Motonago

Wonderful experience for a family of four. We stayed here 20 years ago when our daughter was an infant and brought her back as an adult. The food was so exquisite of the service was top notch. Never slept better than I did that night. The bath was perfect end to a hot humid day of temples. Thank you so much for hosting our family. We will be back!!!!

We had a truly wonderful stay at Ryokan Motonago. From the moment we arrived, we felt warmly welcomed and cared for. The hospitality of the staff was exceptional—genuine, attentive, and full of thoughtfulness that made our experience so memorable. One of the highlights of our stay was the Japanese breakfast. It was beautifully prepared, with a variety of delicious and carefully arranged dishes that gave us a real taste of traditional Japanese cuisine. It was both a cultural experience and a culinary delight. The ryokan itself is charming and peaceful, offering the perfect blend of comfort and tradition. We left feeling rested, grateful, and eager to return someday. Highly recommended for anyone visiting Kyoto who wants to experience authentic Japanese hospitality.

We received the utmost hospitality at this beautiful, perfectly located Ryokan. I was a little nervous about the public showers as I was traveling with my son, but it was easy to reserve a time as it’s a small establishment. We had a room that overlooked a courtyard, and it felt totally serene and magical. Food on night 2 was suki yaki and it was our favorite meal in Japan!

I honestly feel that Motonago Ryokan defies the limits of a simple Google review — it’s an experience that stays with you. But at the insistence of my father-in-law, I must leave a note of deep appreciation for our two-night stay. For us, this ryokan was the main reason to come to Kyoto. The weather was gloomy and rainy for most of our visit, so we didn’t explore much outside. But we felt no regret whatsoever. The simple joy of relaxing in the common bath, savoring the exquisitely prepared kaiseki ryori, and most importantly, experiencing the warm hospitality from every member of the staff made it feel like a complete trip. That said, I still have a sore spot — literally — from bumping my head multiple times on the beautifully preserved but low wooden beams. If only there were a way to add discreet bumpers without taking away from the charm! Also, my room had a skylight with no shutter, which meant the morning sun woke me up like clockwork at 5am. That was probably the only thing that drove me a little crazy. But what truly touched us was what happened during dinner on the evening before our departure — the night before my father-in-law’s 70th birthday. We hadn’t mentioned it and didn’t expect anything, planning to celebrate later in Tokyo. But the hostess had noticed it from his passport at check-in, and that evening, they surprised him with a beautifully plated dessert and a heartfelt gift. He was so moved and kept saying he felt like the luckiest man in the world. Motonago is more than a place to sleep — it’s a cultural memory, a story we’ll always carry. Thank you for making our Kyoto visit so special.

The property was preserved well for authentic ryokan experience with a tweak of modernization in areas needed. Staffs were very attentive, c/i and c/o were super easy with little to none Japanese speaking foreigner. Mind due please respect the rules and be mindful to other guests. Research on how to behave in ryokans and do follow the staff guidance.

What an experience! For those doubting, doubt no more. The room is very comfortable, the floor is warm/heated, service is impeccable and the bath is not communal as you might think. You reserve a certain time and you go in alone with your partner. The staff is really nice and the massage was the best ever! Early mornings are the best to walk around that area.

We decided on Montonago after browsing TripAdvisor and other travel sites very thoroughly. We arrived a few hours before check in, but the kind host welcomed us with a nice iced hand towel, and was ready to take our bags as well as guide us to a great lunch spot nearby. Their English is limited, but we were able to communicate very easily. When we returned after check in time, we were greeted by multiple staff, who led us to our room, gave us hot tea, sweets, and immediately scheduled the baths for the evening and the next morning. We chose the Aoba room as our accommodation, which had its own toilet and bath, as well as a spacious and warm traditional Japanese styled room. It was slightly pricey, but 100% worth it as we had a view of the garden, and lots of space and a private toilet. We also opted for the traditional Japanese breakfast every morning of our trip which is definitely the way to go, as we had no other Japanese breakfast options during the rest of our 16 days in Japan. The breakfast was great, I recommend it to anyone who wants a full immersion of Japanese culture. The hotel’s location was also in an amazing spot as well, we were able to walk everywhere and only needed a taxi once! We also chose the traditional Kassegi dinner which was prepared by the hotel, we had a beautiful dinner room with amazing food! If you have picky eaters in the family, that may be a little difficult, but we felt it was worth it and delicious. We slept on the traditional Japanese beds as well, which was the best nights of sleep we had the whole trip! Don’t be scared of trying something new, it was always worth it. We left the ryokan longing to go back. Staff was amazing, helped us the whole way. We couldn’t recommend this place more. Go to Montonago!!!

This was my first time staying at a ryokan, and the experience was wonderful. The service felt more like the care you’d get at a grandma’s house rather than typical service. The host was incredibly sweet. Overall, it was worth every bit. We chose a room with a garden view, and on one rainy day, the scenery was absolutely breathtaking.

Fantastic place. Feels very authentic Japanese yet also incredibly welcoming of (and tolerant of!) nom-Japanese. Can't say enough about the friendly staff. Japanese breakfast was fresh, varied, tasty. And did I mention the wonderful staff? Great location, too. Highly recommend if you want to stay in a ryokan.