What type of breakfast is offered and what are the serving hours?

Breakfast is available daily from 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM for a fee.

Are pets allowed at the property?

Pets are not allowed at this property; however, service animals are exempt from this policy.

What are the check-in and check-out times?

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM and ends at 9:00 PM. Check-out time is at 10:00 AM. Early or late check-in/check-out is not available.

Where is the property located in relation to key landmarks?

The property is located in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, near a train station, with notable landmarks such as Heian Shrine and Kyoto Imperial Palace nearby.

What are the policies for guests staying with children?

Children 12 years old and younger are not permitted at this property.

What are the policies regarding extra beds and cribs?

No cribs or rollaway/extra beds are available at this property.

Ryokan Sawaya Honten in Kyoto

Average nightly price at Ryokan Sawaya Honten by month, last 12 months (USD)
Month	Average price
January	$96
February	$98
March	$161
April	$146
May	$146
June	$110
July	$106
August	$105
November	$141

What guests think

At Ryokan Sawaya Honten, travelers consistently praise the authentic traditional experience, exceptionally friendly staff, very clean and often spacious tatami rooms, and the tasty Japanese breakfast, along with the peaceful, quiet neighborhood and easy access to public transport.

Guests frequently highlight the public bath as relaxing and very clean, though several mention it feels small. Some note bathroom layout or shower comfort issues, and a few mention room humidity or noise. Expect a calm, well-kept stay centered on traditional Kyoto hospitality.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

The on site public bath is widely appreciated as relaxing and very clean, though several reviews say it is small. Coin operated laundry and tranquil garden or koi water features are also mentioned.

Related guest reviews

10

Colin

Apr 14, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Sehr schöne traditionell geführte Unterkunft, mit großen gut ausgestatteten Zimmern und kleinem Gemeinschafts-Onsen.

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10

Kyle

May 2, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Great authentic Ryokan. Bus stops were close which made it easy to get around, lots of good restaurants close by with an amazing bakery. The hot bath was a great way to relax after a long day of exploring the city. Would highly reccomend staying here if youre travelling to Kyoto!

10

GUSTAVO

Oct 5, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

El servicio, la atencion y las instalaciones fueron excelentes, el onsen fue una experiencia maravillosa

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10

Phoebe

Oct 9, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

A wonderful, peaceful place to stay! Even our economy room was large and comfortable, and the public baths were immaculately clean. Even though it is not in the more “popular” areas of Kyoto, we found it very easy to navigate transit and found some great nearby restaurants and temples to visit.

8

Juhan

Oct 14, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

교토역에서 버스타고 이동하기 편하고, 숙소 근처 지하철을 타고 관광지를 방문하기도 괜찮았다. 근처에 카모 강이 있어 산책하기도 좋았다. 4인실을 예약 했는데, 내부가 충분히 넓고 좋았다. 1층에 코인 세탁기 2대와 코인 건조기 2대가 설치 되어 있다. 목욕탕은 매우 좁다. 숙소 주변에는 상점이나 식당이 거의 없어 밤에는 횡한 기분이 든다.

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10

Karina

Oct 24, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

I really enjoyed my stay here at Ryokan Sawaya Honton. For me i wanted an authentic older style accomadation, and this place delivered. They do have washing machines and dryers, so you can do yourself when it suits. Its clean and quiet, and on a relatively quiet street. The best was the public bath at the end of the day it was so lovely to soak in the hot tub. Tattoos ok. I highly recommend this great establishment for long or shorter stays. Thank you Ryokan 🙏😊👌

10

Sherilyn

May 31, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

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!

10

Amanda

Oct 4, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Loved everything about this traditional ryokan. Comfortable, clean rooms and relaxing public onsen as well as really nice bathtubs in the rooms. There was the most serene koi poi out my window. Easy location to all the Kyoto sights and close to the train as well.

10

Gabrielle

Mar 28, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

We loved our stay at ryokan sawaya honten. The traditional Japanese breakfast was very nice and we also enjoyed the peaceful public bath.

10

Joerg

Sep 10, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Mit einem Onsen.

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Cleanliness

Reviews consistently describe the property as very clean and well kept. Isolated comments mention a spider sighting or room humidity affecting towel drying.

Related guest reviews

10

Jyoti

Nov 27, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

This was the best stay for us in Japan. Very spacious and squeaky clean. There were so many amenities present and location is also supreme. We loved our stay here and will definitely recommend

10

Phoebe

Oct 9, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

A wonderful, peaceful place to stay! Even our economy room was large and comfortable, and the public baths were immaculately clean. Even though it is not in the more “popular” areas of Kyoto, we found it very easy to navigate transit and found some great nearby restaurants and temples to visit.

8

Larry

Aug 17, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

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!

10

Peri

Dec 2, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

A very nice place to stay for vacation. The staff are very friendly and helpful. The room is very spacious and clean. Just walk one block to the bus station and two block to the subway station. The buses are reaching to the temples and Kyoto station. No need to transfer. Very convenient.

10

Keiji

Mar 27, 2022

·

Stayed 1 night

どこも清潔で非常に快適に過ごせました。また是非ご利用したいと思いました。

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10

Istvan

Nov 24, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

The hotel staff was friendly and the room was clean and spacious. There are multiple convenience stores within 5 minutes walking. I would really recommend it to anyone who wants to have an original ryokan experience.

10

Nola

Jul 14, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

We had a very pleasant stay here. The property was clean and a great experience.

10

Christina

Nov 20, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Arrived early and our room was already ready! Beautifully clean. All the staff were so friendly and helpful

6

Cassandra

Sep 8, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Værelset var som vist, men da vi ruller dynerne ud, hoppede der nogle edderkopper ud. Morgenmaden er meget traditionel japansk, så hvis man ikke er til det, så skal man nok bestille uden morgenmad. Baggage blev båret op på værelse for os. Personalet snakker ikke særlig godt engelsk, da der kom en misforståelse, og vi deraf blev vækket kl. 8 om morgenen af telefonen, der ringer.

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10

Alexandrina

May 24, 2023

·

Stayed 5 nights

We loved Kyoto and this ryokan. It is clean, quiet and has an amazing staff.

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Rooms

Rooms are often spacious, traditional tatami style with comfortable futons and occasional views of small gardens or koi ponds. A few guests found bathrooms awkward or dated, and one reported noise from external AC units.

Related guest reviews

8

Gabriela

Jan 3, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

The room was spacious and clean, although the one I got had many external AC units right out of the window and ended up being que noisy. Other than that, I'll recommend the hotel

10

Jyoti

Nov 27, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

This was the best stay for us in Japan. Very spacious and squeaky clean. There were so many amenities present and location is also supreme. We loved our stay here and will definitely recommend

10

Phoebe

Oct 9, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

A wonderful, peaceful place to stay! Even our economy room was large and comfortable, and the public baths were immaculately clean. Even though it is not in the more “popular” areas of Kyoto, we found it very easy to navigate transit and found some great nearby restaurants and temples to visit.

10

Peng M

Jul 19, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

We loved our stay at Ryokan Sawaya Honten with the traditional Japanese style living with clothing and public onsen. Super quiet and clean and we had the best nights of sleep in Japan. Room is doubled sizing vs Osaka and Tokyo rooms. Beat Japan experience for our kids from America

10

Peri

Dec 2, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

A very nice place to stay for vacation. The staff are very friendly and helpful. The room is very spacious and clean. Just walk one block to the bus station and two block to the subway station. The buses are reaching to the temples and Kyoto station. No need to transfer. Very convenient.

10

Istvan

Nov 24, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

The hotel staff was friendly and the room was clean and spacious. There are multiple convenience stores within 5 minutes walking. I would really recommend it to anyone who wants to have an original ryokan experience.

10

Sondra

Nov 29, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

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.

8

Carlos T

Nov 30, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

El baño es incómodo, no tiene apenas toalleros ni repisas para colocar los accesorios de baño.

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10

Rosemarie

Oct 24, 2023

·

Stayed 3 nights

Lovely traditional ryokan. Peaceful public bath. Great view of small garden with koi.

10

Mia

Mar 27, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Upon entering through the sliding glass doors you are transported back hundreds of years to a time long past, as you are greeted with a meticulously detailed reception area, and the kindest and most accomodating staff I have ever had the pleasure to interact with. While checking in we were informed of all relevant houserules, before being lead to our wonderfully decorated room. From the full-room shower to the soft and inviting futons, everything was to our liking. The breakfast the following morning did not disappoint, with a delicious, light and varied selection of interesting foods, including a small, traditional dessert. It is also worth noting each meal being unique in execution beyond the expected presence of egg, rice and a delicious homemade miso soup. Oh, and please make sure to open your bedroom windows, as even the limited alley-spaces behind the inn itself seem to have had much thought put into their design and execution. Ours had a running stream with gorgeous living koi splashing around, adding to the atmosphere. Lastly we’d like to thank Hiroshi for a wonderful stay. Thank you for being a part of our extended holiday in Japan!

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Service

Staff are described as exceptionally friendly and helpful, assisting with taxis, luggage transfers, and clear guidance; English communication is generally workable. One review noted a misunderstanding due to limited English and rigid rules.

Related guest reviews

10

Sophyia

Sep 22, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

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.

10

Hong

Jun 20, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

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

10

A

May 28, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

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.

10

Gavin

Jan 14, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great place. We got lucky and we're the only people there due to it being off season. Amazing staff, speak good enough English, and helped us get taxis multiple times, also offered luggage transfer services.

10

Luis

Jul 21, 2023

·

Stayed 3 nights

The personal are the best, they are so kind and they help to us at any moment.

10

Julian

Jun 1, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Really quiet, great location staff are friendly willing to help you

10

Sondra

Nov 29, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

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.

10

Christina

Nov 20, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Arrived early and our room was already ready! Beautifully clean. All the staff were so friendly and helpful

6

Cassandra

Sep 8, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Værelset var som vist, men da vi ruller dynerne ud, hoppede der nogle edderkopper ud. Morgenmaden er meget traditionel japansk, så hvis man ikke er til det, så skal man nok bestille uden morgenmad. Baggage blev båret op på værelse for os. Personalet snakker ikke særlig godt engelsk, da der kom en misforståelse, og vi deraf blev vækket kl. 8 om morgenen af telefonen, der ringer.

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10

Sharon

May 17, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

Real Japanese experience with excellent Japanese hospitality. We forgot an item in our previous hotel and the staff helped me contact them and have it sent to us. Right across from the university and close to transit.

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Location

Set in a quiet, safe area near Kyoto University, the ryokan is close to bus and subway stops for getting around. It is away from the busiest districts, with fewer dining options and longer travel times to major sights.

Related guest reviews

10

Kyle

May 2, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Great authentic Ryokan. Bus stops were close which made it easy to get around, lots of good restaurants close by with an amazing bakery. The hot bath was a great way to relax after a long day of exploring the city. Would highly reccomend staying here if youre travelling to Kyoto!

8

Annapurna

Jun 16, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Not a lively place

10

Ulises

Sep 23, 2023

·

Stayed 3 nights

One of the best acomodations in Kyoto, spacious, traditional and so pretty. The staff is very nice and the neighborhood is very safe, walkable and near a subway station.

10

Ryan

Sep 29, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Nice, clean and large room. Very friendly staff, such a pleasure to have stayed here! The property is close to the 206 transit line and the hotel can sell you a daily bus pass for ¥700, which worked out really well. Not the most convenient location overall, but still a great place to stay.

10

Phoebe

Oct 9, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

A wonderful, peaceful place to stay! Even our economy room was large and comfortable, and the public baths were immaculately clean. Even though it is not in the more “popular” areas of Kyoto, we found it very easy to navigate transit and found some great nearby restaurants and temples to visit.

10

Peri

Dec 2, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

A very nice place to stay for vacation. The staff are very friendly and helpful. The room is very spacious and clean. Just walk one block to the bus station and two block to the subway station. The buses are reaching to the temples and Kyoto station. No need to transfer. Very convenient.

10

Mitsuko

Jul 21, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

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.

8

Christoph

Jul 22, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Nice Ryokan in Kyoto. Bus stops brought us everywhere to far to go. The river close by was an opportunity for a run in the morning.

8

MARIA RITA

Oct 24, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

El Ryokan es muy bonito y el personal muy amable. No hay mucho que hacer cerca, pero esta cerca de una estación de metro y de bus.

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10

Steve

Mar 14, 2023

·

Stayed 4 nights

A traditional Japanese experience with a super friendly staff. The room was large and gave us plenty of space. The entire facility was spotless and very peaceful. In room bathing room and toilet were perfect, but the community bath was even better and a great way to wind down and relax at the end of each day. The location is okay, but close enough to subway station. About a 25 to 30 minute walk to the Gion district, but the entire city is acccessible by walking, subway and bus. Your phone direction app will always recommend bus or car but we made it around entire city using subway, JR line and LOTS of walking.

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Dining

The traditional Japanese breakfast is frequently praised as delicious and well presented, with some guests highlighting daily variety. A few noted it may be very traditional for some tastes or operate on early schedules.

Related guest reviews

10

Solimar

Nov 30, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Excelente service. Breakfast was superb. Highly recommend if you want to have the Ryokan experience.

10

Terry

Apr 26, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

My wife and I wanted the experience of staying in a traditional Japanese ryokan, so we decided on staying here for the Kyoto leg of our trip, and it did not disappoint. The room was charming and wonderfully decorated and accessorized, the bedding comfortable, and the staff were so kind and patient with us. From the koi pond visible from our room to the fantastic traditional breakfast, everything about the Ryokan Sawaya Honten made our trip to Japan that much more memorable.

10

Theresa

Apr 17, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Wonderful experience. Staff were attentive and so polite. The Japanese breakfast experience was fabulous.

8

Larry

Aug 17, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

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!

10

Adeline

Mar 26, 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Beautiful, clean, and unique traditional hotel that smells nice. Wonderful and helpful staff. Breakfast is delicious and nice.

8

Rick

Sep 29, 2024

·

Stayed 5 nights

It was a wonderful experience. The place is beautiful and clean. The service is excellent. My husband and I stayed there for 5 nights with the traditional Japanese breakfast. The breakfast was delicious and beautifully presented every morning.

10

Annette

Sep 15, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

I enjoyed my stay here. It was great experiencing the traditional breakfast and sleeping conditions.

10

Cristian

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.

10

Gabrielle

Mar 28, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

We loved our stay at ryokan sawaya honten. The traditional Japanese breakfast was very nice and we also enjoyed the peaceful public bath.

10

Mia

Mar 27, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Upon entering through the sliding glass doors you are transported back hundreds of years to a time long past, as you are greeted with a meticulously detailed reception area, and the kindest and most accomodating staff I have ever had the pleasure to interact with. While checking in we were informed of all relevant houserules, before being lead to our wonderfully decorated room. From the full-room shower to the soft and inviting futons, everything was to our liking. The breakfast the following morning did not disappoint, with a delicious, light and varied selection of interesting foods, including a small, traditional dessert. It is also worth noting each meal being unique in execution beyond the expected presence of egg, rice and a delicious homemade miso soup. Oh, and please make sure to open your bedroom windows, as even the limited alley-spaces behind the inn itself seem to have had much thought put into their design and execution. Ours had a running stream with gorgeous living koi splashing around, adding to the atmosphere. Lastly we’d like to thank Hiroshi for a wonderful stay. Thank you for being a part of our extended holiday in Japan!

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Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1	2 $267	3 $166
4 $189	5 $190	6	7	8	9 $177	10
11	12	13 $177	14 $203	15	16 $213	17
18 $177	19 $248	20 $206	21	22	23 $208	24
25	26	27 $204	28 $220	29 $269	30 $179	31 $167

Ryokan Sawaya Honten

Prices for Ryokan Sawaya Honten

Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

Room options

Standard Twin Room

Standard Quadruple Room

Superior Quadruple Room

Superior Triple Room

Economy Twin Room

Economy Quadruple Room

Superior Twin Room with Garden View

Guest reviews of Ryokan Sawaya Honten

Who stays here?

What guests think

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