Snow Peak Cafe Landstation Kyoto Arashiyama — Restaurant in Kyoto

I booked 6 nights here for part of our 3 week honeymoon in Japan, taking a bit of a risk since there were only a few reviews on Google with limited information, but it really worked out in our favour…. this place was a great place to stay! So let me fill you in with some greater detail….

The location is a camp gear store with a café in the front, but behind the building, they have built 3 units that are badically wooden boxes about the size of a shipping container. Each unit has nice large windows that open right up so that you can hang out on the exterior decks, but they also close right up with blinds to give you complete privacy.

Inside you have a toilet, a sink to wash up, and quite a lovely shower with a mirror, if you like shaving in the shower! The toilet is a bit close to the shower, but absolutely manageable.

The bed is big and comfy, but could maybe use a couple of more pillows. We probably should have asked about that, but it wasn’t a priority for us.

Each unit also has their own climate control, so there is no need to worry about being too cold or hot. They provide each guest witb outdoor kimonos, so you will be comfortable hanging outside as well.

It is also worth noting, if you have issues with Japan’s tiny hotel rooms, our unit here was by far the largest room we stayed in…. in fact it was about double the size of the other rooms we had in Japan!

When I booked our stay, I had no idea that we would be close a VERY busy tourist area. Despite being only a couple of blocks from the nearest subway station, and only a block away from a tram that also goes into town, the area gets quite quiet at night. The location is removed enough from the hustle and busle, that you wouldn’t even know that there were thousands of tourists within a 5min walk.

Although tour buses roll into the area as early as 8am, things are usually quiet by 7pm, including your restaurant options. The only time things got a bit loud is when we had some stormy weather. The rain and wind can get a bit loud, but we had no issue with it.

We were too busy during our visit to make use of the fire pits, but we saw that they were there to use. As Canadian campers, we could definitely appreciate the thought that has been put into this space.

Thanks to all the staff at this Snow Peak location. They were friendly and very accommodating. When we return to Kyoto, we will be sure to...

It is very low-key from the outside but the interior looks good, I like how they did the detail of the air-conditioning vents, very discreet. They repurposed an old Japanese house into what the store is right now, as per one of the staff members.

Good selection of high quality clothing, shoes and camping products. You have to take off your shoes to go up the platform, as tradition goes.

The cafe has a short menu of American food. It isn’t the best burger out there but I sure enjoyed it, the onions were so sweet! Food was a but on the pricey side. It is one of those places that require you to order one meal per person to dine in.

A must visit for fans of the brand, and if you like Japanese architecture/interior design. It is a short walk from the...

I ended up here because everywhere else was packed. The menu was tiny, mostly boring Western-style dishes, and the whole experience was nothing special. The food took ages to arrive, and they didn’t even have Wi-Fi, which is pretty basic these days.

I wouldn’t suggest this place to anyone. Nothing I tried stood out, and it’s just not...