Kinse Ryokan — Restaurant in Kyoto

Although we did not stay in the Kinse Inn, we stayed in an Airbnb nearby that was hosted by the same owners and we decided to stop in one evening for a drink. The café/bar area is incredible. This ryokan is around 200 years old according to our host, and the owners have done a wonderful job of reinventing the space while preserving and staying true to the original structure. The furniture was mostly antiques and there was an eclectic mix of trinkets, books, boardgames and artwork lining the walls. There was a large wooden table with chairs, as well as couches and coffee tables, giving the café a very relaxed vibe. Kinse Inn roasts their coffee on the premesis in the lobby, and you can smell the rich, delicious roasted beans as soon as you enter. The coffee tastes as good as it smells. In addition, they have a selection of beer, spirits and wine all at reasonable prices. The staff member working at the bar was very friendly and more than happy to strike up a conversation with the customers. Make sure to stop in for a drink and say hi to them if you're...

Our family of 4 (2 teenage boys) stayed 2 nights at the Kinse Inn in Kyoto (March 2014). If you're looking to experience authentic "back street" Kyoto / Japan, this is the place for you to stay. The Inn felt like stepping back in time (but there is WiFi :) with the tatami mats, the slippers and the futons to sleep on (not sure if that's the accurate word for them?). We enjoyed some quiet family time playing cards in the sitting room - we had the whole upstairs to ourselves, so it was private. The neighborhood was also charming and the restaurants recommended by Kojiro and Seanacey were all wonderful and inexpensive. Have your Google translator app (or something similar) handy because the local restaurant personnel do not speak English. For us, this added to the adventure and we never went hungry.||Kinse Inn is withing easy walking distance of a train station that is 1 stop away from Kyoto station, but Kojiro and Seanacey will also call you a taxi if needed. Definitely...

Our family of 4 (2 teenage boys) stayed 2 nights at the Kinse Inn in Kyoto (March 2014). If you're looking to experience authentic "back street" Kyoto / Japan, this is the place for you to stay. The Inn felt like stepping back in time (but there is WiFi :) with the tatami mats, the slippers and the futons to sleep on (not sure if that's the accurate word for them?). We enjoyed some quiet family time playing cards in the sitting room - we had the whole upstairs to ourselves, so it was private. The neighborhood was also charming and the restaurants recommended by Kojiro and Seanacey were all wonderful and inexpensive. Have your Google translator app (or something similar) handy because the local restaurant personnel do not speak English. For us, this added to the adventure and we never went hungry.||Kinse Inn is withing easy walking distance of a train station that is 1 stop away from Kyoto station, but Kojiro and Seanacey will also call you a taxi if needed. Definitely...