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Ryokan Sawaya Honten

3.0 star property
Ryokan in Kyoto, near Heian Shrine

Choose dates to view prices

Ryokan Sawaya Honten offers an authentic Japanese experience near Kyoto University and the Imperial Palace. Guests can relax in the Japanese garden or indoor public bath after exploring the city. The property features free WiFi and a highly praised staff.

Reviews

9.4 out of 10
Exceptional

Popular amenities

  • Laundry
  • Air conditioning
  • Free WiFi

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 14 of 14 rooms

View all photos for Superior Triple Room

In-room safe, individually decorated, desk, iron/ironing board

Superior Triple Room

Highlights

Individually decorated
Air conditioning
Refrigerator
Flat-screen TV
Toilet with electronic bidet
Private bathroom
Shower/tub combination
Hair dryer
  • 22 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 3 Twin Futons

View all photos for Superior Twin Room

In-room safe, individually decorated, desk, iron/ironing board

Superior Twin Room

Highlights

Individually decorated
Air conditioning
Refrigerator
Flat-screen TV
Toilet with electronic bidet
Private bathroom
Shower/tub combination
Hair dryer
  • 18 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Futons

View all photos for Superior Quadruple Room

In-room safe, individually decorated, desk, iron/ironing board

Superior Quadruple Room

Highlights

Individually decorated
Air conditioning
Refrigerator
Flat-screen TV
Toilet with electronic bidet
Private bathroom
Shower/tub combination
Hair dryer
  • 29 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 4 Twin Futons

View all photos for Standard Twin Room

In-room safe, individually decorated, desk, iron/ironing board

Standard Twin Room

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(7 reviews)

Highlights

Individually decorated
Air conditioning
Refrigerator
Flat-screen TV
Toilet with electronic bidet
Private bathroom
Shower/tub combination
Hair dryer
  • 18 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Futons

View all photos for Economy Twin Room

In-room safe, individually decorated, desk, iron/ironing board

Economy Twin Room

9.4 out of 10
Exceptional
(3 reviews)

Highlights

Individually decorated
Air conditioning
Refrigerator
Flat-screen TV
Toilet with electronic bidet
Private bathroom
Shower/tub combination
Hair dryer
  • 18 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Futons

View all photos for Standard Quadruple Room

In-room safe, individually decorated, desk, iron/ironing board

Standard Quadruple Room

9.4 out of 10
Exceptional
(6 reviews)

Highlights

Individually decorated
Air conditioning
Refrigerator
Flat-screen TV
Toilet with electronic bidet
Private bathroom
Shower/tub combination
Hair dryer
  • 24 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 4 Twin Futons

View all photos for Economy Quadruple Room

In-room safe, individually decorated, desk, iron/ironing board

Economy Quadruple Room

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(12 reviews)

Highlights

Individually decorated
Air conditioning
Refrigerator
Flat-screen TV
Toilet with electronic bidet
Private bathroom
Shower/tub combination
Hair dryer
  • 25 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 4 Twin Futons

View all photos for Standard Twin Room

In-room safe, individually decorated, desk, iron/ironing board

Standard Twin Room

  • Sleeps 2

View all photos for Standard Quadruple Room

Bathroom

Standard Quadruple Room

  • Sleeps 4

View all photos for Superior Quadruple Room

Bathroom

Superior Quadruple Room

  • Sleeps 4

View all photos for Superior Triple Room

Bathroom

Superior Triple Room

  • Sleeps 3

View all photos for Superior Twin Room

In-room safe, individually decorated, desk, iron/ironing board

Superior Twin Room

  • Sleeps 2

View all photos for Economy Twin

In-room safe, individually decorated, desk, iron/ironing board

Economy Twin

  • Sleeps 2

View all photos for Economy Quadruple Room

Bathroom

Economy Quadruple Room

  • Sleeps 4

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About the neighborhood

Map
25 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto, 606-8397

What's nearby

  • Heian Shrine - 9 min walk - 0.8 km
  • Kawaramachi Street - 10 min walk - 0.9 km
  • Kyoto University - 13 min walk - 1.2 km
  • Pontocho Alley - 15 min walk - 1.3 km
  • Kyoto Imperial Palace - 3 min drive - 2.0 km

Getting around

  • Jingu-marutamachi Station - 7 min walk
  • Higashiyama Station - 16 min walk
  • Kansai Intl. Airport (KIX) - 98 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪アラシのキッチン - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Basement base - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪EL LATINO - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪タリーズコーヒー - ‬6 min walk
  • ‪カレー専門店 ビィヤント - ‬3 min walk

About this property

Ryokan Sawaya Honten

Ryokan near Heian Shrine
Located close to Kyoto University and Kyoto Imperial Palace, Ryokan Sawaya Honten provides an indoor public bath (no minerals), a Japanese garden, and laundry facilities. Stay connected with free in-room WiFi.
Other perks at this ryokan include:
  • Breakfast (surcharge), smoke-free premises, and a TV in the lobby
  • Guest reviews give top marks for the helpful staff
Room features
All guestrooms are individually decorated, and have comforts such as laptop-compatible safes and air conditioning, in addition to thoughtful touches like free WiFi and free bottled water.
More conveniences in all rooms include:
  • Bathrooms with toilets with electronic bidets and shower/tub combinations
  • Flat-screen TVs with digital channels
  • Refrigerators, heating, and limited housekeeping

Similar properties

Front of property - evening/night
Gion Ryokan Karaku
  • Free WiFi
  • Air conditioning
  • Breakfast available
  • Parking available
9.2 out of 10, Wonderful, 266 reviews
The price is P7,566
P8,322 total
Dec 7 - Dec 8
Gion Ryokan Karaku

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • No onsite parking available

Food and drink

  • Daily breakfast available 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM for a fee

Things to do

  • TV in common areas

Conveniences

  • Guidebooks
  • Laundry facilities
  • Limited-hour front desk

Guest services

  • Change of towels on request
  • Housekeeping (weekly)

Outdoors

  • Japanese garden

Spa

  • Public bath open from 5:00 PM - 11:00 PM
  • Public indoor bath (no minerals)
  • Separate men/women areas in public bath
  • Yukata (Japanese robes)

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Handrails in stairways
  • No elevator
  • Well-lit path to entrance

More

  • 2 floors
  • Genkan (entryway)
  • Smoking not allowed

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • Bidet
  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Private bathroom
  • Shampoo
  • Shower/bathtub combination
  • Slippers
  • Toilet paper
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • Flat-screen TV with digital channels

Food and drink

  • Free bottled water
  • Refrigerator
  • Restaurant dining guides

More

  • Air conditioning (climate-controlled)
  • Desk
  • Electrical adapters
  • Fusuma (room partition)
  • Heating (climate-controlled)
  • Individual decor
  • Iron/ironing board on request
  • Laptop-compatible safe
  • Tatami (woven mat) flooring
  • Tokonoma (alcove)
  • Window screens

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; Check-in end time: 9:00 PM
Late check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 15

Check-out

Check-out before 10 AM

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from 6:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Front desk staffed during limited hours
If you are planning to arrive after 9:00 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation
For any questions, please contact the property using the information on the booking confirmation
Breakfast is available to guests booked in breakfast rates only and cannot be requested after check-in.
Luggage storage after check-out is only available until 3 PM.

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children 12 and younger are not allowed at this property; All guests older than 12 are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Property payment types

Important information

Fees

You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the property. Fees may include applicable taxes:

  • A city tax may be collected at the property. The city tax ranges from JPY 100–10,000 per person, per night based on the nightly room rate. Please note that further exemptions may apply. For more details, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.

We have included all charges provided to us by the property.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Minimum Spring Break check-in age is 15 years old
Guests must contact this property in advance to reserve access to the public bathing facility
This property accepts credit cards and cash
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a smoke detector
Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property; the policies listed are provided by the property
Japanese futons are provided based on the number of adults in the reservation.

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
Children 12 years old and younger are not permitted at this property
The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare requires all international visitors to submit their passport number and nationality when registering at any lodging facility (inns, hotels, motels, etc. ); additionally, lodging proprietors are required to photocopy passports for all registering guests and keep the photocopy on file
A car is not required for transportation to and from this property
Guests with tattoos are welcome to use the onsite public bathing facilities

Property is also known as

Ryokan Sawaya
Ryokan Sawaya Honten
Ryokan Sawaya Honten Kyoto
Sawaya Honten
Sawaya Honten Kyoto
Sawaya Honten Ryokan
Sawaya Ryokan
Sawaya Honten Hotel Kyoto
Ryokan Sawaya Honten Kyoto
Ryokan Sawaya Honten Ryokan
Ryokan Sawaya Honten Ryokan Kyoto

Frequently asked questions

Is Ryokan Sawaya Honten pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking?

Ryokan Sawaya Honten doesn't offer parking.

What time is check-in at Ryokan Sawaya Honten?

Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; Check-in end time: 9:00 PM. Late check-in is available during limited hours.

What time is check-out at Ryokan Sawaya Honten?

Check-out is at 10 AM.

Where is Ryokan Sawaya Honten located?

Located in Sakyo Ward, this ryokan is within a 15-minute walk of Heian Shrine, Kawaramachi Street, and Kyoto University. Kyoto Imperial Palace and Ginkaku-ji Temple are also within 2 mi (3 km). Higashiyama Station is 16 minutes by foot and Sanjo Keihan Station is 18 minutes.

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Reviews

Ryokan Sawaya Honten Reviews

9.4

Exceptional

9.8

Cleanliness

8.0

Location

9.4

Staff & service

9.6

Eco-friendliness

9.4

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 363 out of 504 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 111 out of 504 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 23 out of 504 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 3 out of 504 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 4 out of 504 reviews

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Phoebe

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A wonderful, peaceful place to stay! Even our economy room was large and comfortable, and the public baths were immaculately clean. Even though it is not in the more “popular” areas of Kyoto, we found it very easy to navigate transit and found some great nearby restaurants and temples to visit.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Karina

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I really enjoyed my stay here at Ryokan Sawaya Honton. For me i wanted an authentic older style accomadation, and this place delivered. They do have washing machines and dryers, so you can do yourself when it suits. Its clean and quiet, and on a relatively quiet street. The best was the public bath at the end of the day it was so lovely to soak in the hot tub. Tattoos ok. I highly recommend this great establishment for long or shorter stays. Thank you Ryokan 🙏😊👌
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Gabrielle

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
We loved our stay at ryokan sawaya honten. The traditional Japanese breakfast was very nice and we also enjoyed the peaceful public bath.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Peng M

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We loved our stay at Ryokan Sawaya Honten with the traditional Japanese style living with clothing and public onsen. Super quiet and clean and we had the best nights of sleep in Japan. Room is doubled sizing vs Osaka and Tokyo rooms. Beat Japan experience for our kids from America
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Mary

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Excellent ryokan with all the amenities you need.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Katrine

Liked: Amenities
Beautiful traditional Inn. Easy communication with staff in English. Beautiful running water feature with Koi ourside sliding doors in room. Beautiful and wonderful all around. Would 100% book again!
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025

8/10 Good

angelo

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Quaint Ryokan in a quiet area but lots to do in a shortish walk.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Tuoc

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very nice place to stay. We loved the traditional Japanese beds! What a wonderful experience with excellent service!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sophyia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff were the star of this place. They were lovely and accommodating, and especially helpful when doing our luggage transfers. The hotel itself exceeded our expectations and was very beautiful and spacious. We would recommend anyone to stay here.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

A

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely place to stay. Japanese style rooms that are very spacious. Hiroshi was the friendliest person we met in Japan and made us feel very welcome every time we came in. Close to everything you need in Kyoto.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Cristian

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed for a few days while in Kyoto. The ryokan was beautiful and the staff were very helpful. The rooms were very traditional but still had modern amenities. We paid for a traditional Japanese breakfast everyday which was absolutely delicious and worth it.

10/10 Excellent

Mandy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great experience at this tattoo friendly ryokan! Rooms are large and smell of fragrant wood. We had the best sleep! Neighborhood is quiet and a nice walk across the canal from the busy downtown.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Yoonho

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Everything of this ryokan is good. Especially kindful people.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Mihoko

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great staff, rooms, and breakfast

I was leading a tour with my weaving students. I wanted them to experience authentic Japanese ryokan. Sawaya was a perfect place for that.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023

6/10 Okay

Robert

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Set in a quiet area (university). Train station is about a 10 minute walk. Staff was friendly and even spoke English well which was nice. MAMA LOUIS is nearby and we highly suggest you go!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024

8/10 Good

Kristopher

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very nice ryokan with delightful closed off public bath. The most friendly staff throughout my stay in Japan. Only downside is there's not in the immediate area surrounding it.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Peri

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A very nice place to stay for vacation. The staff are very friendly and helpful. The room is very spacious and clean. Just walk one block to the bus station and two block to the subway station. The buses are reaching to the temples and Kyoto station. No need to transfer. Very convenient.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

James

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This ryokan (Japanese inn) is very traditional. Shoes are left by the entry. There are a men’s and a ladies’ onsen. Each room has a private bath, yukata (traditional bath robe), and a little fridge. There’s a tea set and hot water for tea, and the lay out futons for each guest. The AC worked fantastically (important in summer). It was what one could hope for in Kyoto. The inn is located two blocks from the Heikan line, across from Kyoto hospital, and less than a block from two minimarts and several small family run restaurants.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Catherine

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
The ryokan is clean, quiet, and spacious with great amenities especially the onsen. There is a washer dryer that guests may use. The staff also reserved a taxi for our early ride to the airport. We did not have our breakfast there because I forgot to reserve this but they do offer this option. I would definitely consider staying here again. Many thanks to all the staff who took such good care of us.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Steve

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Quiet, Peaceful and Spacious

A traditional Japanese experience with a super friendly staff. The room was large and gave us plenty of space. The entire facility was spotless and very peaceful. In room bathing room and toilet were perfect, but the community bath was even better and a great way to wind down and relax at the end of each day. The location is okay, but close enough to subway station. About a 25 to 30 minute walk to the Gion district, but the entire city is acccessible by walking, subway and bus. Your phone direction app will always recommend bus or car but we made it around entire city using subway, JR line and LOTS of walking.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2023

6/10 Okay

Jan

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
We were looking for a Ryokan off the beaten track and really liked the facilities. The building is a little older, but has a very original vibe and feels especially quiet and calm. Also the rooms are beautiful with exposed wood - although our room faced to the street it was quiet and light (the windows were covered though). The bathrooms could use an upgrade, though, and the spa / onsen is very simple, just one tiny bath. We did enjoy the breakfast and the very lovely breakfast staff, which really cared for us - the best part of the stay. The reception staff however felt very detached and not eager to help us or talk to us, with especially random and strict breakfast, checkout and luggage timing rules ("you can only leave the luggage here until 3"), that did not seem to be justified by business. Other Ryokan's would help suggest or book dinner, but they told us to just walk there. The location is, as expected, a bit off, and despite being close to the train and bus stations, not easy to find things - so a little help would have been nice.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2023

8/10 Good

MARIA RITA

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
El Ryokan es muy bonito y el personal muy amable. No hay mucho que hacer cerca, pero esta cerca de una estación de metro y de bus.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

GUSTAVO

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
El servicio, la atencion y las instalaciones fueron excelentes, el onsen fue una experiencia maravillosa
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Annette

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I enjoyed my stay here. It was great experiencing the traditional breakfast and sleeping conditions.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Joerg

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Mit einem Onsen.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2025