat.

This place was lovely, just off the bridge of Arashiyama. Truly well located

View is awesome and so does the look of the restaurant, just like movies.

Very nice tradition japanеse tofu restaurant !

Our host was very kind and helpful. The Ryokan is rather old and would need some renovation. The room was old and partially dirty, the windows provided almost zero noise isolation from the busy street, making the night our worst in Japan. The men's Onsen is basically just a wooden bathtub for one person. Overall for the price of 200$ / night we were quite disappointed and would choose a different place the next time. On the plus side the sleeping room itself feels very authentic and not like a modern hotel at all.

Really great location to sleep a bit more traditionally. It's a bit of a walk to the next station but not too bad. There are two markets nearby with plenty opportunities to shop and eat. Service was great, room was cleaned every day, free water and tea. All of the staff are super friendly and there for you. Even with little English you will be able to convey everything you need. You can leave your luggage there too if you are too early to check in. It's closed after 0:00 o'clock though, so be sure to be back before that. And quick tip for everyone visiting, you need to go through the sliding door on the left when you enter the property; I've seen a few people perplexed in front of the door, not sure if it's open because sometimes the lights are out.

I love this traditional Japanese hotel! It was perfect. Staff was incredibly friendly, hotel itself is easily accessible in Kyoto, about 5-10min walk from Nishiki Fish Market. If you’re looking for a traditional feel that’s affordable, this is your place. The floor mats are thin, but again that’s the traditional appeal of this hotel. 10/10 would stay here again when I visit Kyoto. 💜

Wonderful experience here. I stayed for 2 nights and it is very traditional and very immersive. The staff are INCREDIBLY friendly and helpful. We had Breakfast and dinners included for our stay, and I felt so pampered. It was amazing. If you're looking for a very traditional and cultural stay in Kyoto, this is the place. Sure, the other reviews say the building is a little old, but the rooms themselves were very nice and clean. They clean your room daily too with fresh towels and bedding. Location is great. Close, but not too close, to the shopping district, yet it's around the block from the Tea Ceremony I signed up for prior to coming to Japan. Please give this place a try if you're looking to immerse in a traditional experience and enjoy Kyoto culture.

The location was amazing for koyoto, right beside the food market. The staff were very warm and friendly. I had an amazing night's sleep in the beds. The rooms don't get very dark but it's nice and atmospheric. The building smelt strange to me, probably because it's old, but it was very off-putting to me. There were also a lot of long hairs on the wall in the shower room which added to my discomfort and made me feel it hadn't been thoroughly cleaned. For this reason I didn't have the breakfast so can't speak to how it is. Also didn't use the public bath for that reason.

Stayed here for 3 nights with my fiancé and we loved everything. The room was large with a Japanese toilet with bidet, bathtub, and shower area, large closet, and beds are traditional futons with the fluffiest quilts you can imagine. Our room had air conditioning and a private bathroom. No view to be had but the windows are covered by traditional screen windows. We chose the breakfast and dinner option and they were definitely the highlight of our stay. The food was presented beautifully and they were different every day. They reflect the season. Meals are served kaiseki style (multiple courses) at your own table in the beautiful dining room. Food was delicious. The hosts are extremely friendly and hospitable. They will put your shoes away whenever you arrive and provide slippers. I didn’t use the public bath so I can’t speak for it. The building is a small and cosy 150-year-old renovated wooden building. We enjoyed our first ryokan stay ever. Extremely centrally located - a 4 min walk to Nishiki Market and a 5 min walk to a train station. Located in the heart of Kyoto. Lots of restaurants, shops and convenience stores nearby. Thank you for the hospitality!