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Reviews of Kyoto Nanzenji Ryokan Yachiyo

3.5 out of 5
Kyoto Nanzenji Ryokan Yachiyo
34 Nanzenji Fukuji-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto

Reviews

8.2

Very Good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 71 out of 154 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 49 out of 154 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 16 out of 154 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 10 out of 154 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 8 out of 154 reviews" "

8.4/10

Cleanliness

8.4/10

Staff & service

9.4/10

Amenities

7.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.2/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Scott

Traveled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We (2 adult/2child) stayed here for our couole quick days in Kyoto. Easy access from Keage st and walkable especially to the eastern Kyoto highlights. Staff was great and gave us good recommendations for food options and was always very helpful. Garden is beautiful. Highly recommend. We unfortunately didnt use the Onsen or the on site dining just due to us being out in Kyoto in our limited time in the city but it all looked great! Kids loved the free ice cream and adults appreciated the coffee.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Nancy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
This is a real traditional ryokan, with very personal service, delicious Japanese food, a beautiful garden. The location is hard to beat. I definitely plan to return in the future.
Stayed 9 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Christine

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Joseph

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Staff is really nice and room is beautiful
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Tammy

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Our room was absolutely beautiful, very traditional, and the private bathroom was amazing. Would definitely book again if given the opportunity to come back!
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Aliyah

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
My fiancé and I loved our stay at this hotel. When planning this trip, we thought it would be fun to stay at a Ryokan and immerse ourselves in the culture. The hotel was lovely and the staff were very greeting and kind. Sleeping on the mats was a bit of an adjustment, but we were happy to experience it once. The best thing about this hotel is that you can sign up for a private onsen slot and experience bathing in a bathhouse. I highly recommend taking advantage of this offer, especially after a long day of walking and some relaxation is much needed. Overall, would recommend this place and would love to visit again.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Abigail, Boston

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Comfortable, clean, elegant. Reservation comes with spectacular, delicious Japanese dinner and breakfast, private onsen bath. Adjacent to Nanzenji Temple complex, short walk to Philosophers Path. Blue Bottle cafe across the road. Kind and responsive staff.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024

8/10 Good

Jessica

Traveled with partner
Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Amazing private onsen and japanese styled breakfast - best I had so far! A few hiccups would be the front staff (not as friendly, depending on who you talk to), cleanliness (my futon had a stain on the first night), and the limited entertainment in the area (quite far from the main area in Kyoto). Regardless, it was a pleasurable experience and I would definitely recommend if you are a fan of hot baths!
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024

8/10 Good

Jayne

Traveled with family
Beautiful grounds.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024

8/10 Good

Jayne

Traveled with family
All the staff were very kind and friendly.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Dennis

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Amazing historic property. As traditional Japanese as you can get. Staff are great. I would caution one thing for US travelers - the traditional cuisine they serve is fish heavy. No US breakfast option. We knew this and had our 2 boys (13,11) with us - so we knew what to expect. Just take that into consideration. The property is beautiful. If you are looking for the authentic Ryokan experience- this is it.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024

8/10 Good

HOAI

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Emily

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities

10/10 Excellent

Jiksu

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
It was very nice location and excellent food.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

irina

Traveled with group, Business traveler
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
superb!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jeffrey

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
First time experiencing a Ryoken, we got one of the larger rooms and it was very spacious and quiet. Dinner was provided with delicious food and excellent service. This is definitely a very special experience especially when everything in this world is so modernized.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Xu

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Historic, Japanese experience
Some of these reviews would have you think that this is the worst ryokan in Kyoto. If you are looking for modern and renovated accommodations, this is not for you. Yes, the property is dated. Yes, the floor and walls have stains. Yes, the bathroom is small like those on a cruise ship or trailer. But the staff are friendly (especially the front desk and restaurant staff), the yudofu/tofu breakfast is delicious, and the baths can be privately reserved which is not common. It is a little pricy given its location away from the center of Kyoto, but my family thoroughly enjoyed our stay. If you’re looking for a traditional, Japanese atmosphere and are not picky about modern furnishings and spotlessness, give this place a try. It may not be exceptional in every way, but the food, baths, and service are pretty great.
View from restaurant
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jonathan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very nice accommodations and the staff are incredibly friendly and kind. They were always willing to help out with calling cabs for us and the restaurant inside the ryokan is very good.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jack

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great Ryokan with amazing staff and good food.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

William

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
You will like this property if you want a very traditional style ryokan. If you like modern amenities then this property is not for you. This is a proper classic ryokan with traditional meals.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Adrian

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023

4/10 Poor

Noe

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Disliked: Staff & service
Could have been better
The reception was great. However, I was expecting more traditional ambiance. Also, they lost my Disney umbrella on the day of my check out.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Sarah, Rochester

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Traditional Ryokan with modern facilities .situated in a Quiet neighborhood , a short taxi or Uber ride away from center of town. (There is a metro 6 mins walk away but which we did not use ). We stayed in a renovated 2 floor Japanese Style Sauna Suite YUGIRI (Maisonette Room) GUEST ROOM IN "HONKAN" MAIN BUILDING . There was a Lovely view of the garden from the room . Lower level had bathroom with sauna / shower . Upper level has its own bathroom . There is also an included well Maintained onsen on site which is let out to guests for 45 mins . Coffee tea and ice cream available 24/7 in common area. Can have breakfast and dinner for additional fee. Staff were very polite , accomodating and welcoming . Highly recommended.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Alyssa

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

2/10 Terrible

JULIETTE

Traveled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Beware to those who have health reactions to mold. Dangerous black mold.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Christina

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
We stayed here for one night as a family. Our 3 kids ages 11, 14, and 16 all considered it a highlight of the trip. The staff were so friendly and helpful and the whole experience was very charming.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ching Ching

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
The room is spacious , sheets were fresh daily. My daughter and I especially loved the garden next to the restaurant. Took many pics. The kaiseki dinner was not memorable as we could not appreciate the ingredients used. They did not have an English menu. It didn’t feel special like any fine dining experience as the courses came too quickly before we could even complete one course , the next 2 appears. It would have been better if the waitress are taught the .
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023

6/10 Okay

Cassia

Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
One Night Ryokan Stay
My friend and I were visiting Kyoto for the first time, and we really wanted to give the ryokan experience a try! We were blown away by how beautiful the property and room were. We booked a room with a private bath, and we had a beautiful view of the garden while we soaked. The water was continously heated so there was no need to add water mid-soak. The dinner experience was fantastic and full of variety. We loved our stay with Yachiyo very much and would love to visit again!
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023

8/10 Good

joseph

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Gavin

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
What a bath!
The ground floor garden view room with private bath was a once in a lifetime experience - the rooms were beautiful and the outlook lovely but the massive round wooden bath took first prize!
This bath could hold four people!!
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2020
Response from Sato on Aug 17, 2022
Thank you very much for stay. We look forward to reviewing the Expedia.com you have chosen.As our Ryokan is established by historical building, we are grateful to hear that you have enjoyed stay with our ryokan and hope you had a unforgettable "Authentic" Ryokan experience. We will share this review to our staff. Renovated ! The HONKAN-main building, room1,room2,room3, room5,room16,room19. HONKAN main building built in Nanzenji temple in 1890. We renovated our 6 rooms to expand the Onsen style Bathroom by the garden side. Feel free to visit our Japanese culinary art and culture and new garden room and enjoy being in cool Japan!! Thank you very much again. Very Truly Yours, Kyoto Nanzenji Garden Ryokan Yachiyo

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with group, Business traveler
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Kyoto Nanzenji Ryokan Yachiyo was an extraordinary travel experience. The Ryokan's gardens and dining room are exquisite and the rooms are 100% ryokan with futons on a lovely tatami mat room. The staff could not be more welcoming or helpful -- and their English was excellent, unlike my Japanese. Lastly, the location is beautiful -- just down the street from the stunning Nanzen-ji Temple and gardens. Oh, and the restaurant was fabulous, too!
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2020

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The service here is very good - everyone spoke English to a comfortable level and hospitality was very traditional. The room was a bit small for the price ($1200 for a studio) and felt that it faced a pretty busy road. Food was very good, but the dining room is big and there were lots of events happening across the property - felt like a large venue, not an intimate inn. Private in-room bath was very nice, though the water was honestly too hot to fully submerge in. If I only had access to the public bath, I would not have been as pleased with the experience. Overall, I would probably stay at a different ryokan next time in Kyoto due to preference for a more serene environment.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Sandra F.

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2019
Response from Kyoto Nanzenji Ryokan Yachiyo on Nov 23, 2019
Dear Sandra F.San,Thank you very much for stay. We look forward to reviewing the Hotels.com you have chosen.As our Ryokan is established by historical building, we are grateful to hear that you have enjoyed stay with our ryokan and hope you had a unforgettable "Authentic" Ryokan experience. We will share this review to our staff. Renovated ! The HONKAN-main building, room1,room2,room3, room5,room16,room19. HONKAN main building built in Nanzenji temple in 1890. We renovated our 6 rooms to expand the Onsen style Bathroom by the garden side. Feel free to visit our Japanese culinary art and culture and new garden room and enjoy being in cool Japan!! Thank you very much again. Very Truly Yours, Kyoto Nanzenji Garden Ryokan Yachiyo

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2019
Response from Yachiyo on Sep 11, 2019
Thank you very much for stay. We look forward to reviewing the Expedia.com you have chosen.As our Ryokan is established by historical building, we are grateful to hear that you have enjoyed stay with our ryokan and hope you had a unforgettable "Authentic" Ryokan experience. We will share this review to our staff. Renovated ! The HONKAN-main building, room1,room2,room3, room5,room16,room19. HONKAN main building built in Nanzenji temple in 1890. We renovated our 6 rooms to expand the Onsen style Bathroom by the garden side. Feel free to visit our Japanese culinary art and culture and new garden room and enjoy being in cool Japan!! Thank you very much again. Very Truly Yours, Kyoto Nanzenji Garden Ryokan Yachiyo

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Traveled with group
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
After staying in various hotels for two weeks, we were so excited to stay at an authentic ryokan to close out our Asia trip. This place was disappointing. Checking in, the staff was really nice- confirmed all of our information and reservations for breakfast the next day and dinner that night. Since there was so much hype around the Yachiyo restaurant attached to the Ryokan- we ordered two Standard meals for 9932 yen (about $100/each) to enhance the experience. However, our room attendant didn’t show us how to wear the provided Yukatas (we googled) or the tea service. The Ryokan is badly out dated and smells of mold with stains on the carpets, rugs and fabric hanging everywhere. The room was clean though and we enjoyed the Onsen- small but relaxing. The Standard dinner was overrated - not worth the $ in my opinion. It was 8 courses with us not knowing what it was most of the time. It was fish-based. The icing on the cake of the horrible dinner was the flying cockroach that flew in at the end of the meal to greet us and two other tables - of which the servers did nothing about. We ordered a western style breakfast the next day which I thought was pretty good. During breakfast, they went into our room and removed our sleeping mats and moved furniture. Overall, this place was so disappointing. I hate leaving a negative review because I am not a picky traveler, but this was not worth the $333+ for the room we paid at all.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2019
Response from Yachiyo on Sep 11, 2019
Thank you very much for stay. We look forward to reviewing the Expedia.com you have chosen.As our Ryokan is established by historical building, we are grateful to hear that you have enjoyed stay with our ryokan and hope you had a unforgettable "Authentic" Ryokan experience. We will share this review to our staff. Renovated ! The HONKAN-main building, room1,room2,room3, room5,room16,room19. HONKAN main building built in Nanzenji temple in 1890. We renovated our 6 rooms to expand the Onsen style Bathroom by the garden side. Feel free to visit our Japanese culinary art and culture and new garden room and enjoy being in cool Japan!! Thank you very much again. Very Truly Yours, Kyoto Nanzenji Garden Ryokan Yachiyo

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveler

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Old and tired hotel
The hotel is old and very dirty. Our room had view to a wall and the common areas were not inviting. Breakfast was the only positive thing as service was very nice. The rest is not worth it, specially for the price.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2019
Response from Yachiyo on Sep 11, 2019
Thank you very much for stay. We look forward to reviewing the Expedia.com you have chosen.As our Ryokan is established by historical building, we are grateful to hear that you have enjoyed stay with our ryokan and hope you had a unforgettable "Authentic" Ryokan experience. We will share this review to our staff. Renovated ! The HONKAN-main building, room1,room2,room3, room5,room16,room19. HONKAN main building built in Nanzenji temple in 1890. We renovated our 6 rooms to expand the Onsen style Bathroom by the garden side. Feel free to visit our Japanese culinary art and culture and new garden room and enjoy being in cool Japan!! Thank you very much again. Very Truly Yours, Kyoto Nanzenji Garden Ryokan Yachiyo

8/10 Good

Steve

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
First ryokan stay..
Everything was good, minimalist as expected and wanted. Negatives, being phoned twice to make sure we checked out on time. Once at 10-40 and then at 10-55, unnecessary.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2019

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
nice
Amazing . Got the best room maybe. good location . a private big tub . The common bath area is not big . garden beautiful , the dining area also nice looking at the garden
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Very beautiful; excellent location near temple ; elegant serene gardens
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Ambience was excellent traditional what I wanted - room was large efficiently cleaned - nice amenities- escorted u to diner Overall lovely A bit of a walk to subway futon sleeping is a bit difficult on the body asked for a thicker or padding but it’s just futons
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The grounds are beautiful and the restaurant is amazing. Make sure to make reservations for breakfast, it is worth it!
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2018
Response from Ryokan Yachiyo on Oct 28, 2018
Dear Guest. Thank you for taking the time to review your stay with us. I am very pleased to hear that you enjoyed your stay with us. We will also try to improve time by time．Thank you again and looking forward to serve you again in the future.

10/10 Excellent

Eugenio

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely traditional japanese ryokan
This hotel is a gem, the personnel is really amazing! And if you are looking for something traditional, you should definitely stay here. Once you arrive you feel like back in time; the personnel receive you with a cup of hot tea, and they explain you everything about the hotel and show you around. The rooms are Japanese traditional with the tatami floor and an amazing view of their gardens, the shower is all woody and cozy. You should defend stay in this ryokan.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2018
Response from Ryokan Yachiyo on Jul 2, 2018
Thank you so much! I’m so pleased that you enjoyed your recent stay with us here at Ryokan Yachiyo. I am sure our entire Ryokan staff enjoyed catering to your needs as much as you enjoyed your stay! Take care and thank you again. - Ryokan Yachiyo

10/10 Excellent

Tony

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Response from Ryokan Yachiyo on May 4, 2018
Dear Guest. I appreciate your positive feedback about our Ryokan. We do take pride in catering to our guests’ needs the best way we can. If you’re traveling to our area gain soon, don’t hesitate to call us.

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Great location & staff - may not pass inspection!
While the location, staff, and food were terrific, the facility had some obvious flaws and was in desperate need of an upgrade and deep clean. The onsen resembled a cesspool of luke warm grey water versus a steamy natural hot spring. The carpet in the central refreshment area looked as if someone’s water broke in the middle of the floor. The filtered water tasted like earwax and had a surrounding rust patch on the carpet. We found it ironic that we needed to change slippers in every section/room of the hotel yet they couldn’t clean the carpet. In the relaxation area, the massage chairs resembled either medieval torture devices or 70’s sex gadgets that may not make you feel entirely comfortable. We received welcome toiletry kits in our room, which was nice; however, one of the shampoo bottles was empty and the kit was missing other pieces, which led us to believe that the kit had already been used...a bit creepy. That said, the staff was lovely and the food delicious and authentic. The restaurant overlooked a lovely garden and koi pond. While we had a good stay, we were disappointed that the facility was in such a shabby state for the price we paid.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2018
Response from Ryokan Yachiyo on Apr 13, 2018
Dear Guest. Thank you for taking the time to review your stay with us. I am very pleased to hear that you enjoyed our location, staff and food. We will also take your opinions and try to improve the other concerns you were pointed out. We Will work hard on this and thanks for acknowledging it. Thank you again and looking forward to see you again in the future. take care!

6/10 Okay

Richard

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fantastic location and concept. The staff service was flawless and polite. However, you only get the check in at 4 and out by 10 am?! They cannot even wait to kick you out when after breakfast, they are already packed the beds. And to sum it up , the place feels .... yes, two words to describe it. Charmingly Stale. To their credit, the Breakfast is not to be missed.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2017
Response from Ryokan Yachiyo on Jan 28, 2018
Dear Guest. Thank you for taking the time to review your stay with us. I am very pleased to hear that you enjoyed our place and the food we served. We will also take your opinions and try to improve our service. Thank you again and looking forward to serve you again in the future. - Ryokan Yachiyo

10/10 Excellent

rhoda, hawaii

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great Stay! Really love that my husband and I could experience the culture of Japan during our stay. The Japanese dinner and breakfast were delicious! I would definitely recommend this hotel. Quite but also not far from Gion by bus.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2017
Response from Ryokan Yachiyo on Jan 15, 2018
Thank you so much! I’m so pleased that you enjoyed your recent stay with us here at Ryokan Yachiyo. I am sure our entire Ryokan staff enjoyed catering to your needs as much as you enjoyed your stay! Take care and thank you again. - Ryokan Yachiyo

8/10 Good

Ron, Redwood City, CA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Large tatami room with private toilet
Clean, spacious, Japanese style room with private toilet and shower. But the most memorable of this Ryokan is the huge indoor and outdoor soaking tub. Soaking tub is available for morning and night time relaxation. Quiet neighborhood, convenient to subway and to one of Kyoto's major sites Nanzen Ji temple and garden. Ryokan's traditional Japanese style restaurant is a bit pricey, but very good, pass on the breakfest. It is a bit removed from Kyoto's other major tourist neighborhoods. We needed a double futon for a comfortable sleep. No in room refrigerator Convenient stores and alternate restaurants are a short/moderate walk away.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2017
Response from Ryokan Yachiyo on Jan 17, 2018
Dear Guest. Thank you for your positive comments. I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay with us! I hope your next stay is just around the corner. Call us if there is anything we can help you with. Thank you so much again. - Ryokan Yachiyo

8/10 Good

Sxiani, vancouver

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
- nice traditional family Japanese hotel. - some really nice tradional Japanese restaurant across the hotel.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2017
Response from Ryokan Yachiyo on Jan 15, 2018
Dear Traveler. Thank you for your review and for choosing our Ryokan.I’m happy that you enjoyed your stay and I’m looking forward to having you again as a guest in our Ryokan. - Ryokan Yachiyo