Kinkaku

The Ryokan is nested up on the hill and the neighbourhood was really pretty with nice walks to go around and see temples, nature etc. Not far from the station and a lovely Izakaya called "Ippin". It is a modern day Ryokan, but it's all self check-in, so it is definitely different from a traditional one. Small and big rooms with nice windows, they were all really pretty and looked traditional, so if you are looking for tatami mats and futon beds that will be the right place. There is a good sized communal kitchen that you can use and the shared bathrooms are good too. We stayed at the small room that doesn't have an ensuite bathroom and it was perfect for the 2 of us. At least some of the larger bedrooms had ensuite bathrooms that might someone prefer.

The room with aircon was warm and cosy in the cold Japanese weather, but the rest of the "house" was quite chilly. Especially using the kitchen was a problem, because they had an issue with the aircon that they were going to fix. There was good communication though between the manager and us, so everything was fine.

A real Japanese Rayokan experience

Very far from the city and from the subway

We enjoyed the spacious room and the bathtub. The room had everything we needed. The neighborhood was a nice and quite area and to the Metro Station was 10 minutes walk.

The first two nights were very noisy because of the thin walls and there was a family staying in the room next to us. The communication was alright. Before check-in we got a message with all necessary information which was good but it also included "warnings" like we would have to pay extra if we unpermittedly would use other rooms. I guess the hosts had some bad experiences with guests but still it made us feel unfairly mistrusted and unwelcome. When we arrived the house was quite crowded with guests but no hosts and the door to our room was open so that anybody could have entered which felt a little weird. I would recommend using key lock boxes for self-check in.

A sanctuary in the most peaceful place I've ever seen, we found ourselves spending time just enjoying the location and the peace around us. If you have the chance to stay here you should in a heartbeat.

Local area might be tougher for those with no Japanese.

The room is spacious and the ttraditional style was lovely.The area is quiet and the canal area pretty to walk. If you want calm this might be for you. My room was clean. The washing machine and dryer were great.

The area has no restaurants near so you need to get a tube to the centre or make your own food. There is a kitchen with a microwave and kettle but the hob and oven do not work. Shared areas like the kitchen are not very clean. All the cups just sat on the draining board when I was there so no one cleaned the sink at all. The level of tidiness depends on the courtesy of other guests, some of whom were not very considerate. Considering the cost, the.facilities are basic compared to other places eg only cheap nescafe coffee. Be warned, the metro is close, but that line is not open early or late. I had an early train so I had to either walk 30 minutes to the next station or get a taxi. Taxi was fine but obviously more expensive. Considering the cost, I did not find it good value for money compared to other places I stayed in Japan - including one in a more central.position in Kyoto.

Basic guest house but the location was stunning and it was very clean. A great way to experience authentic Japan away from tourist crowds in a place of exceptional beauty. We loved it here !