Ryokan Sawaya Honten puts you in a great location, within a 15-minute walk of Heian Shrine and Kawaramachi Street. Also, Kiyomizu Temple and Kyoto University are just a 5-minute drive away. Fellow travelers love the helpful staff.
Languages
English, Japanese
At a glance
Hotel size
13 rooms
Arranged over 2 floors
Arriving/Leaving
Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; Check-in end time: 9:00 PM
Late check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 15
Check-out time is 10 AM
Special check-in instructions
The front desk is open daily from 6:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Front desk staffed during limited hours
If you are planning to arrive after 9:00 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation
For more details, please contact the property using the information on the booking confirmation
Breakfast is available to guests booked in breakfast rates only and cannot be requested after check-in.
Luggage storage after check-out is only available until 3 PM.
Required at check-in
Credit card, debit card, or cash deposit required for incidental charges
Government-issued photo ID may be required
Minimum check-in age is 15
Minimum Spring Break check-in age is 15
Children
Children (12 years old and younger) not allowed
No cribs (infant beds)
Pets
Pets not allowed
Internet
Free WiFi in public areas
Free WiFi in rooms
Parking
No onsite parking
Transfers
Free bus station shuttle
Other information
Smoke-free property
Property amenities
Food and drink
Breakfast (surcharge) each morning 7:30 AM–9:00 AM
What to do
Bicycle rentals nearby
Services
Front desk (limited hours)
Laundry facilities
Facilities
Television in common areas
Accessibility
Handrails in stairways
Well-lit path to entrance
Room amenities
Be entertained
Flat-screen television
Digital TV channels
Home comfort
Climate-controlled air conditioning and heating
Slippers
Iron/ironing board (on request)
Window screens
Sleep well
Bed sheets provided
What to enjoy
Individually decorated
Freshen up
Private bathroom
Shower/tub combination
Bidet
Free toiletries
Hair dryer
Towels
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Toilet paper
Stay connected
Desk
Free WiFi
Electrical adapters/chargers
Food and drink
Refrigerator
Free bottled water
More
Weekly housekeeping
In-room safe (laptop compatible)
Tatami (woven mat floors)
Tokonoma (alcove)
Fusuma (room partition)
Guidebooks/recommendations
Local maps
Restaurant dining guide
Special features
Spa
Public bath/onsen services include an indoor public bath (no minerals) and a yukata (Japanese robe). These services feature separate men and women areas. The ryokan bathing area is open from 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM.
Fees & policies
Mandatory fees
You'll be asked to pay the following charges by the property at check-in or check-out. Fees may include applicable taxes:
A city tax may be collected at the property. The city tax ranges from JPY 200-1,000 per person, per night based on the nightly room rate. Please note that further exemptions may apply. For more details, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
Pool, spa, & gym (if applicable)
Guests must contact this property in advance to reserve access to the public bathing facility
Policies
The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare requires all international visitors to submit their passport number and nationality when registering at any lodging facility (inns, hotels, motels, etc. ). Additionally, lodging proprietors are required to photocopy passports for all registering guests and keep the photocopy on file.
This property does not have elevators.
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited.
Guests can rest easy knowing there's a fire extinguisher on site.
This property accepts credit cards and cash.
Please note that some properties do not permit guests with tattoos to use the onsite public bathing facilities.
Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property. The policies listed are provided by the property.
Japanese futons are provided based on the number of adults in the reservation.
Also known as
Ryokan Sawaya
Ryokan Sawaya Honten
Ryokan Sawaya Honten Kyoto
Sawaya Honten
Sawaya Honten Kyoto
Sawaya Honten Ryokan
Sawaya Ryokan
Sawaya Honten Hotel Kyoto
Ryokan Sawaya Honten Kyoto
Ryokan Sawaya Honten Ryokan
Ryokan Sawaya Honten Ryokan Kyoto
Frequently asked questions
Does Ryokan Sawaya Honten offer free cancellation for a full refund?
Yes, Ryokan Sawaya Honten does have fully refundable room rates available to book on our site. If you’ve booked a fully refundable room rate, this can be cancelled up to a few days before check-in depending on the property's cancellation policy. Just make sure to check this property's cancellation policy for the exact terms and conditions.
Are pets allowed at Ryokan Sawaya Honten?
Sorry, pets aren't allowed.
Is parking offered on site at Ryokan Sawaya Honten?
Sorry, there's no onsite parking at Ryokan Sawaya Honten.
What are the check-in and check-out times at Ryokan Sawaya Honten?
Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; Check-in end time: 9:00 PM. Check-out time is 10 AM.
What is there to do at Ryokan Sawaya Honten and nearby?
Have fun during the warmer months with activities nearby such as cycling.
What's the area around Ryokan Sawaya Honten like?
Ryokan Sawaya Honten is a short 7-minute walk from Jingu-marutamachi Station and 12 minutes' walk from Heian Shrine.
Reviews
9.4
Exceptional
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.More informationOpens in a new window
9.8/10
Cleanliness
9.4/10
Staff & service
9.4/10
Amenities
9.4/10
Property conditions & facilities
9.8/10
Eco-friendliness
Reviews
10/10 Exceptional
Nov 29, 2024
Loved it so much!!
What a delight! This Ryokan had excellent service. We didn't speak Japanese but everyone made it work. Truly the staff were so helpful. The room was so cozy. We loved our mats and the bedding was so comfy. Would stay here again in a heartbeat.
Sondra
Sondra, 3-night trip with friends
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Oct 18, 2024
Luis
Luis, 3-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Oct 4, 2024
James
James, 2-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Oct 2, 2024
DAVID
DAVID, 2-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Sep 24, 2024
Traditional Ryokan, easy to get there, friendly staff.
Daniela
Daniela, 2-night family trip
Verified Expedia guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Sep 22, 2024
The staff were the star of this place. They were lovely and accommodating, and especially helpful when doing our luggage transfers. The hotel itself exceeded our expectations and was very beautiful and spacious. We would recommend anyone to stay here.
Sophyia
Sophyia, 2-night romance trip
Verified Expedia guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Sep 7, 2024
Great experience at this tattoo friendly ryokan! Rooms are large and smell of fragrant wood. We had the best sleep! Neighborhood is quiet and a nice walk across the canal from the busy downtown.
Mandy
Mandy, 2-night romance trip
Verified Expedia guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Sep 3, 2024
Joy
Joy, 4-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Aug 26, 2024
This ryokan (Japanese inn) is very traditional. Shoes are left by the entry. There are a men’s and a ladies’ onsen. Each room has a private bath, yukata (traditional bath robe), and a little fridge. There’s a tea set and hot water for tea, and the lay out futons for each guest. The AC worked fantastically (important in summer). It was what one could hope for in Kyoto.
The inn is located two blocks from the Heikan line, across from Kyoto hospital, and less than a block from two minimarts and several small family run restaurants.
James
James, 2-night family trip
Verified Expedia guest review
8/10 Very Good
Aug 17, 2024
For the most part, I greatly enjoyed my stay here. We booked one of the traditional Japanese rooms. and it was gorgeous and peaceful. Futon mats were comfortable. Loved the room’s private bathtub and advanced toilet/shower. In addition, the onsen for women was superb at night—very clean and peaceful. I was often the only one there at 9 pm, and I enjoyed the solitude.
One thing that was a little bit unpleasant was the humidity of the rooms—because the rooms were so humid, the towels we used were not drying, despite trying to dry them indoors and outdoors on a rack. The ryokan does not offer new towels each day, so that was hard. Also, I would not book the breakfast service if I came back. We had to wake up too early to eat, since the last breakfast was served around 8:30 am, and the portions were smaller than what we would have liked. I would eat breakfast outside.
Nonetheless, this was a fantastic experience!
Larry
Larry, 3-night family trip
Verified Expedia guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Aug 4, 2024
Amazing!!
Beth
Beth, 3-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Aug 2, 2024
Felt like royalty
This was a splurge and totally worth it for a night! Accommodations were beautiful, food was delicious, service impeccable. Highly recommend!
Emily
Emily, 2-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Jul 31, 2024
Great place
Benjamin
Benjamin, 1-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Jul 21, 2024
The hotel is near Kyoto University and Kumano Shrine. The area is quiet and safe. There are not many restaurants but there is a nice soba noodle restaurant and convenient store nearby. The building is traditional Japanese style Ryokan with several common areas, but also has been renovated for hotel-like comforts with air-conditioning, internet and automatic room lock. There are small steps at multiple places, which might be difficult for some people. The room is floored with tatami and relaxing. Hotel staff are very kind and polite.
Mitsuko
Mitsuko, 2-night trip
Verified Expedia guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Jul 16, 2024
Very nice place to stay. We loved the traditional Japanese beds! What a wonderful experience with excellent service!
Tuoc
Tuoc, 3-night family trip
Verified Orbitz guest review
6/10 Good
Jul 15, 2024
Set in a quiet area (university). Train station is about a 10 minute walk. Staff was friendly and even spoke English well which was nice. MAMA LOUIS is nearby and we highly suggest you go!
Robert
Robert, 3-night romance trip
Verified Expedia guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Jul 6, 2024
Stayed for a few days while in Kyoto. The ryokan was beautiful and the staff were very helpful. The rooms were very traditional but still had modern amenities. We paid for a traditional Japanese breakfast everyday which was absolutely delicious and worth it.
Cristian
Verified Expedia guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Jun 22, 2024
Excellent ryokan with all the amenities you need.
Mary
Mary, 1-night family trip
Verified Expedia guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Jun 20, 2024
It is a good location and close to the train station. The Kyoto shopping mall has excellent food in the basement and about 2km away. The Zen garden outside of the window is nice. The washing machine is useful. Hiroshi in the front desk is very helpful and excellent! We really appreciate him! Thank you
Hong
Hong, 3-night family trip
Verified Expedia guest review
10/10 Exceptional
Jun 15, 2024
Stephen
Stephen, 2-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
May 31, 2024
Cozy and fun experience
The service folks were very friendly. Horoshi took special interest in the guests and was fun to chat with when leaving the inn and also when returning back from a long day out around the city. The room I stood in was very clean and I felt quite zen during the times that I was in the room and in the inn. There is a beautiful fish pond towards the back which was fun to look at and watch the fish swim. The public bath was nice, it is basically like a hot tub you can use with other people of the same gender. I wish the public bath was open during more hours of the day or 24 hrs, but still relaxing nonetheless!
Sherilyn
Sherilyn, 4-night family trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
May 28, 2024
Lovely place to stay. Japanese style rooms that are very spacious. Hiroshi was the friendliest person we met in Japan and made us feel very welcome every time we came in. Close to everything you need in Kyoto.
A
A, 3-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
May 27, 2024
Cozy and fun experience
The service folks were very friendly. Horoshi took special interest in the guests and was fun to chat with when leaving the inn and also when returning back from a long day out around the city. The room I stood in was very clean and I felt quite zen during the times that I was in the room and in the inn. There is a beautiful fish pond towards the back which was fun to look at and watch the fish swim. The public bath was nice, it is basically like a hot tub you can use with other people of the same gender. I wish the public bath was open during more hours of the day or 24 hrs, but still relaxing nonetheless!
Sherilyn
Sherilyn, 4-night family trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
10/10 Exceptional
May 26, 2024
Very good and well kept property. Huge rooms. Had the traditional look. Beds were excellent. Everything seemed high quality.
The front desk person who does the night shift was superb friendly and nice.
Laundry facilities also available. The breakfast was traditional Japanese and very tasty.
Really loved it !
Shirish
Shirish, 2-night family trip
Verified Expedia guest review
10/10 Exceptional
May 25, 2024
Absolutely wonderful people operating the ryokan and front desk! Extremely welcoming and funny! And the actual rooms were wonderful as well!