Downtown Kyoto Kyoto, Japan
Renovated
2006
Price
$$$$
Rated for
Heritage Classic LocalOutside the door
Venerable ryokan sanctum
Nineteenth-century calligraphy at the entryway promises arriving guests will feel at home, setting a tone of cloistered calm and gentle etiquette.
“Creaky floors, cypress tubs with hot steam water, and tatami mats heighten the senses at each turn.”
What it’s good at
Exceptional
In family hands since 1818, hosting Japanese imperial royalty and novelist Yasunari Kawabata.
Exceptional
Unbroken ryokan hospitality and sukiya-zukuri wooden craftsmanship welcoming guests across six generations.
What they say
One Michelin Key
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler and AFAR.
all twenty-four rooms are different, they’re all utterly traditional, constructed with first-rate skill and decorated with arts and crafts... by master artisans.
Right in the middle
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Tucked away in central Nakagyo, the peaceful lanes place temples, traditional knife makers, and the Kamogawa riverbanks within an easy stroll.
The rooms
Sliding shoji screens open to tranquil moss gardens, while lacquered gourd boxes discreetly conceal modern lighting controls beside woven tatami mats.
The baths
Soaking tubs carved from aromatic umbrella pine fill with natural spring water drawn from aquifers beneath the property.
At the table
Seasonal Kyo-kaiseki dinners arrive on heirloom lacquerware. In the morning, local tofu simmers over white charcoal in cedar bowls.
Operated by the same family for six generations, the ryokan is steeped in centuries-old tradition, etiquette, and service…
How it began
Named after protective holly trees, this former sword-guard artisan family turned innkeepers hosted Nobel laureate Yasunari Kawabata as a regular resident.
Stay here
Hiiragiya Ryokan
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Kyoto
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.