Welcome to Kikokuso. This wooden, 2 story Traditional Ryokan has a genuine family atmosphere and is conveniently located in central Kyoto. Kikokuso has 5 Japanese-style guest rooms and a very pretty Japanese garden. This is an old-fashioned traditional ryokan and only one guest room has a private bath and toilet - the other 4 guest rooms do not have private baths or toilets. There is also a shared rock bath for the guests, and traditional Kyoto style cuisine is served as well. Check-in time is after 16:00 and check-out time is before 10:00 am. There is limited paid parking available.

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Ryokan Reviews:

• Amazing experience

  Vitaliy

  Date of Review: March, 2020

  Month of Visit: March

  Country Of Reviewer:

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Family run. We felt truly cared for. Hosts have decent English, which according to reviews of other ryokans is not frequent occurrence.

• Lovely experience

  Kate

  Date of Review: February, 2020

  Month of Visit: February

  Country Of Reviewer: USA

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 4

  This was the perfect place for me to stay as a female solo traveler in Kyoto. The family was gracious and welcoming. My room was simple, the futon was fine and the comforter was wonderful. The food was exquisite--I could tell it was prepared with love and care. I so enjoyed the full experience of eating a traditional Japanese dinner and breakfast. I hope I can return with my husband some day! Thank you!

• Nice place to saty

  Francoise and loïc

  Month of Visit: January

  Country Of Reviewer: France

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Wonderful experience in Kikokuso. The host family made everything as we felt like at home. They clearly made the maximum to ensure that our stay was as comfortable as possible. The japanese breakfast as the kaiseki dinner were perfect. The hot bath after a long day of walk was so appreciate ! Our first experience in a ryokan: for sure, we will do it again and ask JGH for help as our staywere very well organized. Thank you all for everything !

• Wonderful guest house

  Date of Review: October, 2019

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer:

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Beautiful guest house. The family was lovely and so accommodating. Not much english but they still spoke to us with big smiles and looked after us with great love! Rooms beautiful with balcony view of serene garden with koi carp family. Highly recommend!!

• Wonderful stay at Kikokuso!

  Emily

  Date of Review: July, 2019

  Month of Visit: July

  Country Of Reviewer:

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 4

  My daughter and I stayed at Kikokuso for 2 wonderful nights. The family took incredible care of us every step of the way. The traditional Japanese breakfasts were delicious. It was so nice to be able to bathe before our lovely Japanese dinners. The ryokan is in a nice location. The whole experience felt very traditional and we hated to tell the owners good bye. We stayed in a room without a private bath but there was a sink with the room for teethbrushing, face washing, etc. Our room was upstairs and the toilets were downstairs - just mentioning for anyone with mobility issues. We love to drink coffee in the mornings. The Japanese breakfasts come with tea but the hosts were very kind and brought us coffee to our breakfast and to our room after breakfast! You sign up for bath time when you check in. We did our baths from 6-7pm with dinner around 7pm. You can go to dinner in your yakuta which feels so luxurious. We would highly recommend ryokan Kikokuso during your stay in Kyoto!

• Lovely Family Run Ryokan

  Christian

  Month of Visit: May

  Country Of Reviewer: United States

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  The staff were very nice. They'll tell you their English is not great, but it's definitely more than enough. We felt comfortable and had a lovely experience. A very traditional feel from the building, with a beautiful garden/koi pond running along the hallway. Dinner was a delicious kaiseki meal, and breakfast is a choice of Japanese or Western. Location is great, a few minutes of Kyoto station, and right next to a couple great sights.

• Fantastic and Friendly Ryokan

  Lawrence

  Date of Review: May, 2019

  Month of Visit: May

  Country Of Reviewer:

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  My family had the privilege of spending 5 nights at Kikokuso, and it was a wonderful and pleasant experience. The staff/host family made us feel very welcome, and went out of their way to ensure that our stay was as comfortable as possible. The food and facilities were great, and my family really enjoyed using the family bath together. Looking forward to staying here again the next time we are in the area!

• Nice place to stay

  Sorya

  Date of Review: May, 2019

  Month of Visit: May

  Country Of Reviewer:

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  First arrival in Japan, very nice place to get acquainted with japanese tradition. Warm and welcoming family. Everything was nice and the food was great. Thank you all for your attentions and help. Very charming family that makes you feel at Home. Strongly recommended.

• A wonderful place to stay

  Young

  Date of Review: May, 2019

  Month of Visit: May

  Country Of Reviewer: United States

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 4

  Room Rating - 5

  After considering a handful of other ryokans, I decided on Kikokuso, and I don't regret it at all. The atmosphere is beautiful, and the hosts were very considerate. During our stay, we also ordered the dinner and breakfast, and it is one of the best ways to enjoy kaiseki - a traditional Japanese meal. The rooms were extremely nice, and sleeping on the floor was a lot more comfortable than I anticipated. It was more comfortable than my bed back home. If there were any downsides, it's just that we got bit with mosquitoes during dinner, but there were no insects in the rooms. Staying at ryokans do have more restrictions compared to staying in hotels, but Kikokuso is an amazing choice if you'd like to experience a ryokan (which I highly recommend as well).

• Absolutely delightful from beginning to end

  Dhanesh

  Date of Review: April, 2019

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: United Kingdom

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  We stayed only one night to get a taste of a ryokan, and I'm so glad that we made time to do this. The family who run Kikokuso are wonderful - so warm, welcoming and helpful. It's such a beautiful and charming setting, it really felt as though we'd experienced something of Japan that we wouldn't be able to find anywhere else in the world. The fact that it was only a short walk from the station after arriving on the bullet train also made it extremely convenient. The kaiseki dinner and Japanese breakfast were both amazing (my husband enjoyed his western breakfast too), as was the 'family bath' onsen, which we booked easily on arrival for us to use before dinner. Of all the things we did in Japan during our 10-day holiday, this is the highlight that tops our list of recommendations for anyone travelling there. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

• Great place for a taste of traditional Japan

  Gail

  Month of Visit: March

  Country Of Reviewer: United States

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  This ryokan is charming and delightful. This is a 4th generation family-run ryokan and the Yoshimura family is very warm and welcoming. Immediately upon arrival, they helped us determine our schedule for dining and using the private bathing room. We were welcomed in our room with tea, water and a seasonal traditional Japanese sweet. The onsen-style bathing pool was incredibly hot and great for soaking sore muscles after a long day of walking. We had shabu-shabu for dinner overlooking the koi pond and the portions and flavors were perfect. One of our favorite dinners in Japan. The staff spoke enough English to hold simple conversations and address any concerns we had promptly.

• A great memorable of Ryokan stay in Kyoto

  Brenda

  Date of Review: December, 2018

  Month of Visit: December

  Country Of Reviewer: Singapore

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  The staff was warm and friendly. Food was great! It was indeed a beautiful memorable trip. The location is 10 minute walk to Kyoto train station.

• Amazing experience

  Manuel

  Date of Review: November, 2018

  Month of Visit: November

  Country Of Reviewer: United Kingdom

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  It was my first time in Japan and I really wanted to experience a Ryokan. I can't thank enough all the people that run the Ryokan as they were absolutely amazing and made me feel really welcomed. Although I did not have a bath in my room, it was possible to have some time in the family bath and it was really good. The food was great, fresh and well presented. The Ryokan is not far from Kyoto train station, around 15, 20 minutes walk. I would definitely recommend this Ryokan.

• Beautiful Ryoken with gourmet japanese meals

  Isabelle

  Date of Review: November, 2018

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer: United States

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  We had a wonderful time at Kikokuso ryokan. The house itself is a perfect example of Japanese traditional architecture: coi pond at the center of the house, wooden panels, bath, etc. Breakfasts and dinners were all delicious, and the staff helped describe and appreciate every dish. The bath was very soothing after walking the city all day. This is just a perfect ryoken right next to Kyoto train station. Don't miss it next time you are in Kyoto!

• Great Experience

  Rachelle

  Month of Visit: September

  Country Of Reviewer: Philippines

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 4

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 4

  Room Rating - 5

  It was pouring when we arrived in Kyoto. The owners allowed us to check in earlier since we were drenched from the rain. Their warmth was a welcome hug from the cold rain. They really try to communicate with their guests even with their limited English skills. We got the room with private bath and toilet. The room was huge. It can probably fit 2 more people. The place was really really clean. The family bath was really relaxing after a long tiring day exploring Kyoto. The hot water soothed my aching body. I didn’t want to move anymore after. The food was great. The servings were small but surprisingly filling. We had kaiseki on our first night and hotpot on the second. Both were delicious. We also tried both Japanese and Western breakfast. Try ordering the plum wine as well! Overall, the experiece was excellent. It was my first time to stay in a ryokan and I’m glad that we alloted budget for it. It was a bit expensive compared to staying in a hotel but staying in a ryokan is an experience in itself.

• A wonderful experience!

  Mary

  Date of Review: June, 2018

  Month of Visit: June

  Country Of Reviewer: USA

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  We loved our time at this ryokan! Everyone was so friendly and welcoming, and the ryokan itself was lovely and peaceful. The food was very delicious. And it was such a treat to have a traditional experience. The bath was also wonderful after spending the day traipsing around Kyoto! We had such a wonderful time, and I would love to go back the next time I visit Kyoto!

• A cozy, fun stay

  Dianne

  Month of Visit: May

  Country Of Reviewer: US

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  After walking all over Kyoto for a day, it was a joy to get here. It is located in a convinient part of Kyoto. The ryokan is relaxing and the family is so welcoming. The hot bath was such a treat and the breakfast and dinner were fantastic. I would recommend this place to others and if we return to Kyoto (which we would like to!) we would stay here again.

• Great Ryokan

  Marina

  Month of Visit: May

  Country Of Reviewer: Brazil

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  It was a wonderful experience. The staff was so nice!!!!! I felt like on a real japanese house. The food was amazing, the cleaning, and everything. I don't have nothing to complain and super recomend this place!!

• Wonderful experience

  Kimberly

  Date of Review: April, 2018

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: United States

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  We stayed here one night because we were unsure what to expect. However, the family that runs this ryokan was very, very nice And had a very genuine concern for their guests. The food was delicious and it was very relaxing because we could eat it while we overlooked a beautiful koi pond and garden. The onsen was very relaxing and was very nice because it looks like it is rocks surrounding it with a waterfall. My only regret was that we didn't stay longer.

• My stay

  Nathaniel

  Month of Visit: March

  Country Of Reviewer: United Kingdom

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  What can I say the owners of this ryokan are beautiful people with kind hearts and excellent service. The ryokan is small with only 5 rooms I believe but the rooms are a nice size with everything you need from your futon to razors and the yakata add a nice feel also. We had the Japanese and western style breakfast over the course of our stay and both where delicious and a great way to start the day. The family running this ryokan have been doing so for 4 generations and it shows they know exactly how to take care of their guests and treat them more like family welcoming you home and offering advise. Also directly over from the ryokan is a beautiful garden worth a visit. Overall my stay was excellent if your looking for a cosy,homely spot in Kyoto with great sevice and close to tourist spots but quite enough to escape the hustle and bustle I would 100% stay here.

• Nice ryokan

  Marimba

  Date of Review: November, 2017

  Month of Visit: November

  Country Of Reviewer: Sweden

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 4

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 4

  Room Rating - 3

  The family running this ryokan are so sweet. We loved them. Very helpful as well. To step into a traditional ryokan with the sliding doors and sleeping on the floor is like being in your own little world and bubble. Drinking green tea and relaxing. Comfortable beds and pillows. Its a bit funny and quirky though with this ryokan, because the modern things thats there (lightning, phone and other details etc), are like from the 1980's. Sort of ugly and charming at the same time.

• Wonderful Ryokan

  Petra

  Date of Review: September, 2017

  Month of Visit: September

  Country Of Reviewer: New Zealand

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  This is the second time we have had travellers stay at Kikokuso and both parties loved their stay and the experience they had. They were welcomed into the ryokan and treated like part of the family for their stay. They found their stay comfortable and very well located in Kyoto. Food was lovely as well. The family waved goodbye to my clients until thy were out of sight, a very touching display - makes you feel like they love hvaing guests stay. Would recommend to others :)

• Unbelievably excellent

  Dallas

  Month of Visit: June

  Country Of Reviewer: USA

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  My cousin and girlfriend and I had the most incredible stay at Kikokuso. The owners and staff were some of the most polite, friendly and helpful folks that we met in Japan. The ryokan itself is very beautiful. Our rooms were on the first floor next to the koi pond, which felt like a spiritual experience when it rained during the night. Breakfast was also top notch and the bathing facilities were very relaxing and clean. The 5-10 minute walk to and from Kyoto station with our luggage to the ryokan was no problem at all. I would highly recommend staying here!

• Pleasant Stay

  Faizal Rizal

  Date of Review: May, 2017

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: Singapore

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  As a first time solo traveller to Japan, I had a wonderful time in Kikokuso. I knew I wanted to stay in a Ryokan before my trip and I have to thank Japanese Guesthouse for the recommendation. It certainly feels like home when I took my first entered into the guesthouse. I love the onsen, it was my first time too. Thank you for the warm hospitality. I'll definitely return.

• Great Ryokan!

  Joachim

  Date of Review: April, 2017

  Month of Visit: April

  Country Of Reviewer: Norway

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  We stayed at Kikokuso for 2 nights, and it was great. The staff were very friendly and made us feel right at home. The food was amazing. We had a traditional dinner one night and beef shabu-shabu. An a+++++ experience!

• WONDERFUL STAY, HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

  jamie

  Date of Review: April, 2017

  Month of Visit: March

  Country Of Reviewer: USA

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  This place was incredible and worth every penny. The husband-wife owners were gracious and amazing hosts, we felt so at home and welcome and pampered. The service was unbelievable. The inn is charming, well maintained, and very comfortable. The traditional japanese meals served were delicious and fresh and very filling (and we eat a lot!). Scheduling meals and family bath swere easy and simple. Our room was spacious and warm. We often sat in the balcony and enjoyed the small garden below. It was a very enjoyable stay and we are already talking about coming back.

• Great place

  Month of Visit: May

  Country Of Reviewer: UK

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Had a really enjoyable stay and felt we had experienced something of the traditional Japan. Good location just opposite the Shosei-en Garden and within walking distance of Higashi Honganji and Nishi Hinganji temples. Also a 5 minute walk to Kyoto station. We had a great traditional dinner, breakfast and bath. Very good.

• Kikokuso

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer: Seann and Chris- USA

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  I wish I could give more than 5 stars, especially for the staff- they were very accommodating and wonderful, especially as we were traveling with our 8 year old daughter. We stayed 3 nights and it was simply lovely!

• Fantastic place

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer: Australia

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  We stayed at Kikokuso for 6 nights and a great experience the hosts are very friendly and welcoming they went out of their way to try and help us. The food was amazing too.

• Expérience magique

  Month of Visit: October

  Country Of Reviewer: France

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  Nous avons séjourné 5 jours dans ce ryokan familial et avons apprécié : la gentillesse de cette famille, la chambre en passant par le bain et les repas, tout était raffiné et élégant.L'endroit est dans son jus, tout sonne vrai. Nous recommandons chaudement ce ryokan avant tout pour l'amabilité de ses propriétaires et pour les repas préparés avec grand art.

• Not the best ryokan experience I've had

  Month of Visit: November

  Country Of Reviewer: Hong Kong

  Atmosphere Rating - 4

  Food Rating - 2

  Staff Rating - 2

  Location Rating - 2

  Room Rating - 4

  The house is beautiful and the centre koi pond is a delight. The open fire ryori in the lobby is a good touch of real Japan. There is a very beautiful walled garden across from the ryokan. The location is near the train station but this is not that near the main tourist sites of Kyoto. It is not that difficult to take the bus. The staff are attentive up to the point of becoming a bit annoying. The food is tasty and beautiful but the portions are too small even by Japanese standards. The family bath setup is disorganized. Is there a sign-up and did we ever know when it was available? No. Don't expect to take a bath some evenings after a long day of Kyoto temples. In the mornings the staff resist filling the bath obviously expecting people will take a shower and save their water heating expense. Be cautious with directions they give because they don't seem very accurate. The shoe changing ritual is the most complex I've ever had in 20+ years of staying at ryokans all over Japan. No, I don't recommend this place. It would have been better to simply stay in a western hotel in central Kyoto.

• Great ryokan

  Month of Visit: November

  Country Of Reviewer: Mexico

  Atmosphere Rating - 5

  Food Rating - 5

  Staff Rating - 5

  Location Rating - 5

  Room Rating - 5

  It is just a wonderful experience, the ryokan is beautiful, the staff is great, there are no words how they make you feel an important part of their house. We stayed is 3 different ryokans, inclusive one very expensive, and by far this was my favourite, if you want a real japanese, traditional, warm, kind experience in Kyoto, go to Kikokuso ryokan.