Ryokan Yoshi Ima — Hotel in Kyoto

First and foremost, if you have any issue with sleeping on a traditional futon on the tatami flooring then this ryokan is not for you. I've read a few reviews on various websites where people were surprised when it came to settling in for the night. If you are unfamiliar with ryokans I would suggest you do some research before making a reservation.

With that being said, my husband and I stayed at Yoshi-Ima in December for our honeymoon. We both wanted to experience a traditional ryokan and we were not disappointed. We arrived in Kyoto before the check-in time, but we were allowed to leave our luggage and explore the city. The ryokan is located on a quiet street near the main shopping zone and very close to Yasaka Shrine. When entering the ryokan you must remove your shoes and wear the slippers they provide. This is a required action. By removing your shoes you keep the ryokan cleaner. The staff will keep your shoes behind the front desk. When you enter your room you will need to remove your slippers, and there is a special pair of slippers used for the bathroom. I should note that in Japan it is considered very embarrassing to wear the bathroom shoes outside of the bathroom, so make sure to wear the correct slippers when moving around the ryokan. Also I should note that the hallways in the ryokan are open to the outside, so depending on when you visit the hallways might be a bit cold.

We stayed in room 104. From what I was told 104 is the biggest room in the ryokan. A maid will accompany you to your room and make sure everything is to your liking. She/He will ask when you'd like your dinner and breakfast, and she/he will serve you tea and then you'll be left to your own devices. When we visited the ryokan it was in December, the weather was cold outside but the inside of our room was nice and warm. The tatami mat flooring was also warm to our feet. The toilet is located on the outside of the room and it was a little chilly in the middle of the night, but thank God for heated toilet seats ;) Room 104 has a beautiful view of the inner garden, it was so lovely eating breakfast and enjoying the relaxing scenery. You will not go hungry while staying at Yoshi-Ima. After dinner every night my husband and I went to sleep full and happy. I don't recall the names of what was served but it consisted of veggies, miso soup, white rice, and the main course. If you enjoy food you will be happy.

Typically the futon beds are only put out when its bedtime (the maid will place them out right after dinner) but if you are tired just ask the staff. The maids normally do everything for you because that's part of the tradition. The futon was very comfortable and warm, and the buckwheat pillow was nice too.

In the morning the maid wakes you for breakfast (as I wrote earlier you pick the time), and they put away the futons. You have a choice between a Western breakfast and Japanese breakfast, we chose the Japanese breakfast and it was very yummy (again I don't recall the names of the dishes). We only stayed two nights and I did not use the shower at the ryokan. It is a traditional wooden tub with a shower.

I regretfully didn't get to use the on site onsen. I wish I would have made time. The ryokan also offers a tea ceremony, we did not partake but I again regret not doing so.

Overall we had a wonderful time, and it made me sad to leave. The staff was super friendly. I forgot to mention that the...

My final stop on my maiden voyage to Japan. Again, I will say, I could not have chosen a more perfect place to stay in Kyoto. Tomoko is the star of this show! Removed shoes immediately upon arrival, as my hostess, Tomoko, was cleaning the WHEELS of my luggage. She took me to my room, which was allll the way at the end of the ryokan and up the stairs. Poor thing had to lift my heavy heavy bag up the stairs and even though we could not fully communicate verbally, we laughed and laughed about how strong she is for 75 years old. Unbelievable! |She showed me to my room. Loved the tatami mats, and the table and chair were set up for dinner en suite. We set a time for dinner and I decided to take a walk to the Yasaka Pagoda in the meantime. I visited the Yasaka shrine, followed by the exquisite and grandiose Yasaka pagoda and made it back just in time for dinner service in the room. |Tomoko is seriously the most precious hostess I have ever had in all my travels. We could not really communicate, although she could speak a LITTLE English, while I can speak literally no Japanese other than hello and thank you, yet we just laughed and laughed every time she came into the room. She was so cute and obviously works so hard. It was so fantastic to spend time with her. Dinner was interesting and delicious. I loved the whole experience. After dinner, I was lucky enough to get a private tour and history lesson from the owner himself, Hiro, inside the small traditional tea house on site. Such a special treat to learn about the history and important of tea ceremonies in Japan! After which, I took a soak in the bath before heading out to explore Kyoto by night (at the advice of the owner, Hiro). The bath was just what I needed to refresh the spirit and get my second (or third) wind for the day. I walked and walked and walked and walked some more and found everything Hiro told me to look for. Kyoto is just as beautiful at night as it is in the daylight, if not more so. Pontocho Alley was fascinating and sooo cool! I got back to the ryokan, absolutely exhausted, just before midnight. I literally could not take one more step. I got to my room and Tomoko had changed the room over for sleeping. The table and chair were put away and the futon mattress and comforter were all ready and waiting for me in the beautifully dimly lit room. When I arrived, I noticed that Tomoko had left a little note wishing me good sleep, and a piece of fruit for a late night snack. |Breakfast seemed to come way too quickly after my late night of exploring. But it was worth it to see Tomoko again and try all the interesting and delicious Japanese style breakfast items. I made sure to take a stroll through the on-site Zen garden, admiring the fountains, statues, and fauna. Everything just flows so well … so peaceful, yet so invigorating. I will do whatever it takes to come back to Kyoto again for a longer stay here at Yoshi-Ima Ryokan! Arigato to Hiro and Tomoko for being so wonderful to me...

My final stop on my maiden voyage to Japan. Again, I will say, I could not have chosen a more perfect place to stay in Kyoto. Tomoko is the star of this show! Removed shoes immediately upon arrival, as my hostess, Tomoko, was cleaning the WHEELS of my luggage. She took me to my room, which was allll the way at the end of the ryokan and up the stairs. Poor thing had to lift my heavy heavy bag up the stairs and even though we could not fully communicate verbally, we laughed and laughed about how strong she is for 75 years old. Unbelievable! |She showed me to my room. Loved the tatami mats, and the table and chair were set up for dinner en suite. We set a time for dinner and I decided to take a walk to the Yasaka Pagoda in the meantime. I visited the Yasaka shrine, followed by the exquisite and grandiose Yasaka pagoda and made it back just in time for dinner service in the room. |Tomoko is seriously the most precious hostess I have ever had in all my travels. We could not really communicate, although she could speak a LITTLE English, while I can speak literally no Japanese other than hello and thank you, yet we just laughed and laughed every time she came into the room. She was so cute and obviously works so hard. It was so fantastic to spend time with her. Dinner was interesting and delicious. I loved the whole experience. After dinner, I was lucky enough to get a private tour and history lesson from the owner himself, Hiro, inside the small traditional tea house on site. Such a special treat to learn about the history and important of tea ceremonies in Japan! After which, I took a soak in the bath before heading out to explore Kyoto by night (at the advice of the owner, Hiro). The bath was just what I needed to refresh the spirit and get my second (or third) wind for the day. I walked and walked and walked and walked some more and found everything Hiro told me to look for. Kyoto is just as beautiful at night as it is in the daylight, if not more so. Pontocho Alley was fascinating and sooo cool! I got back to the ryokan, absolutely exhausted, just before midnight. I literally could not take one more step. I got to my room and Tomoko had changed the room over for sleeping. The table and chair were put away and the futon mattress and comforter were all ready and waiting for me in the beautifully dimly lit room. When I arrived, I noticed that Tomoko had left a little note wishing me good sleep, and a piece of fruit for a late night snack. |Breakfast seemed to come way too quickly after my late night of exploring. But it was worth it to see Tomoko again and try all the interesting and delicious Japanese style breakfast items. I made sure to take a stroll through the on-site Zen garden, admiring the fountains, statues, and fauna. Everything just flows so well … so peaceful, yet so invigorating. I will do whatever it takes to come back to Kyoto again for a longer stay here at Yoshi-Ima Ryokan! Arigato to Hiro and Tomoko for being so wonderful to me...