Kirinoya Ryokan

Very very friendly owners, unique interior, and comfortable rooms. Room was had a faint cigarette smoke smell left from previous occupants, but this is common and inevitable in Japan (and it really was only very faint). The room, the shared toilets, and the bathroom area were very clean. The shower in the bathroom was sometimes cold (slow boiler maybe) but the bath was nice and warm and the the more traditional way to rinse off is using a bowl and the bath water anyway. A good Japanese breakfast is served. All in all, super good value for money, and the friendly owners really made it a pleasure to stay here.

We booked this online, and they were happy to take our booking just over email without requiring credit card details, which was nice. We then called when we arrived at the train station and 5 minutes later the owner arrived in his van to take us to the ryokan. We were contemplating walking but were glad we didn’t – it was quite a way (though not far in the car).||One of the best things about this ryokan is the guy running it – super-friendly and always on the go. Speaks OK English (I don’t think the rest of the family does, though). ||The accommodation is quite rustic and basic, but with interesting Japanese antiques including samurai stuff. Still we had a nice big room upstairs for our family of five, with an area for the futons, and a separate area (that we could cordon off with large screens) for our bags and to sit down. A bit noisy at night (with road noise out the front window), but an OK sleep.||Food authentic Japanese, too (both dinner and breakfast) – kids didn’t like some of it, but there was plenty, so no-one went hungry. Cheap beers, too!||The other great thing about this place is how close it is to the Narita temple complex. The owner recommended a way to walk there and it was quite mind-blowing! Enormous, opulent and, strangely, hardly anyone there. And free! Plus some amazing gardens surrounding it.||Only stayed one night, and the owner then drove us to the train station in the morning. Traveller’s tip – there are two train stations, both about the same distance, but he took us to Keiseinarita station because more trains run from there to Narita airport. However, we discovered when we got there that we couldn’t use our Japan Railpass for that last, 5-minute train journey. So if you’ve got a Railpass, you might want to ask the owner to take you to the JR station.||Overall, a great little place to stay, and great town to check out, the night before we flew out (our flight was at 11am, so it was nice not to stress about getting to the airport).

As an experience of a traditional Japanese ryokan, this is a good place to try and great value for money. It is extremely convenient for Narita International Airport (9 minute train journey) and Narita town itself is well worth a visit. The owner and his son were very friendly and helpful and spoke enough English to make our stay straightforward. They picked us up and dropped us off at the station as part of the service. The ryokan itself was very quaint and had been in the family for at least 3 generations. The room was clean, quite big with futons and tatami mats. The facilities were shared but this wasn’t a problem. The bathrooms had each showers and a fido bath in them with plenty of hot water. We had the evening meal and the breakfast and both were excellent – lots of fish, vegetables, miso soup, etc., etc. The owner was very proud of his Samurai collection and before we left, we had to try on a 600 year old samurai helmet. All in all, a good experience.

Japanese style rooms at a great price. The food and service are great and many old Japanese artifacts to check out. This isn't your luxury stay, but a wonderful place if you don't need something fancy. I've stayed here several times and it is always my first choice when staying in Narita. A nice walk from Narita station. Very close to Narita temple, which is fantastic. May be light smell of cigarette smoke which is common in Japan but has never been bad in the room. Highly recommend for the traveler who wants a nice Japanese style room at a traditional ryokan.

For a two-day layover, we decided to try this ryokan rather than one of the rather nondescript alternatives in Narita town. We had never stayed in a ryokan before (or, for that matter, been to Japan), but we wanted an adventure and we got it.||||First, the positives: it's very close to Narita-san temple, the beautiful park behind the temple (don't miss this - it's an absolute delight, peaceful and lovely) and the main shopping/dining street; the Japanese food at the inn is very good; free pick up and drop off at the train station is included; and sleeping on futons on tatami mats is surprisingly comfortable. All this was excellent and we're really glad we experienced it. Best of all, the owner is a wonderful elderly gentleman who is completely charming (his English is quite good; we had no problem at all communicating). The inn has been in operation for 120 years, managed by the same family, so staying there is like being immersed in history. The samurai displays and small touches like the wooden carvings between rooms add to this feeling.||||However, at 120 years old, the inn is due for a few upgrades. The decorative sliding panels that form the closet doors are beautiful, but badly stained (at least in our room). And the shared bathrooms are perfectly functional and clean, but kind of old and crumbly.||||We were a bit worried by what another reviewer wrote about the smoke, as we're quite sensitive to second-hand smoke as well, but surprisingly it didn't bother us at all. Sure, we could smell it, but it seemed to just blend in with the generally pleasant lived-in smell, rather than being sharply offensive. ||||Finally, not every Western visitor may like the Japanese-style breakfast (fish, rice, miso soup...) but they are perfectly willing to provide a Western breakfast (toast, eggs, etc) -- just specify beforehand which you would prefer.

I've stayed here the last three years. It is especially convenient to spend a day or two at Kirinoya upon arrival to unwind after a long flight or just before leaving. It is literally a 15 minute train ride to Narita. Naritamachi itself has a lovely smallish town feeling once you get a block away from the train stations. And Naritasan temple and it's extensive park are well worth your effort.||||Katsumata-san and his son are very helpful and will pick you up and drop you off at the Kaisei (more frequent) or JR train stations, although for me it is a relaxing (and not too long) walk too and from Kirinoya: the walk lets me corporeally realize I have arrived when I get to Japan, and it lets me savor a little longer its wonderful ambiance before heading for Narita Airport.||||If you must have a modern sterile hotel, Kirinoya may not be for you. But it's traditional Japanese charm, traditional Japanese bath, wifi, and fine home cooked meals will please anyone else!||||It is the culture of Japan which I love far more than any of the tourist must-see sites. You will find that in Naritamachi and Kirinoya.

This ryokan's charm is only out shone but its owner's spot on hospitality. The couple that runs the home are very welcoming and accommodating. He was even kind enough to give us a courtesy ride back to the train station before our departing flight. |The home it's self is basic and quaint. The customary beds are quite comfortable, even for westerners. Crisp, fresh linens are ready and waiting in your private room. |The house dinners and breakfasts are nothing extravagant but will appeal to most palates. I can be picky about my seafood but the fish that was prepared for us was quite good. Come hungry! Both meals are very large and served with gracious offering of extras. |The district that Kirinoya is located in is gorgeous and close to the train. It's surrounded by shops, bars, restaurants, a temple and parks. |If you are looking for a quite, customary experience I would highly recommend Kirinoya. My husband and I will visit again next year.

We stayed here for one night - with a flight out from Narita airport the next day. I wanted an authentic Japanese experience on my last night and so booked this in preference to a bland hotel. The place was a little more rustic than I had expected, and yes there is a strong smoke smell downstairs as the owner smoke heavily. The bathrooms are rather tired - but clean. However, all of the rusticness is outweighed by the friendliness of the owner. He made us a lovely Japanese breakfast - grilled Tuna, rice, miso soup, pickles, egg ... - and drove us to the station for the trip to the airport. If you are up for something a bit rustic, but looking for a true Japanese experience, then gives this a try.

We decided to stay at the Kirinoya Ryokan during an overnight layover in Narita, Japan and are so glad we chose this ryokan over a hotel. The owner Kiyokazu Katsumata was gracious enough to pick us up from the Keisei Narita train station, which is either 1 or two stops from the Narita Airport (depending on your terminal). The ryokan was only a few minutes drive from the train station. It is also within walking distance to the local temple and old local street filled with stores and restaurants. The ryokan may seem a bit dated, but it is very comfortable. Our room had two decently sized tatami rooms. One with a small coffee table, which was ready with a hot water pot, rice crackers, a teapot filled with tea leaves, and two cups. Another room with two traditional Japanese beds, which despite being laid on the floor were very very comfortable to sleep on. They do have wifi, and you will be provided with the SSID and password upon check in. Another highlight was the heated toilet seats. Wow, it was really a joy to take a dump with that heated seat... considering it was freezing cold in the main area outside of the bedrooms. They do also have a traditional squatting toilet as well, if you fancy trying to poop squatting, which by the way is actually healthy for you and makes it easier to poop. If you shower, do take the chance to use the huge soaking tub they have in the bath room. It was nothing fancy, but it felt homey and the hospitality was great. I would definitely stay here again and recommend this to anyone looking for a traditional Japanese ryokan experience during your stay in Narita. PS... Do check out the temple, park, and eat some unagi while you're in this Narita area right by the Kirinoya Ryokan.