Kifune Ugenta

An unforgettable experience at this lovely restaurant! Dining on a traditional Japanese-style table atop a tatami mat, right over a flowing river, was nothing short of surreal. The gentle sound of the water below and the soft glow of lanterns swaying in the breeze above created a magical atmosphere. A heartfelt thank you to Touki-san for the warm hospitality—your English was perfect! I highly recommend this place to anyone visiting Kyoto.

Visited Oct 11, 2025. All outdoor seating on rivers across all restaurants was closed for the season.

This is a gem of a place, the surroundings are simply stunning, completely surrounded by nature, at night the sound of the river is something very relaxing. The service is impeccable, Amie's kindness in our case was the best, a really lovely, cute and funny woman who assisted us throughout our stay. The traditional Japanese room was wonderful and the food exceptional. Super recommended.

Ugenta is nestled in quiet hills by a happy stream of waterfalls. We stayed in the Japanese style suite which is very beautiful and designed by George Nakishima. The meals (breakfast and dinner are included) are served in-room, and they are impeccable. Each meal is prepared with thought and detail and insanely fresh produce. But what really recommends Ugenta is the service. We visited on our honeymoon and they presented us with personalized gifts for each of us and a special treat upon arrival. At every turn, the staff cares their utmost for you, from carefully tending to your meals, your room, and your schedule. They even came into Kyoto and picked us up when we couldn’t figure out the train! Our stay was restorative, and so excellent that I can’t stop talking about how much I love the space, food, and service here. I will also add, I saw a few reviews mention that the staff may not speak English, but I want to deeply emphasize how not an issue that is. They have pocket translators and a deep desire to communicate with you as clearly and easily as possible. With Google Translate easily accessible and the pocket translators, communication was zero issue for us - and the depth of care Ugenta offers its guests transcends any language anyway. My time at Ugenta was incredible.

Ugenta is nestled in the hills by a stream of waterfalls. Ugenta is utterly peaceful and scenic. We stayed in the Japanese style suite which is spacious and stunning in its design. The furniture is created by George Nakishima and the entire space is beautiful, a design lovers dream. The meals (breakfast and dinner are included) are served in the room, and they are so amazing - certainly some of the best we had in Japan. Each meal is prepared with so much care and with top quality ingredients, and imagination. And the service couldn't be more incredible and exemplary. We visited on our honeymoon and they presented us with personalized gifts and a special cake upon arrival. At every turn, the staff cares deeply for you, from immaculate presentation of the meals to anticipating your needs. We came in from a walk one day and without us calling down, half an hour later they brought tea to us. At every turn, Ugenta made us feel cared for and serene. My time here has restored me, delighted me, and made such a good impression upon me, I cannot emphasize enough how positive and exemplary and gorgeous and deeply caring a place Ugenta is!

This property is a bit of an odyssey, but I enjoyed it. To get the most out of it one should stay at lest two days. ||||Ugenta is an exercise in qualified very good. I really liked our room which was spread over two levels. The main living area was well structured and quite functional as was the bathroom. The upstairs desk area was a plus that allowed me to do some reading after waking up early without disturbing my still sleeping wife. However, the placement of the toilet, which was at the entrance to the room, was odd and awkward. We didn't like that at all.||||The upstairs outside bath was very enjoyable. I soaked twice, which is unusual for me. However, my wife was correct to note that the wood decking was worn and that staff should have put some towels upstairs. (This property is expensive so I agree with her that even exterior areas should be well maintained).||||Service was attentive and helpful, but our main server's English was limited. This was overcome somewhat by the manager's better English. ||||The kaiseki dinner was good, interesting, and nothing short of huge. However, the quality of cooking and probably better said, the style, is rustic and hearty, not highly refined. Not the best I have had, but solid. Breakfast (Japanese) was almost equally huge. Again, the style was hearty and rustic, although the tamago was possibly the best I've ever had.||||Scenery is country side road net to a stream, marred a bit by power line polls and lines. Rustic, not gorgeous.||||So why did I prefer this to Hoshinoya? Well, I preferred the structure of the room. I found it easier to use. I would not have wanted to stay in the Hoshinoya room for any more than the day I was there whereas I could happily have lived in the Ugenta from for several days. I appreciated the slightly more interesting range of English language books at Ugenta and the interesting furniture. Food was at the same quality level, but Ugenta was easier. It was served in my room and was less pretentious. Don't get me wrong, as an ex-chef I love cutting edge food, but if I have to choose between hearty and good and only partially successful attempts at fancy fusion, I'll go with the former. And that's Ugenta over Hoshinoya.||||A downside of this place is that there is essentially nothing around it. Nothing. So you come here and hang out for a couple of days and that's it.

Ugenta is nestled in the hills by a mountain stream. While there are power lines and other ryokans and restaurants on the road, Ugenta is like an island of peace. The water from the river is an excellent, peaceful background sound. The rooms (there are only two and we had both) are fantastic. They are simple, large and beautiful and furnished with furniture designed by George Nakishima (look him up, his stuff is beautiful). The meals (breakfast and dinner are included) which are served in your rooms, is wonderful, some of the best we had in Japan. And the service couldn't be better. There might be a language barrier but it is well worth overcoming.

My friend and I spent a night at this amazing place. The Rooms are impeccable, beautiful design, stunning nature, zen-like feel and probably the most stunning place I have ever stayed in. Five star hotels are not comparable to this paradise. We also had the most helpful host, Yuuko Sonoda, who made it an even more special experience. She went out of her way to ensure we were looked after during our stay of which we are extremely grateful. We highly recommend this place to anyone who would like to have an extra ordinary experience.

Extremely friendly service, delicious fresh traditional food plated beautifully. There are two luxury rooms above the restaurant available for overnight stays and delicious multi-course dinners and breakfasts are served to your room if you are staying there. Overall best experience in Japan!