Kiya Ryokan

In the heart of Uwajima, exquisitely renovated, your own ryokan for a night, infused with modern design, yet maintaining a feel of tradition. Sleep in a traditional room with tatami mats and futons while you create a colorful light show with laser lights above. The futons were thick and comfortable. There are several bathrooms all large size, especially for Japan, and a hot tub room. The host, fluent in English and we assume German and Polish (his origins), is in the next door tourist information center. He gave us valuable advice on restaurants and places to see in the area. The castle is a short walk away, and the Ehime cultural museum is short drive in the direction of Matsuyama, very interesting and worth a couple hour visit. He recommended a friendly neighborhood seafood, small with tables and counter, where we sampled fresh, local seafood, raw and cooked. A real highlight of our 2 week Japan vacation.

We booked this house after seeing the pictures and liked the idea of having the whole house to ourselves. Bartholomew was an excellent host and gave us lots of dining and travel tips for the area. The house is beautifully restored and we enjoyed the peace and calm there for 2 days. Breakfast is a simple continental one but plenty for us. We didn't use half the rooms as there was only two of us, but we enjoyed the experience very much and can recommend it for a very different stay.

I stayed at Kiya Ryokan with a group of eight other people, some Japanese, some American. Upon our arrival, we were given a fantastic tour in both English and Japanese. The history of the building is fascinating, and its transformation into a modern (yet still traditional) Ryokan is stunning. Many famous artists and writers have stayed and left their mark all over the building. The beds are cozy, the ofuro is luxurious, and the scenery is bar-none. The little shop featured unique art and souvenirs that I actually wanted to buy (in my experience rare).||||The breakfast was delicious, though light (just how I like it) with amazing fresh-baked pastries, orange juice, and great coffee. ||||Two features which were unnecessary but added to the experience immensely were the bluetooth speaker system (which hooked up seamlessly to my iPhone) and the automatic white screens on the 2nd floor which can be colored with a cool LED lighting system.||||Also, the see-through floor on the 2nd story is SO COOL!||||I cannot wait to stay again!||||Uwajima castle is walking distance as well!

This house is owned and run by the city. It is not a regular ryokan, meaning there will be someone to check you in, help you with information or whatever you need, but there is no staff overnight : a phone call will bring you the responsible person, if needed. They accept one party only. So you have an entire house for yourself. And what a house. It is a protected national treasure so the renovations needed to follow rules. Nevertheless a group of artists added details that change the atmosphere into an arts project. See through floors and color lights in some rooms were unexpected but very artful. My sister and I stayed all by ourselves in the house capable to comfortably accommodate 10 or more. It has a fixed price : sharing it with more people makes it very affordable. And while visiting Uwajima do realise that the city has one of the 12 original castles left in Japan ! Staying here was on my wish list for three years and I immediately put it onto the list again : I want to return, with my husband and/or children or anybody as enthusiastic about Japanese arts as I am.

Best Ryokan/house for rent ever! Charming staff, a huge traditional house for your disposal, and many rooms to feel comfy. Nearby the city center. Excellent experience all the way!

We enjoyed private stay with 8 peoples. I was having a meeting with them at this Ryokan. After that, we were just chattering and chilling out like a at home. Also, this is an tourists information center. You can get advice on sightseeing information here!

I stayed at Kiya Ryokan for five nights in March 2016 and it was a dream come true. Sharing the Kiya with two close friends meant that we had a lot of space to spread out and find peaceful moments in a beautifully restored cultural property. Moreover, Kiya's staff were amazing in helping us to plan our days and evenings in Uwajima, from sightseeing to restaurants to exploring uniquely Japanese traditional arts, such as shōdo and koinobori production. Mr. and Ms. Greb as well as Ms. Tanimoto were warm and welcoming from the start of our visit and even provided a simple, delicious breakfast each morning of our stay. Kiya is a short walk from Uwajima Station and is located close to many wonderful restaurants, izakaya, and coffee shops/cafés. The ryokan is also within easy walking distance to both Uwajima Castle and Tenshaen Garden. Local art galleries and shops are treasure troves of Uwajima specialities and culture. And the local post office ATM makes getting cash easy in a town with no Seven Eleven shops. In fact, the post office is probably a better option for ATM access since they have several machines. It's also helpful if you want to send some postcards. Uwajima is definitely off the beaten path, but Kiya Ryokan and the local people make this a wonderful vacation destination, whether for one night or five, giving everyone a taste of a traditional Japanese lifestyle. I will definitely return. Other perks include: a great on-site gift shop, free wifi, traditional bathhouse within the ryokan, cool lighting features, air conditioning, Bluetooth speakers, beautiful traditional art, and more!

nice old japanese house