Kamogawakan — Hotel in Kyoto

Most of us may be satisfied in our travels to just sightsee, but if you are interested in adding a dimension, try the ryokan experience in this traditional former capital of Japan. This 7-story inn was built 100 years ago but was retrofitted with modern amenities, including a 6-man elevator, modern toilets and baths in the 26 units. Our unit had 10 tatami mats, easily sleeps 4 adults in the futon, had a great thermostat-controlled heater but needed to close the shoji doors to keep the cold climate and street noise from the large windows. The building is at the start of a large shopping promenade (inexpensive souvenirs, food), and very close to the subway station and a block away from the GION district where you may see geisha and maiko girls in their kimono. The staff is very accommodating: the front was staffed usually by one college student who was able to communicate in English, the senior ladies that turn the futon and present the meals were clad in service kimono. There is a communal bath in the basement (up to 9 people in the male section) and there are yukata robes in the rooms (ask for a large at the front desk). The kaiseki and the sukiyaki meals are excellently prepared. The only negatives were the lack of furniture and enough electrical/electronic access in the room (they would have distracted from the traditional look); there is a large dining table in the private lobby area (bring a 6-ft extension cord). For people with weak knees, the key is to use the sturdy back supports on the floor to brace yourself when getting off the...

We got there the day Typhoon 8 struck Osaka and Kyoto. We were able to escape Osaka and get to Kyoto at 9AM. We reached the Kamogawa-kan knowing that check-in time would have been at 3PM, but considering that they where expecting us, that every single business in town was closed and that it was pouring and the wind was blowing at 40-50km/h, we asked if we could wait in the hotel lobby. They told us they would keep our luggage but that we couldn't wait in the hotel.

After check-in we went to its public bath. We were the first to get there and after we started showering in order to enter the public pool, a Japanese person entered the room with their child. We finished showering and got into the bath, then they started showering; when the kid was done the father told him to wait to get into the bath and kept showering.. for 15 minutes, the whole time we stayed in the bath. The instant we stepped out of the bath the father allowed the child to go in the bath and joined him immediately.

Later we were taking the elevator and on its way to the ground floor it made a stop at a floor where a hotel person held the elevator door open for two guests to come in with us, another parent and their teenage son. The father looked straight into our eyes without moving a muscle for a whole minute, refusing to enter the elevator with us. The hotel person picked up and let the elevator go, apologizing to us for holding the door.

This is the collection of racist experiences this...

I loved this place! The room was a lot bigger than I thought. Walk in, little hallway with toilette through one door and bath through another. Enter into main room with table set up. Our host was the sweetest lady and super cool, very happy! She served us tea and a cookie to welcome us. There's another little room past the main room. It's set up with a table next to the window and has the refrigerator and coffee pot...or maybe just a kettle for heating water. I can't remember. We stayed on the 6th floor. The beds were comfortable and I slept all through the night no problems. I'm not sure what to say about breakfast (which was included). I've never had this kind of food. But some was reaaaalllly delicious (like the tofu heated under the pot with some kind of delicious topping) It was small portions of everything but I was so full I could barely finish it all. Also, it is during breakfast time that they go up to your room to put the beds away.| It's located next to Sanjo train station and the walk to the "geisha district" was very short. Also, the ryokan had staff to speak English. There is a bit of a smell in the room but I noticed several places had a smell (even the Sheraton at Tokyo Bay.) The only small complaint is the water turned off in the middle of my morning shower. I had to stand there and wait a few minutes for the water to kick back on ( this only happened to me once.) Anyways, lovely staff and lovely place. Would stay...