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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

Superior Triple Room | In-room safe, individually decorated, desk, iron/ironing board

Superior Triple Room

Highlights

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

View all photos for Superior Twin Room

Superior Twin Room | In-room safe, individually decorated, desk, iron/ironing board

Superior Twin Room

Highlights

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

View all photos for Superior Quadruple Room

Superior Quadruple Room | In-room safe, individually decorated, desk, iron/ironing board

Superior Quadruple Room

Highlights

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

View all photos for Standard Twin Room

Standard Twin Room | In-room safe, individually decorated, desk, iron/ironing board

Standard Twin Room

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(8 reviews)

Highlights

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

View all photos for Economy Twin Room

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
Bidet
Hair dryer
Shower/tub combination
Private bathroom
  • 18 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Futons

View all photos for Standard Quadruple Room

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
Bidet
Hair dryer
Shower/tub combination
Private bathroom
  • 24 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 4 Twin Futons

View all photos for Economy Quadruple Room

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
Bidet
Hair dryer
Shower/tub combination
Private bathroom
  • 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 | Combined shower/tub, free toiletries, hair dryer, slippers

Standard Quadruple Room

  • Sleeps 4

View all photos for Superior Quadruple Room

Bathroom | Combined shower/tub, free toiletries, hair dryer, slippers

Superior Quadruple Room

  • Sleeps 4

View all photos for Superior Triple Room

Bathroom | Combined shower/tub, free toiletries, hair dryer, slippers

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 | Combined shower/tub, free toiletries, hair dryer, slippers

Economy Quadruple Room

  • Sleeps 4

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 - 5 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), a TV in the lobby, and smoke-free premises
  • 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

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  • Air conditioning
  • Breakfast available
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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
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
This property doesn't offer after-hours check-in
For any questions, please contact the property using the information on the booking confirmation
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
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. After-hours check-in is not available.

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

9.6

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 369 out of 512 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 113 out of 512 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 23 out of 512 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 3 out of 512 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 4 out of 512 reviews

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Solimar

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Excelente service. Breakfast was superb. Highly recommend if you want to have the Ryokan experience.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2025

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

Diego

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Amazing facilities and very friendly staff
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 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

Julian

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Really quiet, great location staff are friendly willing to help you
Stayed 3 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Nilufer

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
It's a small little place that is unique and features little things that make it special - a koi fish feature, spacious rooms in traditional Japanese style. Comfortable and most of all the service was great.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 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

Sapna

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Excellent Ryokan experience
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Wenjing

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Wonderful and memorable stay!!
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kyle

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great authentic Ryokan. Bus stops were close which made it easy to get around, lots of good restaurants close by with an amazing bakery. The hot bath was a great way to relax after a long day of exploring the city. Would highly reccomend staying here if youre travelling to Kyoto!
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Adeline

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful, clean, and unique traditional hotel that smells nice. Wonderful and helpful staff. Breakfast is delicious and nice.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Daniela

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Traditional Ryokan, easy to get there, friendly staff.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Benjamin

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great place
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Nancie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Nice ryokan with great breakfast. Staff is very welcoming. Enjoyed our stay!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 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

10/10 Excellent

Federica

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great experience, clean, beautiful
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 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

Benjamin

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
I stayed here 2 nights and my stay was incredible! Since the moment I arrived the staff was very friendly explaining me the rules while staying, and the room was everything I expected. The public baths were also an amazing experience, so I highly recommend to take a bath there at least once! The location was well connected with the bus and metro system, and the surroundings were perfectly quiet, with some nice places to eat close by. Definitely recommended, and hope I can come back!
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Terry

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
My wife and I wanted the experience of staying in a traditional Japanese ryokan, so we decided on staying here for the Kyoto leg of our trip, and it did not disappoint. The room was charming and wonderfully decorated and accessorized, the bedding comfortable, and the staff were so kind and patient with us. From the koi pond visible from our room to the fantastic traditional breakfast, everything about the Ryokan Sawaya Honten made our trip to Japan that much more memorable.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

RICARDO

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Amazing experience, the room was pristine and the hospitality incredible.
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Rocio

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Staff was friendly, clean and very comfortable.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

JUNYONG

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
I had a pleasant stay at the place which
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jason Harold

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
The location and staff were great! It was very clean and spacious for a family of four!
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023

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