Daitokuji Sushicho

Excellent hosts and incredible sushi dinner prepared by the host who is also a sushi chef

This ryokan was incredible, run by a retired couple. The husband was a chef in Tokyo for 33 years, and every morning made us the most amazing, gourmet breakfasts at the time requested. He even offered to drive us to Arashiyama Bamboo Forest early in the morning, walk us around, and drive us back for breakfast, but we'd already visited. The "room" you stay in is the only one available, and they offered us an upstairs bedroom that has three beds (and also has its own water closet and extra living room space), a kitchenette with a fridge and microwave, two rooms on the ground floor, and a bathroom with separate water closet and bathtub rooms. It was the most spacious stay we had in Japan, almost like having our own apartment. They also had a washer and dryer unit that was all-in-one (and also private use to us), so by the time we woke up, we had clean, dry clothes, which was very appreciated in the middle of our trip. There were plenty of heaters everywhere that we could adjust, so we never felt cold. The location is about 20 minutes to the nearest train station, so keep that in mind. The wife gave us a ride once, and they also gave us a ride to the Kyoto train station when we were heading to Tokyo, saving us cab fare, which was so nice of them.

It was the costliest stay of our trip, which included Hyatt, Hilton, and another ryokan in Tokyo. But I think you get the best real Kyoto living experience, as the couple modeled the rooms most likely after how they live themselves. Their restaurant is next to the rooms, as well as their own living quarters. It was also the most spacious; we had a total of 4 rooms to ourselves, not including the bathroom and kitchenette.

Food was superb and the chef was aware of his skill; the dinner and breakfast left us amazed. The owner was willing to also help us in the morning get to the station so we could get on our way. The location is a bit away from a lot of the main draws to Kyoto, so it is a very quiet neighborhood with a little bit of walking to get there, but nothing outside of what one's likely doing for a Japan trip. The room had some antiquated nuances with light-switches and the like, but the owner was more than willing take show us them before leaving us to enjoy the stay. Bath was very relaxing as was being able to idle in the garden afterword to cool off. A welcome end to our Kyoto leg of the trip to just take a load off and enjoy the ambiance. The amenities and provided features left us not wanting for more and I'm actually kicking myself for having had done laundry the day before we got here.

I think my only concern I'd recommend changing was the signage making sure we got to the right place. Luckily from the Maps/Translate app we were able to better confirm it before leaving our luggage there. There were other people that were ending their dinner when we came to sit for food, so it kinda felt like we were intruding despite being our time slot. Other than that though just some minor signs of age compared to a more modernized hotel, but I imagine that's not what people are staying at a Ryokan for. I think this would have been a lot more pleasurable is we had made the trip in slightly warmer weather.

Satoshi-san and his wife are extremely welcoming hosts. If you want to experience the stay in traditional Japanese house, this is a place that should not be missed. It is very comfortable, super clean, has a deep tab for soaking after long walks in Kyoto and the main highlight is the dinner prepared by sushi master right in front of your eyes. It is truly Michelin star quality, burst with flavors and endless. The breakfast is amazing too. The place is not far from nearest metro station and the host was very kind to give us a lift. He also brought us to bamboo forest in the morning and gave a tour of the area nearby. 御苦労様。

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Great hosts. The owners are very kind and friendly - its fantastic to chat with the chef while he is preparing the dinner. He gave us a ride for an early morning tour and even managed to find us one of the clay cooking pots. The place is a bit out of central kyoto but perfect for avoiding crowds- and for a bit more of an authentic experience

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It was an amazing experience, the food was very good and the owners were very friendly.

Over-accommodating hosts eager to make your stay perfect (including getting me equipped to go to my first sento!). Serene Japanese style room overlooking a private garden (slept like a dream!). World class kaiseki dinner and delicious breakfast (including accommodating my gluten allergy!). Highlight of my time in Kyoto!

The location was a little bit off the beaten path, but they offered a ride to the train station (or any tourist site I wanted to see!) at the end of the stay! The less-touristy location did make it more peaceful and made for a great sento experience too!

The hosts were super friendly, the food was delicious and the experience of staying in a traditional ryokan was incredible. The bonus of a private tour to the bamboo forest was unexpected and greatly appreciated!