Kaikoan

I loved the traditional style and the outdoor tub.

It was an authentic historical building.

It was an authentic historical building.

The hosts were very and kind and responsive and the house was very traditional and nice to stay in

The proprietor was friendly and spoke sufficient English. The air conditioner worked well. Lots of artwork (which wasn't necessary but made for nice quaint atmosphere).

The bathroom was dangerous. We had to step down onto a large rock in order to enter the restroom. We had to walk on rocks to reach the tub. I wonder how many people have fallen or twisted their ankle. The front door was only 4 feet tall. It was an ancient wooden sliding door that fell off of the tracks several times. We had to stoop and twist in order to enter and exit the apartment. Access to the bedroom was via a very narrow, shallow, and steep staircase. It was more like climbing a ladder than climbing stairs. Also very dangerous. The proprietor cautioned us to be careful several times, and rightly so, when she climbed up and down the stairs with us while touring the apartment. The ceiling lights were low; in the bedroom it was less than 5 feet 8 inches off of the floor. This property would never be allowed as a rental in the US; too many codes were violated. I am surprised it is even allowed in Japan. Based on this first experience using Booking.com, I will be much more vigilant when making future reservations.

We loved staying in such an authentic Japanese ryokan. The narrow entrance to the 120 year old terrace houses is amazing. Entering the residence through the tiny front door to the apartment is a fun experience! We didn’t have to cook and bathe outside in the common terrace area fortunately! The ryokan is walking distance to Gion and its shrines, shops, and convenience stores. After some difficulty finding the location on Google maps we were warmly welcomed to the place and given all the directions we needed for an enjoyable stay.

We didn’t realize two rooms meant the top floor divided by thin cane sliding walls that needed to be open to allow the air conditioner to flow through to the second ‘room’… and you have to walk from the second room past the futons in the first room to go downstairs. No privacy possible for either room. Best suited to a family but not with little children as the stairs are very ‘authentically’ steep!

Kaikoan has the unique experience of staying at an old Japanese house. The spacious house I stayed in had 2 floors, an outdoor bath, a full bathroom inside, a full kitchen, the bedroom upstairs had a tatami sitting room attached, there was a washing machine to use free of charge, and I loved the record player. It felt like staying at a Japanese grandmother's house. The outdoor bath was great. The helpful woman at check-in explained everything about the buildings, how to use the key code, how to use the outdoor bath and washing machine, and showed me where to hang the laundry to dry, and she gave me recommendations on where to eat nearby. Her English was excellent and she was very informative. It was a fun experience to stay here. I would recommend it to anyone looking for something traditional and authentic.

The steep stairs to get to the toilet in the middle of the night

Loved how traditional it was but still had some modern amenities. Beautiful exterior and interior design with a lovely garden.