Kifune Ugenta
Sakyo Ward, Kyoto
MICHELIN Guide
“…a two-room, 200-year-old ryokan in the mountain woods just outside Kyoto…”
Vibe
Tucked into the forested Kibune valley, this two-suite riverside retreat pairs secluded mountain calm with personal nakai-san hospitality.
“Riverside forest sanctuary”
Summer kawadoko dining on platforms over the Kibune River, featuring seasonal salted ayu and mountain hot pots.
Two private two-story maisonettes with outdoor wooden rotenburo baths and dedicated multi-course seasonal in-room dining.
A generational estate tracing its lineage to the hereditary priestly family of neighboring Kifune Shrine.
In the forested Kibune valley above Kyoto, steps from Kifune Shrine alongside the flowing river
Rooms
Two-level maisonette suites feature private open-air baths on the upper deck, sunken irori hearths, and modernist woodwork by George Nakashima.
Wellness
Private rotenburo soaking tubs look into the forest canopy, complemented by proprietary lymphatic massage treatments at the on-site beauty gallery.
Backstory
Long before opening in 1962, the estate belonged to a hereditary priestly household serving the historic Kifune Shrine next door.
Eat & drink
Summer dinners unfold on wooden kawadoko platforms suspended over the rushing river, pairing freshly grilled ayu sweetfish with house craft beer.
The neighborhood
Stepping outside places you along the forested Kibune River, just a five-minute walk from the red lantern stairs of Kifune Shrine.
The app
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