The staff here were exceptionally friendly, kind, patient and helpful. We felt very looked after. It felt calm and relaxing (especially important to me as I found the busy nature of being in the city a bit overwhelming at times). On my birthday the reception staff surprised me with some locally sourced chocolate which I found very touching. The location was brilliant for travelling around Kyoto as it is very close to the train station and bus station. This was my favourite hotel that I’ve ever stayed in.

I was keen to stay in a traditional hotel but my body did miss sleeping in a modern bed.

Perfect location next to Kyoto station. Breakfast was beautiful traditional Japanese cuisine.

Strict about traditional etiquette. Bathrooms are very small and purely functional

I loved the property. The staff is so kind. The rooms: both the Japanesse style and usual rooms are great. Super clean!

This traditional ryokan is located just across the road from Kyoto Station, making it a very convenient base for exploring Kyoto and nearby destinations like Osaka and Fushimi Inari. The rooms are spacious and styled in a classic Japanese manner, with tatami flooring and futon beds that offer an authentic experience, though we personally did not find the bedding particularly comfortable. Each room includes a private bathroom, which is a nice addition to the traditional setup. The staff were generally polite and friendly. They informed us we could return between 15:30–16:00 for early check-in, but when we arrived at 15:50, we were still asked to wait until 16:00, which made the earlier guidance feel a bit pointless. That said, they did allow us to leave our luggage ahead of time and had it delivered to our room, which was appreciated. The ryokan follows traditional customs, such as removing shoes in the hall and wearing provided slippers. Yukata outfits are also provided. One of the highlights is the public bath facilities, including a natural mineral onsen, which we used daily and found relaxing.

However, there were several aspects we did not like. The shared slippers felt unhygienic and took away from the overall comfort of the stay. There is also a strict curfew from midnight to 6am, which felt quite restrictive and uncomfortable—especially compared to other places (for example, in Osaka where hotel key cards still allow entry after hours). The public bath signage was confusing; clearer men/women signs would be much easier to understand than relying on Japanese writing or color coding. Using pink and blue is not ideal, as in many places—especially in the West—color is not a reliable indicator of gender. Simple visual icons, such as a geisha for women and a samurai for men, would make it much clearer for international guests. This confusion led to an awkward situation where we initially entered the wrong bath. Additionally, the onsen closes at 9am, and while we were getting changed shortly after, a staff member entered to clean despite us indicating we were still inside, which made for an uncomfortable experience.