Ryokan Uemura

An amazing, authentic Ryokan with a perfect location. The host is very helpful and kind, and the rooms are cozy and relaxing. This was our first time sleeping on futons, but they were much more comfortable than expected.

Authentic ryokan in a great location near the Gion district. Very close walk to many attractions and a bus stop. The host was very helpful and had some great recommendations for the area. The house itself is on the older side (over 100 years old), but very clean, comfortable and maintained well.

A clean, comfy, and quiet Ryokan .. the perfect location to explore this area. Very traditional, small room w futon on floor. Shared toilet & shower. Shoes off! Helpful owner.

This is and absolute gem! A old Japanese lady runs this guesthouse and has done so for 60 years. Only 4 rooms which make you feel like you are in a private home. Mrs. Uemura is very nice and helpful. The breakfast is delicious, Japanese or western. Bathroom is shared and the toilets, but there are 3 toilets for 4 rooms. The rooms are comfortable and clean, Japanese futon bed and low tables. The ryokan is situated in the heart of old Kyoto in a marvellous traditional street, but all the facilities are in walking distance. Note there is a curfue at 10 PM.

We occupied two rooms in this lovely old Ryokan a few days ago and what made the place special was our wonderful hostess Hideko San. She prepared the most delicious and beautiful Japanese and Western breakfasts we have eaten in Japan! In her eighties now, her energy and kindness are an inspiration. Leaving her felt like saying goodbye to our grandma and we all got a bit teary! The rooms were comfortable and everything was clean. Hideko san gave us helpfultips on how to get to places in her limited English, wrote notes to taxi drivers in Japanese and we warmed to her twinkling eyes and kindness. The ryokan was relatively expensive, but you are paying for the brilliant location in historic Ginza. It is like being transported to a different world! The stunning serene Kodaiji Zen temple is a just stone's throw away and if you are lucky like us, you will hear and see the monks coming by for alms. Staying here was a highlight for us and we hope to be back soon.

Great location for exploring on foot many of the popular sites. While it's near a lot, it's actually located on a pedestrian only street that was pretty quiet and felt very removed from the busier streets just a short distance away.||||More importantly, the hospitality of the owner (whose name escapes me now) was great. Her English was minimal, but enough. She was very accommodating and kind. For example, she offered me an umbrella for my use on a rainy day, and she always greeted me when I returned for the day.||||The accommodation itself was clean, though basic, and I imagine pretty traditional. The bedding was comfortable enough. The bathroom and shower is shared, but at least when I was there, the place wasn't that crowded so it was never an issue. Breakfast was good, too, and both Western and Japanese options.

We went during a very hot. In August. Ms Umera was such a gracious hostess. She let us borrow her umbrella every day and provided a home cooked breakfast every morning. The rooms are nice but a unique part of the charm is that the ryokan is homey and decidedly old school. The location is near everything in Gion and yet off the main roads so that it’s quiet in the evenings. Be sure to bring cash as she does not take credit cards. Highly recommended.

We lived in Tokyo for 8 years and did a good bit of traveling around the country, trying all sorts of accommodations. The Ryokan Uemura is our favorite of all. It all starts with the charming owner, Uemura-san, whose hospitality started with meeting us at the taxi and ended with a goodbye wave at the taxi stand 48 hours later. In between she provided a fantastic breakfast at our convenience, and was always in the background for questions and help.||||Let's face it: sleeping on the floor on a futon is not for everyone, but, during a trip to Japan, it's a highlight. Our room was quite large and had a few of a beautiful Japanese rock garden. The "real, old Japan" starts right outside the door in one of Kyoto's old authentic neighborhoods. Three shrines and temples are within a ten minute walk. A "food street" with scores of Japanese restaurants is also a ten minute walk. It's hard to imagine a better place to stay for the feel of Japan.